Leaders
Timothy Burton
Timothy G. Burton graduated from Mississippi State University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and later earned Master of Science Degrees in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee and National Security Studies from the United States Air Force Air War College. He was commissioned a 2ndLt in August of 1993, attended The Basic School Class 94B and graduated 1 of 243 Marine Officers. He received orders to Pensacola, Florida to begin flight training and completed advance flight training in Meridian, MS. with the highest Naval Standard Score in his graduating class and assigned to VT-23 as a flight instructor while awaiting orders to VMFAT-101 for follow on F/A-18 training.
Capt Burton completed F/A-18 training in May of 1998 and was assigned to VMFA(AW)-332, MAG-31, MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, for the next four years where he served as Embark Officer, NATOPS Officer, and Powerline Officer. This tour included two 6 month Western Pacific Deployments, and a 2 month deployment to Tazar, Hungary where he flew combat missions in support of Operation Noble Anvil. Capt Burton graduated from TOPGUN and the USMC Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course, served as the Squadron Training Officer, flew missions in support of operation Noble Eagle and was selected to attend the United States Air Force Test Pilot School.
Upon graduating from Test Pilot School, Capt Burton was assigned to VX-31 as a Project Officer. His projects included Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems, Night Vision Joint Helmet Cueing, APG-63/75 Radar Upgrades, and AIM-9X missile testing. While there he executed a no notice deployment to Iraq in order to deliver the JDAM MK-82 capability to VMFA-242 and CVW-17, as well as fly combat missions with VMFA(AW)-242.
Following his test tour in January 2006, Major Burton was assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Forward, Camp Fallujah Iraq. During this time he served as the Operations Officer for the Iraqi Security Force Development Branch in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Upon returning from Iraq in January 2007, Major Burton was assigned to MAG-11, MCAS Miramar as the MAG Weapons and Tactics Instructor. Subsequently, he was assigned VMFA-323, where he served as the Operations Officer, Maintenance Officer and Executive Officer for the next 3 years. During his tour with the Snakes of VMFA-323 he completed a full work up and Western Pacific deployment cycle with CVW-9 aboard the USS John C. Stennis CVN-74.
From June of 2010-May 2012 LtCol Burton commanded VMU-3 and deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. VMU-3 won the Commandants aviation trophy for outstanding performance for CY2011. LtCol Burton was selected to attend Top Level School at the USAF Air War College. Upon Graduation he assumed duties Executive Officer for Marine Air Group Eleven and deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom as the Executive Officer of Marine Air Group Afghanistan. He was promoted to Colonel and selected for Command of the F/A-18 aircrew replacement squadron, VMFAT-101, from July of 2016 to July of 2018. VMFAT-101 was awarded the Chief of Naval Operations Safety award in July of 2018. Col Burton serve as the Deputy Commander, Marine Forces Korea from August of 2018 until June of 2020 and is currently assigned as the Aviation Weapons Requirement Branch TACAIR Department Head at HQMC Aviation.
Col Burton has flown over 30 different aircraft and has earned every tactical and instructor qualification in the F-18A-F. His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit 2nd Award, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal 3rd Award, Air Medal with Combat V, Navy Commendation Medal 3rd Award and Combat Action Ribbon. Upon Graduating from Test Pilot School he was awarded the Aaron C. George Award for Warrior Focus.
Scott Hughes
Scott Hughes is the Director of the Risk Analytics in the Supervision and Regulation division of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Prior to becoming director, he was a subject matter expert in the division and was responsible for monitoring emerging trends in the banking industry and residential and commercial real estate. In April 2007, Hughes came to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta from the FDIC in Atlanta, where he had worked for 10 years as a regional economist. With field exam teams as an audience, he analyzed regional economic and banking trends for the FDIC's Atlanta Region. Before working for the FDIC, Hughes was an economist with two economic consulting firms. At these companies, his responsibilities included forecasting and analyzing economic trends in the Southeast.
Donna M. Ingram
Donna Ingram is President of Donna M. Ingram, CPA, PC in Vicksburg, MS. She previously was a partner at May & Company, LLP for 18 years and has practiced accounting for over 30 years. In addition to being a CPA, Donna is a Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified in Financial Forensics. Donna is a graduate of Michigan State University. She was a member of the Mississippi Society of CPAs Peer Review Committee for over a decade, serving one term as Chair. She also served as Chair of the MSCPA's Accounting and Auditing Committee. Donna served on the AICPA's Peer Review board from 2003 to 2005. Donna is involved in numerous civic and charitable organizations and has been a presenter of accounting, auditing and fraud related courses around the country. Donna and her husband Paul have two sons, one following in his mother's footsteps as a CPA and the other an assistant PGA professional at Pasatiempo.
