Kay Shirley includes MSU among her top investments

Contact: Sammy McDavid

When Atlanta residents begin financial planning for retirement, many look to Kay Retta Shirley.

When it comes to making her own investment plans, however, Shirley places Mississippi State at the top of her list.

A 1966 mathematics alumna considered among Atlanta's leading financial planners, Shirley recently made a contribution to the university's College of Arts and Sciences Advancement Fund. The Meridian native also has made a substantial additional bequest from her estate to her alma mater.

In addition to serving as president of Atlanta-based Financial Development Corp., Shirley is a registered representative, registered principal and branch manager for Mutual Service Corp., a nationwide association of independent financial planners. She holds a doctorate in educational administration and management from Georgia State University.

Income from the Shirley Faculty Encouragement Fund will be used to supplement the salaries of outstanding faculty members in the mathematics department. Additionally, the Shirley Endowed Lecture Series will support information-sharing programs that benefit the growth and development of students and faculty in MSU's largest college.

Giving back to her alma mater means a great deal to Shirley. "The educational foundation I received as a student at Mississippi State is largely responsible for my career success and I wanted to have an opportunity to give something back," she said.

"As a financial planner," she added, "I also realized the bequest would create a tax benefit for my estate and the gift to the advancement fund created an immediate benefit for this tax year."

Her gift is designated to the college's much-needed unrestricted fund account, which is used for general support of the teaching and research programs.

Shirley has been guiding investors since 1980. "I enjoy learning about people and their finances and helping them solve their financial problems and reach their retirement objectives," she explained. "The most rewarding thing about my job is knowing that I've helped people achieve their financial goals."

When in graduate school, lecture series were "the one thing I enjoyed the most," Shirley said. "It was always challenging to see people with successful business careers who were willing to share their stories. A good lecture series provides motivation and gives students ideas for planning the rest of their lives."