Business, Media and Culture 2017

In her current position of 2016-2017 Chair of the Mississippi Economic Council, Robin Robinson has proven herself to be one of the most recognized business leaders in Mississippi.

She serves as Director of Organization Development and Corporate Communication at Sanderson Farms, Inc., which is a publicly held, vertically integrated poultry company with $3 billion in sales. With operations in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia and North Carolina, it employs over 14,000 employees, and is the third largest poultry company in the United States. It is also the title sponsor to Mississippi’s only PGA event.

Robin began her career at Sanderson Farms in 1978 at Laurel Processing as Cost Accountant after graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. For the next two decades she worked her way up through Accounting, Human Resources and Organizational Development before being named to her current position of Director of Organization Development and Corporate Communication in 2000. She now serves on the Sanderson Farms Executive Committee.

In April of 2004, Governor Barbour appointed Robin to serve on the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees. She was also appointed by Governor Barbour to serve on the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Services and continues to serve by appointment of Governor Bryant.

She serves on the Board of Directors for the following organizations: Jones County Junior College Foundation as Chairman of the Board;; Greater Pinebelt Community Foundation, the Mississippi Center for Obesity Research at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation, and the Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi. Robin has been named as one of Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women, recognized by the Mississippi YWCA as a “Woman Who Makes a Difference”, named as one of America’s 2000 Notable Women, awarded the Most Distinguished Alumnae Award by the Mississippi – Louisiana Phi Theta Kappa, inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame, honored as a 2014 Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi, named an Honor Alumnus for 2014 at Jones County Junior College, recognized for Outstanding Leadership by the International Women’s Leadership Association in 2015 and awarded the Economic Development of Jones County’s 2015 Volunteer of the Year Award.