06/16/2026
June 15, 2026 Rotary Program – Rochelle Hicks, Mississippi Development Authority Director, Visit Mississippi.
Her talk is titled, “Visit Mississippi, Birthplace of America’s Music.”
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THE INVOCATION – delivered by Sister Dorothea.
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PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – led by Jim Rosenblatt
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FOUR-WAY TEST – President Richard Wilbourn
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RESOLUTION PRESENTATION
Rotary Club of Jackson, Mississippi, Resolution Honoring Clyde Muse – presented by Seth Dickinson.
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CAPITOL TOUR AND MEMBER SOCIAL
Rotary Membership Social — A Tour of the Mississippi State Capitol.
• June 23, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Spouses and potential members are welcome.
• After the tour, we will walk across the street for a reception at the Mississippi Road Builders’ Association - 601 George Street (a 6-minute walk from the Capitol).
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VISITING ROTARIANS AND GUESTS – introduced by Steve Corbitt.
Lee Bush’s Guest – Melanie Henry, National Collection Systems
Mark Saxon’s Guest – Jennifer Hopping, Executive Director, American Heart Association - Mississippi
Keith Ferguson’s Guest – Brenda Ferguson, his sister
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HEAD TABLE:
ROTARY PRESIDENT RICHARD WILBOURN – Attorney, Richard Wilbourn and Associates, PLLC
PRESIDENT-ELECT LEE BUSH – President and CEO of National Collection Systems
KARLA TYE – CEO, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi
SPEAKER – Rochelle Hicks, Mississippi Development Authority Director, Visit Mississippi
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JUNE MEMBER BIRTHDAYS
This Week:
Hugh Trussell Thursday, June 18
Howard Catchings Friday, June 19
Next Week:
Danny Williams Thursday, June 25
Sharon Moman Sunday, June 28
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WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES
Heber and Jean (Sister) Simmons June 15 69 years
George and Tamara Gammon June 16 36 years
Michael and Jan Larsen June 18 49 years
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Next Week’s Program – NO MEETING on Monday, June 22, due to River Hills Carpet Cleaning.
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KARLA TYE introduced our speaker, Rochelle Hicks.
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Rochelle Hicks, Mississippi Development Authority Director, Visit Mississippi
Rochelle Hicks is the Director of Visit Mississippi, the state’s official destination marketing organization under the Mississippi Development Authority. She leads tourism promotion efforts, advances tourism initiatives, and expands Mississippi’s appeal to national and international audiences.
Background and Career
A Natchez native and Vidalia, Louisiana, resident by upbringing, Rochelle has spent over two decades in the tourism industry. She holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Management from the University of Louisiana in Monroe and is a graduate of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College. She is also a certified travel industry specialist.
Rochelle’s career includes:
• Executive Director, Mississippi Tourism Association (2012–2021)
• Deputy Director, Ridgeland Tourism Commission (2000–2012)
• Director of Advancement Initiatives, Canopy Children’s Solutions (2022–2023)
• Executive Director, Friends of Children’s Hospital (2021–2022)
• She has also served on boards such as the Mississippi Blues Trail Commission, Mississippi Country Music Trail Commission, Mississippi River Country, U.S. Civil Rights Trail, and the Southeast Tourism Society.
Role at Visit Mississippi
Appointed by Governor Tate Reeves in 2023, Rochelle oversees Visit Mississippi’s strategic marketing, partnerships, and cultural storytelling to promote Mississippi’s natural beauty, authentic music, diverse culture, and food. She emphasizes building on the state’s strong tourism recovery, which saw nearly 24 million visitors and over $7 billion in tourism spending in 2022.
Personal Connection to Tourism
Growing up in Natchez, Rochelle witnessed firsthand how tourism shapes communities, from motor coach pilgrimages to daily visitor activity. Her family’s gift shop business and frequent road trips across the South and Midwest further fueled her passion for travel and hospitality.
Rochelle is widely recognized as an “Ambassador of Hospitality”, combining decades of industry experience with a deep personal connection to Mississippi’s tourism heritage.
