Contact: Allison Matthews
Photo by: Russ Houston
Checky Herrington is a new member of Mississippi State's Office of Public Affairs, where he oversees marketing initiatives that support recruitment, growth and advancement goals.
With more than three decades in marketing, public relations and brand strategy development, the Louisville native has produced a consistent record of exceeded expectations while earning multiple local, regional and national recognitions, said Sid Salter, chief communications officer and Office of Public Affairs director, in making the announcement.
"Checky brings a great deal of relevant experience, credibility and talent to this new position with Mississippi State," Salter said. "We feel fortunate to have him join our team as we seek to raise our profile as one of the nation's premier research universities. Checky will be a key player in that effort."
Specifically, Herrington is managing brand strategy and development, while monitoring the university's overall marketing plan. He holds an MSU communication degree, with emphasis in marketing and public relations.
Prior to returning to his alma mater, Herrington served nearly 30 years as a marketing communications leader for Entergy Corp. During his tenure there, he received numerous honors, including the Public Relations Society of America's prestigious Silver Anvil Award for work as a team member during and after Hurricane Katrina.
Before joining Entergy, Herrington was a member of Gov. William Winter's administration, where he directed the media relations effort that contributed to the successful passage of Mississippi's 1982 Education Reform Act.
He earlier was a reporter with the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson and, before that, the Winston County Journal, his hometown newspaper.
He is past president of the International Association of Business Communicators. In addition to the PRSA, his other professional affiliations include the Southern Public Relations Federation and Mississippi Press Association.
He and his wife, the former Chellie Ladner, met while both were attending Mississippi State. Their adult children, Sara and Daniel, are graduates of the university's Bagley College of Engineering.
For more about the Office of Public Affairs, see www.msstate.edu/web/opa.
Information about Mississippi State University is available at www.msstate.edu.