Mississippi Lottery leaders named

JACKSON (WCBI) – A nearly billion dollar lottery jackpot willbe handed out Friday night and it might be one of the last times Mississippians have to sneak across the border to play.  Now we know who willbe responsible for crafting the way the Mississippi lottery will look as Governor Phil Bryant names his picks for the Mississippi Lottery Corporation Board of Directors .

. The members include Dr. Cass Pennington, Philip A. Chamblee, Dr. Mike McGrevey, Kimberly LaRosa, and Gerard Gibert.

The Mississippi Lottery Corporation was created during the Mississippi Legislature 2018 First Extraordinary Session upon passage of Senate Bill 2001. The affairs of the Corporation shall be administered by the Mississippi Lottery Corporation Board of Directors composed of five members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Mississippi Senate.

“I am grateful these five highly-qualified individuals have agreed to take on the responsibility of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation Board of Directors by accepting these appointments,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “This group has exceptional experience in diverse sectors of public and private business, and I know they will carry out the affairs of the board effectively.”

Gibert is currently the CEO of Venture Technologies, a Technology Solutions Provider headquartered in Ridgeland, Miss.  Founded in 1986, Venture delivers a variety of IT infrastructure solutions to thousands of private and public sector customers across the United States.

Venture has completed four acquisitions since 2014, increasing annual revenues to $215 million with a staff of 276 across 11 states. Gibert worked as a senior consultant in the Management Information Consulting Division of Arthur Andersen & Co., the division that eventually became Accenture, prior to Venture Technologies.

He is currently Chairman of the Board of Empower Mississippi and an At-Large Board Member of the Madison County Economic Development Authority.

He holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Mississippi and is married to the former Julie Gill of Biloxi, Miss.  They have two children, and their family attends St. Francis of Assisi Church in Madison, MS.

Pennington is a retired educator and former superintendent of both the Indianola and West Tallahatchie School Districts. Prior to that he was the Indianola Junior High School principal, teacher, and coach.

Pennington served as Executive Director of Delta Health Alliance from 2004 to 2008 and currently sits on its board.  He’s a former member of the Mississippi Board of Trustees of the Institutions of Higher Learning, the Mississippi Instructional Management Task Force, and the South Sunflower County Hospital.  He is a former president of the Delta Council. Additionally, Pennington has served on the Mississippi State Health Board and as Administrative Assistant to the President at Delta State University.

He and his wife, Carolyn, reside in Indianola and have one child.

LaRosa currently serves as the President/CEO of Renaissance Community Loan Fund and has been in the role since 2008. She is responsible for providing direction and leadership in the formation of a team and framework. She performs executive, supervisory, and management functions and duties as assigned by the chairman and board of directors and has general charge of the business, affairs and property of the Corporation.

LaRosa’s experience includes the oversight of loan origination, servicing, funding, investing in real estate mortgage loans, commercial lending, overseeing the company’s majority share of a 118-unit independent senior living facility and meeting the demand for the organization’s capital needs.

In her role, she has overseen the management of $62.5 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for various programs and is proficient in Securities and Exchange Commission reports, and mergers and acquisitions.

Prior to becoming President/CEO she was the Chief Financial Officer for Renaissance Community Loan Fund. Additionally, LaRosa was the Senior Director of Property Finance for Isle Of Capri Casinos, Inc. in Biloxi, Miss., for 12 years.

She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants.

LaRosa holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from William Carey College and is also a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Graduate.

She lives in Pass Christian, Miss., with her husband, Carl, and they have two children.

McGrevey is currently the Deputy Director of Mississippi Development Authority (MDA). Prior to going to the MDA, he was the City of Meridian’s Chief Administrative Officer. There he was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the city, including economic development and working to improve the city’s infrastructure.

McGrevey’s financial management background within the military, government and private sector is extensive.  As a career military officer, he served as a financial officer at many stateside and overseas locations. At Mississippi State University he served as the Chief of Staff, Chief Financial Officer, and Vice President of Finance and Administration.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Ph.D. in Education from Mississippi State University. McGrevey and his wife, Ada, reside in Decatur, Miss. They have two adult children and two grandchildren.

Chamblee is currently the Executive Director/CEO of the Mississippi Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Stores Association and the Mississippi Propane Gas Association.  He manages two large trade associations providing vital business services to the membership, while successfully working with numerous federal and state regulatory agencies and the Mississippi Legislature to improve the overall business environment for the member industries.

Chamblee has 28 years of experience in progressively challenging sales and management positions, expertise in public relations, business development, operations, purchasing, human resources and budgeting.

Prior to his current roles he was the Executive Director of the Mississippi Funeral Directors Association from 2008-2010 and was Vice President of the Heritage Agency Insurance & Investments from 1994-2008.

Chamblee holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mississippi State University and industry certification from University of Mississippi School of Banking. He lives in Madison, Miss.

The Commissioner of Revenue and the State Treasurer shall also serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation.