Wilson honored as ��Ƶ’s 2024 National Alumnus of the Year

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State is honoring Bryan S. Wilson with its highest alumni honor. In a campus ceremony May 17, the Mississippi native will be recognized formally as the university’s 2024 National Alumnus.

Bryan Wilson portrait — Bryan Wilson (Submitted photo)

A two-time graduate of ��Ƶ’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Wilson is an experienced executive and entrepreneur with more than 40 years of industry experience across agricultural chemical manufacturing, seed and fertilizer inputs, and crop protection segments throughout North America, Europe and Asia. In 2009, he co-founded Tacoma Ag LLC, a generic branded crop protection company that rapidly grew to national prominence and subsequently was purchased by Atticus LLC in 2018.

Prior to Tacoma Ag, Bryan served as president of United Agri Products, a NASDAQ-traded company acquired by Agrium Inc for $2.65B in 2007. He also served in several executive positions with BASF over a 15-year period in North America and Europe, starting his career with BASF in field sales.

Currently, Wilson enjoys working with private equity groups assessing potential acquisitions in the ag industry and investing in various venture capital enterprises. He also serves on the boards of directors for several promising ag technology companies, including FruitScout and Zeakal Inc.

Born in Tupelo and raised in Fulton, Wilson earned his ��Ƶ bachelor’s and master’s degrees in entomology from ��Ƶ in 1982 and 1984, respectively. He has maintained strong connections with his alma mater over the years. He has served multiple terms on the ��Ƶ Foundation board, is a longtime member and current treasurer of the Bulldog Club board and has provided valuable insight to his college as a member of the dean’s advisory board. In 2014, he was honored as the college’s Alumni Fellow.

As an entrepreneur, Wilson is involved with ��Ƶ’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach in the College of Business. He is a member of the Bulldog Angel Network and enjoys working with and serving as mentor for several start-up companies developed through the CEO.

Wilson also has been involved with different community organizations, serving on the boards of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, North Mississippi Daily Journal, North Mississippi Medical Center and the CREATE Foundation, where he was chairman from 2020-2022.

Beyond his volunteer service, Wilson and his wife Cindy, a fellow ��Ƶ graduate, have generously invested in multiple areas across the university over the years. Their gifts have benefited areas including Bulldog athletics, endowed scholarship awards, the T.K. Martin Center’s Project IMPACT program and student activities, among others.

“Bryan exemplifies the spirit of ��Ƶ's commitment to excellence, dedication and service. His remarkable achievements and unwavering support embody the very essence of what this award represents, and we are proud to honor Bryan for his outstanding contributions to our university community and beyond,” said Jeff Davis, executive director of the ��Ƶ Alumni Association.

Along with Wilson, a host of other outstanding alumni will be recognized by the ��Ƶ Alumni Association at the annual awards event. Individual academic college selections for Alumni of the Year for 2024 include (by city of residence):

Atlanta, Georgia—Rodger L. Johnson, James Worth Bagley College of Engineering; and C. Conrad Kempinska, College of Forest Resources. Johnson, president and CEO of JKC Holdings Inc., is a 1971 civil engineering graduate who also holds an MBA from Georgia State University. Kempinska earned dual bachelor’s degrees in wood science and business administration in 1983. He later earned an MBA from Rutgers University and currently serves as senior vice president, North America for Koppers Performance Chemicals.

Del Mar, California—Michael “Mike” Bogan, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He earned a degree in landscape architecture in 1987 and serves as CEO of LandCare USA.

Nashville, Tennessee—Kathy Olsen, College of Education. A two-time ��Ƶ graduate, she earned her bachelor’s degree in music in 1973 and master’s degree in music education in 1974. She later earned an accounting equivalency degree from the University of Memphis.

New York, New York—Ted Trussell Porter, College of Architecture, Art and Design. A 1981 architecture graduate who also earned a master’s degree from Yale University, he is the principal of Ted Porter Architecture.

Ridgeland—Dr. Amanda H. Camp, College of Veterinary Medicine; and Thomas G. “Tom” Hixon, College of Business. Camp earned both her 1996 bachelor’s in microbiology and 2000 DVM degrees from ��Ƶ and is a veterinarian and partner at All Creatures Animal Care Center in Madison. Hixon is a 1967 accounting graduate who serves as chairman of Phoenix Development Company LLC.

Starkville—Paul Kinsey, College of Arts and Sciences. A 1987 international business graduate, he also holds an MBA from Georgia State University and serves as director of operations for Mississippi Magnolia.

More details on the awards ceremony and honorees will be available in the coming weeks. For more on the association, visit alumni.msstate.edu.

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