Tyler Covington is the owner of Covington Wealth Management, a comprehensive financial planning and investment firm. Tyler was raised in nearby Vernon, AL, and attended the Mississippi University for Women on the Hearin Leadership Scholarship before transferring and graduating from the University of Alabama. He began his financial career with AIG Financial Network before becoming a partner at Mass Mutual. Soon after, he continued building his client base at Raymond James. After just over 3 years with the firm, Tyler decided to open his own wealth management firm. He enjoys playing golf, hunting, fishing, college football, and on occasion pulls for Mississippi State when they are not playing his alma mater. Tyler currently holds the Series 7, 63, 65, received the Accredited Asset Management Specialist® (AAMS) designation in 2018, and currently resides in Columbus, MS with his wife Joanna.
Dr. Chanley Rainey is Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Women’s Research and Public Policy at Mississippi University for Women. She is also an inaugural Faculty Fellow in the Women's College and a member of the Faculty Senate, the Honors College Committee, and the Martha Swain Speaker Series Committee. In addition to the Lowndes Community Foundation, Chanley volunteers with the Mississippi Council for the Social Studies and the League of Women Voters. She and her husband, Ken Ryals, have a daughter, Bennett, and a son, Carmel.
Jim Davidson began practicing law with the firm of Carter and Davidson in Columbus, Ms. in 1974. He was hired by MUW in 1975, as an adjunct professor of Business Law while still maintaining a law practice. In 1986, Davidson became an associate professor of Paralegal Studies teaching various law courses, again while also maintaining a law practice. In 2006, Davidson was elected as one of three Chancery Judges in the 14th Chancery District of Mississippi, and took office in January, 2007. In July, 2007, he retired as a full professor of paralegal studies from MUW. Davidson served 12 years as Chancellor and retired as a senior status judge on December 31, 2018. He, along with Morris Denton and Bill Threadgill, founded the Lowndes Community Foundation. Davidson is also the Founder and Incorporator of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science Foundation. Davidson and his wife Jamie have three children and six grandchildren.
In Columbus, George Hazard worked at The Commercial Dispatch newspaper for 12 years and taught English at Heritage Academy for nine years.
He joined the Lowndes Community Foundation board in 2013 and has been its secretary since 2015.
Dr. Joseph "Joe" Slattery Boggess cared for patients for over forty years as an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor before retiring. He serves on the boards of the Lowndes Community Foundation and the Columbus Historic Preservation Commission. He and his wife, Carol, have been recognized by the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History for their contributions to the preservation and interpretation of the historic resources of Columbus and Lowndes County. They are also members of Annunciation Catholic School’s 1963 Society.
Matt Bogue is Vice President of Dutch Oil Company, where he leads a diverse multi-generational team that markets fuel and convenience products in Mississippi and Alabama. He also serves as a Partner in the 102-store Sprint Mart convenience store chain, where he is involved in setting strategy and direction. He is the current President of the Mississippi Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association (MPMCSA) and he represents MS and AL on the Shell Oil Company Wholesaler Council. Matt received his Bachelor of Science from Birmingham-Southern College and his MBA from the University of Alabama. Matt has served on the LCF Board since 2013 and served as co-chair from 2016-2018. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the CREATE Foundation and as a Lowndes County representative on the Commission on the Future of Northeast Mississippi.
Tom Buckley, CPA worked for T. E Lott & Company for 45 years and retired as President of the company. He has been involved in many not-for-profit entities over the years where he enjoyed his community involvement.
Dennis J Erby moved to Columbus Mississippi in 1978 as a newly commissioned Mississippi state trooper. After retiring in 2005 as the district lieutenant, he served in numerous community-based organizations. In April 2011, Lieutenant Erby received a presidential appointment to become the United States Marshal for the northern district of Mississippi. After retiring from the Marshal service in December 2017 he became re-involved in the community and was later asked to become a board member of the Lowndes Community Foundation Board of Directors in 2023.
Dr. Felton retired from the United States Air Force with 30 years of honorable service in the position of Command Chief Master Sergeant from the 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. She is a Performance Optimization Strategist with a holistic perspective. Her leadership prowess is comprised of studies from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, Lincoln on Leadership in Gettysburg, Cialdini Institute, Center for Creative Leadership, University of Missouri Entrepreneur Program, and the United States Defense Information School for Public Affairs. She is a John Maxwell Certified speaker, trainer, and coach; a published author and collaborator of the Amazon best-seller, The Women We Watched. Dr. Felton is a City of Columbus Civil Service Commissioner, Hire Heroes Alumni Advisor, Baptist Hospital Board Member, and Lowndes County representative on the Commission on the Future of Northeast Mississippi. Dr. Felton cherishes her time with her husband, Derk and their children. She has served on the LCF Board since 2018.
