Business, Media and Culture
Mississippi's Top 50 Most Influential
In 2009, Keenum began his tenure as Mississippi State University’s president. His mentor Don Zacharias would give Keenum this advice on taking the reins of leadership at MSU: “You had to have the patience of Job, the courage of David, the wisdom of Solomon and the stomach of a billy goat.” In his eighth year of tenure, Dr. Keenum has guided his alma mater to unprecedented heights including record enrollment, expansion and improvement of campus facilities, and record private endowment with a goal of $1 billion by 2020.
Keenum left academia at MSU earlier in his career to serve on Senator Thad Cochran’s team in Washington DC as Legislative Assistant and ultimately Chief of Staff. The expertise he gained under Cochran catapulted him to a top position at U.S. Department of Agriculture, serving in the number three post at USDA as Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services.
He is the chairman of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges’ Executive Council and is currently the President of the Southeastern Conference. Keenum is a highly sought after advisor to lawmakers and state leaders. His influence can be seen across the board in legislative policymaking, from education to economic development.