Max Littlejohn
Dr. Maximillian Littlejohn joined the Else School of Management at Millsaps College as an assistant professor of economics in the fall of 2021. He teaches courses across a variety of economic and financial subjects including microeconomics, macroeconomics, international trade, corporate finance, banking and accounting. Due to the dynamic and volatile nature of today's modern economy, he views every course as an opportunity to equip new cohorts of scholars and practitioners with the ability to not only interpret requisite economic theory, but to critically assess its empirical relevance and application within a contemporary context. Dr. Littlejohn maintains a salient research agenda, serves as a journal referee, and speaks at a variety of academic conferences and business venues. His research relies on theory and quantitative methods to explore the relationship between over-the-counter markets for credit, monetary policy and macroeconomic activity. In addition to debt finance and investment behavior at the corporate level, he also studies the markets for small business and consumer finance from empirical and theoretical perspectives. Within this domain, his research seeks to address critical socioeconomic issues such as wealth inequality and financial exclusion at both the national and local levels. Dr. Littlejohn holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a master's and PhD in economics from the University of California, Irvine.
Melissa MacMillan
Melissa MacMillan, VP HR Solutions. Melissa possesses over 30 years of HR experience. Prior to joining the Acuity team, Melissa was part of a global retailer as a Divisional Vice President/HRBP for the Technology team for the last 4 years. She also has experience in financial services and consulting. She provides guidance, training and support to clients in the areas of recruiting and onboarding, talent management, employee relations, employment law compliance, organizational development, overall development of best practices of HR management. Melissa has a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Industrial Relations and Labor Studies from West Virginia University Institute of Technology. She also is certified as a Senior Human Resources Professional (SPHR).
Jonathan M. Morgan
Mike Morgan is an Instructor for the Department of Accounting for Louisiana State University. Previously, he was a Professor of Practice in the Department of Finance at the University of Southern Mississippi. Winner of the 2021 Joseph A. Greene Excellence in Teaching Award, Mike is known for making complex finance and accounting topics interesting and at times entertaining for his students. Mike is a CPA. Prior to his time in academia, Mike held the role of Chief Financial Officer for several technology companies including American Healthtech and Bomgar Corporation, both in Ridgeland. Mike is also active in the Mentor Network at Innovate Mississippi where he mentors and advises technology start-ups. Mike and his wife Tracy are empty nesters residing in Clinton.
Pryanshi Singh
Pryanshi Singh is Microsoft's Senior Data Scientist & Architect. A data scientist by training and a data enthusiast by nature specializing in machine learning techniques applied to computer vision, image processing and natural language processing.
Frank Smith
Frank Smith is a founder of Smith Shellnut Wilson, LLC, and serves as the company's Chairman.
Prior to the establishment of Smith Shellnut, Frank was Senior Executive Vice President with Sunburst Bank responsible for the Bank's broker dealer subsidiary, mortgage company, trust department, finance company, and cash management division. He also managed the bank's $600 million investment portfolio and chaired its asset/liability management committee. He brings to the table decades of experience in fixed-income securities, such as municipal, U. S. government, and corporate bonds. Frank received a B.A. from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, with a double major in business administration and economics, and received an M.B.A. from Delta State University. He is also a graduate of the National School of Bank Investments at the University of Illinois and the School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University.
Under Frank's leadership, Smith Shellnut Wilson has grown to be the largest registered investment advisor in the state of Mississippi, with $7.7 billion in assets under management.
Julian Soh
Julian Soh is Microsoft's Principal Software Engineer Data & AI. He collaborates extensively with data scientists, engineers, and developers across the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) vertical, government organizations, and Health and Human Services providers. His mission is to assist organizations in integrating the responsible use of AI and harnessing the potential of the Microsoft Azure Cloud in their software and services.
Scott Waller
Scott Waller is President and CEO of Mississippi Economic Council, The State Chamber of Commerce, the state's largest broad-based business organization.
Under Waller's leadership, MEC plays a pivotal role in providing background and support for major legislative initiatives. Most recently, MEC played a vital role in changing Mississippi's state flag and increasing funding for the state's office of workforce development.
His team's work was honored in August, as the National Association of State Chambers (NASC) named MEC as the State Chamber of the Year, making it the nation's top state chamber in 2022.
Over the years, MEC has been instrumental in providing important input for legislative initiatives boosting transportation infrastructure, tourism, workforce development, education, economic development, legal climate, and the improvement of tax policy. In 2014, the prestigious State Tax Notes publication recognized Waller as one of its persons of the year for his work with the Mississippi legislature on the Taxpayer Fairness Act.
He was named one of Mississippi's 50 Most Influential leaders in Mississippi in 2019, 2020 and 2022.
Prior to joining MEC, he spent over 20 years as a newspaper journalist, including four years as Business Editor of The Clarion-Ledger. A Mississippi State graduate, he is the former owner/editor of the Madison County Journal and was co-owner of a residential construction company.
Waller serves on Mississippi's State Workforce Investment Board. Nationally, he serves as Chair of the NASC Center for State Chamber Action and is on the NASC board of directors. He serves on the U.S. Chamber's The Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100, the Chamber's Institute for Organization Management National Board of Trustees, and the National Transportation Investment Advocacy Council.
He and his wife Kim live in Madison and are active at St. Matthew's United Methodist Church.