Jay Fisher is the County Administrator for Lowndes County, Mississippi and a retired Colonel in the United States Air Force Base. His military career stretched over 25 years and included a deployed year in Kabul, Afghanistan and senior leadership positions at the Headquarters of the NATO mission there as well as at the Pentagon and at other stateside locations including Randolph Air Force Base in Texas, McGuire AFB in New Jersey, and multiple tours at Columbus AFB in Mississippi. His military experience includes flying in combat during multiple deployments and in support missions around the world, including humanitarian relief efforts. Jay serves as Troop Committee Chair and on the Pushmataha Area Council Executive Board for the Boy Scouts, on the United Way of Lowndes County Executive Board, the Lowndes Community Foundation Task Force on Leadership and Vision and the Lowndes Community Foundation Board, the Board of the Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, the Columbus Rotary Club, and in multiple positions and various committees at the First United Methodist Church. He and his wife Marla, have two sons, Noel and Luke.
Linda retired from East MS Community College in 2015. She was based at the Golden Triangle campus and served throughout the six county college district. She held a variety of positions, including Special Assistant to the President, District Director of Job Placement/ Work-based Learning, and Government/Military Liaison. Her current volunteer service includes Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs and Education Committees, Board and Chair of the Base Community Council Public Relations Committee, Air Force Civic Leader, Emeritus, and West Point Rotarian.
Wanda S. Holley is a partner at Watkins, Ward and Stafford and has more than thirty years of experience in public accounting. Her practice is concentrated in business and individual tax services as well as not for profit and governmental auditing. Wanda is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants, and her community involvement includes serving as a member of the Lowndes Community Foundation, Rotary Club, Life Member of Junior Auxiliary of Columbus, and past Director of Habitat for Humanity and Leadership Tomorrow. Wanda is also an active member of Annunciation Catholic Church, where she has served as Chairman of the Finance Council, and Treasurer of Friends of Annunciation Catholic Church. Wanda has two sons, Sloan and Hamp, and one daughter, Hope.
Frank Howell is a Broker Associate with Coldwell Banker West Realty Company, Columbus, MS. He entered the oil and gas industry with Exxon Company, USA as a graduate engineer and served in positions of increasing responsibility with Exxon, Sun Gas, and retired as Sr. VP of Exploration and Production with Hunt Petroleum Corporation, Dallas, TX. Areas of responsibility were in the US, France, and The Dutch North Sea. He serves on the Four County Electrical Co-Op Advisory Board and the Renasant Bank Advisory Board in Columbus, MS.
Peter Imes is the publisher and editor of The Commercial Dispatch, the daily newspaper in Columbus, Mississippi. The Dispatch has a long history as a family-owned business, with Imes being the fourth generation of his family to hold this position. Imes joined the staff of The Dispatch in 2008 after working in web development in Austin, Texas, and real estate in Memphis, Tennessee. He became the paper's general manager in 2010 and then took over as publisher in 2018. Imes serves as Vice President of the Mississippi Press Association's Board of Directors and is a firm believer in the importance of a local newspaper as a "written legacy of a community."
Leroy Lacy is the proud owner of The Uniform Center and Scrubs & Co., which have been staple businesses in the Golden Triangle Area for years, providing uniforms, footwear, and other supplies to healthcare and industrial workers alike. He is married to Dr. Pam Lacy, a local OB/GYN.
Emily Liner is the founder of Friendly City Books, an independent bookstore and press established in 2020 in Columbus, Mississippi. In 2023, she launched a nonprofit, the Friendly City Books Community Connection, a special project of the CREATE Foundation that promotes access to books in rural Mississippi. She previously worked in the private sector at Salesforce, at the think tank Third Way, and on a number of federal campaigns. She has taught entrepreneurship and civic engagement at the Mississippi Governor's School at Mississippi University for Women and mentored high school students in the Mayor's Youth Council for the city of Columbus. Emily received a BA from Georgetown University and an MBA from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School.
Ralph McLain is president of Teletec Communications Group, a company that provides point-to-point microwave data links, rural internet and two-way radio systems for commercial, industrial and public safety use. Before joining Teletec, he was the founder and president of Air Control Engineering, Inc. Active in the community, Ralph serves on the boards of the Lowndes Community Foundation and the Pushmataha Council of Boy Scouts of America, and he is an appointed member of the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District and the Golden Triangle Solid Waste Management Authority for the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors. He is past chairman of the Columbus and Lowndes Economic Development Association, Columbus-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, and the MUW Foundation. Ralph and his wife, Judy, have two daughters and four grandchildren and live in Columbus.
MajGen Moore served in the Marine Corps for 36 years. He attained his B.A. Degree from Delta State University and a Graduate Degree from Troy State University. His formal military education included The Basic School, Naval Aviation Flight Training, Armed Forces Staff College and Air War College. He commanded a Marine squadron, a Marine Expeditionary Unit and a Marine Air Wing. His staff positions included Operation Officer Joint Forces Command, Deputy Commander Marine Forces Atlantic, Chief of Staff Multinational Force Iraq and Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander US Central Command. After retirement he was a consultant and then VP of Marketing for Stark Aerospace working Unmanned Systems and then Senior Advisor for Academi, a security company based in Virginia. He has been on the Lowndes Community Foundation board since 2014.
