Gov. Tate Reeves announced Friday his appointment for executive director of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks along with appointments for two other positions.
In a Friday press conference in Hernando, Reeves named Lynn Posey as the new MDWFP head.
“He’s long been a supporter of outdoors and he’s done an incredible amount to further conservation efforts in the great state of Mississippi,” Reeves said. “I am confident in his leadership and I know he will lead this organization exceptionally well.”
Posey served in the state Senate from 1988 to 2007. During that time, he was Senate chairman of the Committee on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks for 16 years. He played a key role in creating the Mississippi Sportman’s Caucus, establishing youth hunting seasons and other legislation.
Posey served as a Mississippi Public Service Commissioner from 2008 to 2016. He also served as interim executive director of MDWFP after the retirement of Sam Polles in February, who had been the executive director for almost 30 years.
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Posey earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and master’s degree in Public Administration from Mississippi State University.
“Outdoor recreation; hunting, fishing and camping, is what Mississippi is all about,” Posey said. “Mississippi’s great outdoors is important to all of us and to the best of my ability I will seek to guide this agency in a way to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities and conserve our natural resources for future generations.”
Reeves made two other appointments on Friday. Former state Rep. Jim Beckett was tapped for executive director for the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff and Robert Morris III for District Attorney for the 17th Circuit Court District.
Reeves said Beckett served in the Legislature as chairman of the House Public Utilities Committee for eight years and has been a member of the National Energy Council for more than a decade.
Reeves said Morris is a University of Mississippi Law School graduate has served in private practice for 19 years and has been the assistant district attorney for the district for eight years.
Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or [email protected].
