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In the history of great institutions there are pivotal events that catapult those entities to new levels of achievement. The individuals who make that possible are men and women of vision, generosity, and commitment. Richard Adkerson is such a man.
On August 30, 2007, the School of Accountancy at Mississippi State was renamed the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy. Thanks to a generous gift of $5 million from Mr. Adkerson, the Adkerson School of Accountancy will have resources to realize a level of excellence previously not possible.
The endowed gift will bring a new dynamic to the school by providing opportunities to recruit and retain the highest quality faculty and students; maintain the latest technology for research and teaching; host or sponsor symposiums, conferences, and seminars; and offer new and increased scholarships.
This generous gift will change the future of the school; Richard has challenged the faculty and given financial support to help achieve the goal to be the best.
Richard Adkerson grew up in Tupelo and Kosciusko, MS. He, along with his brother, were the first in their family to enroll in college. Adkerson quickly found an aptitude for accounting and graduated with honors in 1969. He completed his M.B.A. the following year.
Professor Bill Simmons recalls Adkerson telling him, "You can't give me too much to do." He proved it by not only completing his assigned work but also every problem in the textbook.
As Richard approached graduation, faculty member Dora Herring challenged him to earn the Mississippi gold medal on the CPA exam since Ole Miss students had earned that honor for three years running. He not only won the gold medal but also finished second in the nation.
Following graduation, Adkerson took a position with Arthur Andersen. One of his clients was a small copper and gold trading business called McMoRan. Seeing an opportunity to take on new challenges, in 1989 he resigned from the accounting firm to work for McMoRan and help build the company.
Adkerson now serves as CEO and a board member of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc. as well as co-chairman of the board for McMoRan Exploration Company. Under Adkerson's leadership, the company has grown exponentially. In March 2007, his company completed the industry's largest merger ever -- a 26 billion dollar acquisition of Phelps Dodge Corp. resulting in the largest publicly traded copper company in the world. Adkerson, from a student at Mississippi State University to a successful business executive, is a man who thrives on a challenge.
He is extraordinarily grateful for the foundation Mississippi State gave him and for the closeness of his "university family." The gift to the Adkerson School of Accountancy is an expression of gratitude to his professors and to the university.
"Mississippi State is a place where I come back and feel at home," says Adkerson. "I wanted to make a gift that was indicative of the depth of feeling I have for this place. I feel good every time I come here."
Not only does Adkerson give of his finances, he is also generous with his time. He serves on the advisory boards of the College of Business and the Agribusiness Institute. He serves as the vice president and a member of the executive committee of the MSU Foundation and chairman of State of the Future: The Mississippi State Campaign.
His dedication to the University demonstrates that Richard Adkerson is an example of a most dedicated alum; The Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy is proud to bear his name and works hard to live up to the reputation of excellence.