Dr. Bridget Smith Pieschel is Emerita Professor of English and Women’s Studies at Mississippi University for Women. Retired after 39 years, she served in a variety of administrative positions, including as Chair of the Department of Language, Literature, and Philosophy and the founding Director of the Center for Women’s Research and Public Policy. She is editor of a collection of oral histories from MUW and co-author of The Centennial History of Mississippi University for Women.
Josh Read is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Columbus, Mississippi, where he has been since 2015. He has a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mississippi State University. Prior to becoming a financial advisor, he spent nine years in the construction management field. Read is actively involved in the community, serving on the boards of the Lowndes Community Foundation, the Rotary Club, and the Columbus Main Street Association. He is also an ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce and serves on the board of the Mississippi Spelling Bee.
Howard "Doug" Douglas Robertson has worked in banking for over forty years and is the Regional Banking Relationships Senior Manager at Huntington National Bank. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President and Community Bank President-Columbus for Cadence Bank. In addition to his service with the Lowndes Community Foundation, he has served on the boards of the United Way of Lowndes County and the Columbus Arts Council. Doug and his wife, Amy, are active members of First Methodist Church of Columbus.
Dr. Josie “Jo” Shumake is a retired public relations professional who returned to serve hometown after a globe-trotting career in the United States Diplomatic Corps. She serves on the boards of the Lowndes Community Foundation, Friends of the Library, the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits, and the Columbus Municipal Election Committee. In addition, she is an appointed member of the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service and Secretary of the Columbus Municipal School District Board of Trustees for the City of Columbus. She also served on the Community Recovery for Lowndes County board in the aftermath of the EF-3 tornado that struck the area in 2019. Jo is the recipient of the Exchange Club of Columbus’ Book of Golden Deeds award in 2021.
Rob Winklepleck is an Owner and Vice President of West Brothers Construction, Inc., a third-generation commercial general contractor in Columbus, MS. Rob is also a co-founder and board member for the Forge Foundation, a special project of Create and group of community-minded small businesses, working alongside educators to recruit, train, and retain skilled employees. Rob received his undergraduate degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering in 2007 from Mississippi State University and his MBA from the University of Alabama in 2012. He holds an accreditation as a LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) Professional from the U.S. Green Building Council and an Engineer Intern License from the Mississippi Board of Licensure. He currently serves on the YMCA Board of Directors and as a representative for Lowndes County on the Commission on the Future of Northeast Mississippi. Rob and his wife, Stacie, have two sons, Brecken and Brantley.
Bobby Harper was a devoted member of the Lowndes Community Foundation prior to his death in March 2026. His career as an executive banker in the Golden Triangle extended over fifty years (and included service as President of the National Bank of Commerce and Regional President of Cadence Bank in Columbus), and he was deeply involved in the community throughout this time. In addition to the Lowndes Community Foundation, Bobby served, at varying times, on the boards of the Mississippi Young Bankers, the Columbus Kiwanis Club, the Columbus-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, United Way, MUW’s Town and Tower Club and the MUW Foundation, the Frank P. Phillips YMCA, the Mississippi Economic Council, Golden Triangle Regional Airport Authority, and the Golden Triangle Regional Medical Foundation. He was also president of the Helping Hands Board of Directors, treasurer of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Museum, and a Paul Harris Fellow of the Columbus Rotary Club. He served in the vestry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and was a junior and senior warden. In addition, Bobby was a president of the Columbus Air Force Base Community Council and served on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority, having been appointed by Governor Phil Bryant in 2012.
Bobby's contributions to the community were recognized through several awards given during his lifetime, including the Mississippi University for Women Medal of Excellence (2005), the Exchange Club’s Book of Golden Deeds Award, and the Columbus Airforce Base’s Wingman Award. He was named the Junior Auxiliary Pilgrimage Ball King in 1992. In honor of his immense contributions to economic development and his two decades of service to the Columbus-Lowndes Economic Development Association, now known as The Link, part the organization's new building was named the "Bobby Harper Training Room" in 2025. When he stepped down from the Lowndes Community Foundation the same year, the CREATE Foundation’s Commission on the Future of Northeast Mississippi honored Bobby with the Jack Reed Sr. Northeast Mississippi Community Leadership Award.
Harper is survived by his wife of 61 years, Jo Harper; his son and daughter-in-law, Lane and Linda Harper; his daughter and son-in-law Neely and Joey Hudnall; as well as his three grandchildren.
Jan Eastman has almost 60 years of work experience including management, consulting, accounting, information technology, education, marketing, and retail sales. She is the owner of MindShare of NE MS. Jan received her B.S. in accounting and a M.S. in Business and Education from MUW.
After 21 years with IBM in systems engineering, customer technical support, market development, and management, she established an organizational development consulting practice, working with 74 nonprofits over the past 26 years. Jan was a board member of the MS Center for Nonprofits and is on the design team that joined the Center and the MS Association of Grantmakers into the MS Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy.