HATTIESBURG - Longtime BellSouth executive Tim A. Ryan assumed new duties Monday as executive director of The University of Southern Mississippi's Office of Development.

Ryan, a Southern Miss alumnus, has served for the past eight years as district manager of corporate and external affairs for BellSouth's Pinebelt Area. He succeeds Susan H. Hollandsworth, who had held the post on an interim basis since last July.

"We are excited to have Tim at Southern Miss in this role," President Shelby Thames said in announcing Ryan's appointment. "His energy and enthusiasm will serve the university well as he directs all of our fund-raising efforts. He has served on the Foundation Board, which gives him a strong working knowledge of the inner workings of development, and his understanding of business and nonprofit organizations will give him a good structure for success."

Ryan, who earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration from the university in 1975, said he looks "forward to working with all Southern Miss constituencies to build on past successes.

"As a graduate and supporter of my university, I am excited at the opportunities this position presents," he added. "I encourage everyone to help Southern Miss exceed its goals in order to make this a world-class university."

Southern Miss Foundation President Marlin Ivey, a Kosciusko businessman and former member of the state College Board, said Ryan would be a "good man for the job.

"Tim is an excellent choice," said Ivey, who, as foundation president, will work closely with Ryan in raising and managing private funding for the university. "His background has certainly prepared him for this position. The development area in all of our universities today is so important in educating the students of our state."

Hollandsworth will return to full-time duties as director of the Southern Miss Foundation's $100 million comprehensive campaign, which so far has raised more than $83 million. She joined the Development Office staff in 1996.

As BellSouth's district manager in Hattiesburg, Ryan was responsible for company interests related to public and community affairs, new product and services promotions, legislative and governmental relations, economic development, media relations, employee relations, chambers of commerce relations and other duties in a 15-county region of south central and southwestern Mississippi. Prior to that, he served as manager of corporate and external affairs for BellSouth's Gulf Coast Area from 1987-1994.

Ryan was campaign chair for United Way of Southeast Mississippi in 1999 and served as president of that organization in 2000. He served on the executive committee of the Area Development Partnership's Board of Directors in 1997 and is a current member of the Southern Miss Foundation. He is an immediate past president of the Rotary Club of Hattiesburg, and is a member of the Southern Miss Alumni Association and Southern Miss College of Business Administration Advisory Council.

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