Southern Miss Alumni Association Announces 2026 Hall of Fame Inductees

Tue, 08/25/2026 - 09:33am | By: Samantha McCain Alexander, APR

The University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Association will induct seven alumni who bring favor and distinction to the University into its Hall of Fame during Homecoming festivities this fall.

The 2026 inductees include:

Jeff C. Bowman ’93 of Hattiesburg, Miss.
President, CEO of Cooperative Energy

Shea Kidd Brown ’02 of Winston-Salem, N.C.
Vice President for Campus Life at Wake Forest University

Louis V. Ehrlich, II ’81 of Austin, Texas
CEO of Ehrlich Capital LLC
Retired CIO, Chevron Corporation

J. Todd Gregory ’81 of Covington, La.
Retired Senior Vice President of Cintas

Nelson Haskin Jr. ’13 of Hattiesburg, Miss.
Restauranter, JR Forty LLC

Missy Warren McGee ’90, ’93 of Hattiesburg, Miss.
Mississippi State Representative, District 102

Russell Willis ’89 of Hattiesburg, Miss.
Associate Provost for Student Success and Assistant Teaching Professor at
The University of Southern Mississippi

“This year’s class is an incredible lineup of alumni who have led their communities and organizations while staying true to their Southern Miss roots,” said Tucker Sappington, executive director of the Alumni Association. “We are incredibly proud of their significant professional accomplishments and contributions, and I look forward to welcoming them home in October to celebrate!”

Established to recognize those whose contributions of time and financial means have helped move Southern Miss forward, these seven inductees will be honored at the Alumni Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, Oct. 23. They will also be recognized during halftime of the Homecoming game against the University of Louisiana – Lafayette on Saturday, Oct. 24.

The Hall of Fame banquet is annually hosted as a highlight of The University of Southern Mississippi’s Homecoming celebration. Additional events hosted by the Association during Homecoming week include:

Monday, Oct. 19
28th Annual Alumni Homecoming Scholarship Golf Tournament
Hattiesburg Country Club, 1 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 24
Annual Awards Brunch and Business Meeting
Thad Cochran Center, TBA

Pregame at Southern Station
Spirit Park, TBA

Learn more about The University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame.

More information on Alumni Homecoming events can be found here. 

About the Southern Miss Alumni Association 
The Southern Miss Alumni Association serves as a driving force in the effort to advance The University of Southern Mississippi by providing alumni with a deeper connection to Southern Miss. For more information on the Alumni Association, including membership options, visit the website.