Natchez native King named new Co-Lin board chairman – Mississippi’s best community newspaper

WESSON – Melton King, a native of Natchez, was elected the new Copiah-Lincoln Community College board chair at a board meeting in June.

He and other officers and administrators took up their new duties on July 1.

Other newly elected officers of the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Board of Trustees include Dr. Troy Stewart Sr. of Copiah County who has been named the new Vice-President and Barry Tyson of Franklin County who has been re-elected as secretary.

King served on Co-Lin’s board of directors for over 33 years and is the first Adams County trustee to be elected president.

“I am very happy and honored,” King said of the new position. “Having been here near Adams County and lived here all my life, I feel very proud. The other presidents were from other countries and I feel like this is an accomplishment. I serve the entire district, the seven counties and the three campuses, and I can’t wait to be there.

King received a BA from the University of Southern Mississippi and is the owner of Melton King & Associates, LLC. He has served as vice president of the Natchez Chamber of Commerce, president of Civitan, and vice president of trustees at Jefferson Street United Methodist Church. It also supports the Rodney History and Preservation Society, the Natchez Historical Society, the Natchez Festival of Music and the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration. King is married to his college sweetheart, Kathy Brown King, and they have two daughters and five grandchildren.

King said he was first appointed to the Co-Lin board in 1988 by the late Tom Reed, hence the name of the Tom Reed Academic Building on the Natchez Campus. King knew Reed from their work with the Natchez Adams County Chamber of Commerce.

“He walked up to me at a meeting and said, ‘I’m 88 years old and I don’t drive well at night. I’m going to recommend to the Adams County Board of Directors to nominate you to take my place (on the Co-Lin Board of Directors). ‘ That was 32 years ago and they saw fit to continue to nominate me ever since, ”King said.

King previously served on the transportation, buildings and grounds committees for Co-Lin’s three campuses in Natchez, Wesson and Mendenhall. King said that “a number of good things” were happening and could continue to happen at the Natchez Campus in Co-Lin, such as the new diesel technology program and lab, improved welding service, and training programs. hospitality and tourism.

“Each campus seems to specialize in certain areas,” he said. “Lately we’ve been focusing more and more on things that would add to the workforce in the Natchez area and Adams County. … My overall goal as president is to be transparent, inclusive and to listen to needs.

In addition to electing the new board members at the June meeting, Co-Lin officials also made several administrative changes. Dr Dewayne Middleton has transferred from Vice President of Simpson County Center to Executive Vice President and will oversee college operations on all three campuses.

Jackie Martin has been transferred from Associate Vice President of Educational Services to Vice President of the Wesson Campus, where she will oversee educational programs and student services. Samantha Speeg has been appointed Registrar of the College and will also continue to serve as Director of Enrollment Services for the Wesson Campus.