Contact: Joe Farris
Mississippi State's vice president for institutional advancement will leave the university this summer after 21 years to head the private Swalm Foundation in Houston, Texas.
Billy C. Ward has been the institution's chief development officer since 1987 and played a key role in MSU's first comprehensive major gifts campaign, which ended last summer with commitments of more than $143 million.
New university President Malcolm Portera, who has been on the job since Jan. 1, said he asked Ward to stay on.
"After I was selected last October to become president of Mississippi State, Billy Ward was the first person I asked to be a part of this team," Portera said. "His judgment, his integrity, and his commitment to excellence have been important factors in the university's success in recent years, and I quickly have come to rely on his advice and counsel.
"I will be sorry to see him go, but I respect his desire to take advantage of an exciting opportunity in his native state," Portera said.
Ward was one of three finalists for the MSU presidency last fall. He said his planned departure is not related to the outcome of that search.
"I regret that the timing of this move may give the impression that there's a connection, but my career has been characterized by responding to challenges and a new one has been presented to me," Ward said.
"I looked forward to working with Dr. Portera," Ward said. "I think he will provide excellent leadership. He's given me quite a list of assignments to accomplish before I leave, and I am eager to accept that responsibility."
Ward came to Mississippi State in 1977 as a founding member of the College of Veterinary Medicine faculty. He was dean of the college 1983-87.
A native of the Texas Panhandle region, he is a graduate of Texas A&M University and the University of California at Davis.
Ward said he is "proud of the accomplishments of the College of Veterinary Medicine and the university's advancement division and I am honored to have had a small role to play in those achievements.
"I will leave with a great respect for the university and its people," Ward said. "I plan to maintain my ties with the institution."