Leadership of the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning changed at the board’s monthly meeting on April 16, 2026, as the gavel was passed from outgoing president Gee Ogletree to incoming president Dr. Steven Cunningham. The term for a board president is one year.
“Serving as president during these challenging times in higher education has been a privilege,” Ogletree said. “The opportunity to help lead this board and advocate for Mississippi’s public universities is an honor for which I will always be grateful.”
Cunningham thanked Ogletree for his efforts over the past year and noted the work the Board of Trustees will be addressing over the course of the next year.
“Gee Ogletree’s leadership has kept our state’s public university system on a steady path toward continued growth and success,” said Cunningham. “He has set a high standard for me to follow in the coming year, and I am grateful he will continue to serve with us through the course of his term.”
Ogletree is counsel with Adams & Reese LLP in Madison, where he founded and leads the firm’s forestry team and coordinates the firm’s real estate work throughout Mississippi. He was appointed in 2018 by Governor Phil Bryant to represent the First (Central) Supreme Court District. His term will officially end in May 2027.
Cunningham is a board-certified diagnostic radiologist and a full partner and current president of Comprehensive Radiology Services, PLLC. He was also appointed by Bryant in 2018 to represent the First (Central) Supreme Court District. His term will also expire in May 2027.
Cunningham will chair his first meeting as president of the board on May 21, 2026.
