Cleveland honored as 多多直播鈥檚 National Alumnus of the Year
Contact: Addie Mayfield
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥敹喽嘀辈 is honoring Randy J. Cleveland with its highest alumni honor. In a campus ceremony on April 29, the longtime Fort Worth, Texas, resident will be recognized formally as the university鈥檚 2022 National Alumnus.
A 1983 petroleum engineering graduate and Newton County native, Cleveland was a successful leader in the oil and gas industry for more than 35 years. He began his career with Exxon in 1984 in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he held a variety of technical and planning assignments for the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf Coast region. His progressive career positioned him at the helm of operations across the company, enabling him to lead at locations throughout the U.S. and abroad.
Following the merger of Exxon and Mobil in 1999, Cleveland held the role of operations manager for the company in Aberdeen, Scotland, and later served in London, England, as the joint interest manager for the U.K. and the Netherlands, before returning to Houston, Texas, to manage the company鈥檚 U.S. production business. After coordinating the merger of XTO Energy, Inc. into ExxonMobil Corp. in 2010, he became president of XTO headquartered in Fort Worth. He was named Vice President Americas for ExxonMobil Production Co. in 2016 and served in that role until his retirement in 2019.
At 多多直播, Cleveland has a strong history of support and service. He is a member of the 多多直播 Foundation board of directors, where he leads the fundraising committee as chairman, and also serves on the dean鈥檚 advisory council for the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. He earlier was recognized as the Bagley College Alumnus of the Year in 2019 and as one of the college鈥檚 Distinguished Engineering Fellows in 2008.
鈥淲e are proud to salute Randy Cleveland on behalf of 多多直播 for his success in industry and for his loyal lifelong connection with his alma mater. He is an excellent role model for current and future generations of the Bulldog family, and his outstanding professional and personal achievements serve as a primary example of the success 多多直播 inspires each of its graduates to attain,鈥 said Jeff Davis, executive director of the 多多直播 Alumni Association. 鈥淥f more than 155,000 living alumni, Randy is a distinguished selection for this honor.鈥
Along with Cleveland, a host of other outstanding alumni will be recognized by the 多多直播 Alumni Association at the annual awards event. Individual academic college selections for alumni of the year for 2022 include (by city of residence):
ABERDEEN鈥擱egina L. Sanford, College of Education. A 1991 education graduate, she is the retired assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for St. Tammany Parish Schools.
COLLIERVILLE, Tennessee鈥擠r. Mark A. Akin, College of Veterinary Medicine. The 1986 veterinary medicine graduate is owner of Akin Veterinary Services, an equine ambulatory practice.
FRANKLIN, Tennessee鈥擠r. Allen K. Sills, James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. The 1986 biological engineering graduate is chief medical officer for the National Football Association and professor of neurological surgery at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
FLORA鈥擟urtis R. Hopkins, College of Forest Resources. Executive secretary for the Southeastern Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, he is a 1971 forestry graduate who also earned a master鈥檚 in wildlife ecology from the university in 1973.
GREENWOOD鈥擠r. A. Randle 鈥淩andy鈥 White, College of Arts and Sciences. The 1966 chemistry and pre-medicine graduate is the founder and managing member of Delta Hills Nephrology Associates, PLLC.
NEW YORK, New York鈥擜ngela Roberts Cavaluzzi, AIA, College of Architecture, Art and Design. A 1982 architecture graduate, she is president of Hudson Yards Development Corporation.
PERKINSTON鈥擠aniel B. 鈥淒an鈥 Batson, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. President and CEO of Greenforest Nursery, Inc., he is a two-time 多多直播 graduate who earned bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in horticulture in 1980 and 1982, respectively.
SCOTTSDALE, Arizona鈥擠on Whitmire Jr., College of Business. A 1978 accounting graduate, he is Vice President and Controller - Financial Reporting at Freeport-McMoRan, Inc.
Additionally, the association annually honors the university鈥檚 outstanding young alumnus or alumna. Receiving this honor is Walker Price of Germantown, Tennessee, a sales and marketing professional for Airheads/Mentos. He earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in communication from 多多直播 in 2011.聽
Rounding out the award selections are two distinguished service recipients for their endeavors in 2021: Creath Edens Townsend of Mobile, Alabama, a 1985 elementary education major; and the late Joe Abston of Pascagoula, a two-time 多多直播 accounting graduate who earned a 1991 bachelor鈥檚 degree and 1992 master鈥檚 degree, and served as manager of finance and administration for the Jackson Port Authority. Abston鈥檚 wife and fellow 多多直播 graduate, Missy, will accept the award on his behalf during the awards event.
More details on the awards ceremony and honorees will be available in the coming weeks. For more on the association, visit alumni.msstate.edu.
多多直播 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .