Stacey Pickering

Stacey Eugene Pickering (born July 12, 1968) is the former State Auditor of Mississippi, a position that he filled from 2008 until his resignation in July 2018. His resignation came after accepting the position as the head of the Mississippi Veterans Affairs Board.[1]

Stacey Pickering
41st Auditor of Mississippi
In office
January 10, 2008  July 12, 2018
GovernorHaley Barbour
Phil Bryant
Preceded byPhil Bryant
Succeeded byShad White
Member of the Mississippi State Senate
from the 42nd district
In office
January 6, 2004  January 8, 2008
Preceded byVincent Scoper
Succeeded byChris McDaniel
Personal details
Born
Stacey Eugene Pickering

(1968-07-12) July 12, 1968
Laurel, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Whitney Pickering
Children4
RelativesCharles W. Pickering (uncle)
Chip Pickering (cousin)
EducationJones County Junior College
Samford University (BS)
New Orleans Baptist
Theological Seminary
(MS)

Background

Pickering is a seventh-generation Mississippian, reared in the Hebron community of Jones County on the family dairy farm. Pickering graduated from West Jones High School as a National 4-H scholarship winner and continued his education at Jones County Junior College. He furthered his educational career by earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, and a master's degree in marriage and family counseling in 1993 from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Before serving in the State Senate, Pickering worked in the private sector as the director of governmental affairs and inside sales manager for Howard Technology Solutions, a division of Howard Industries in Laurel, Mississippi.

Pickering serves as a chaplain in the Mississippi Air National Guard of the 186th Air Refueling Wing.

State Senate

Pickering represented District 42, based in Jones County, in the Mississippi State Senate, to which he was elected in 2003, after incumbent state senator, Vincent Scoper, decided to retire.[2][3][4] Pickering served as chairman of two committees: (1) Local and Private (2) Enrolled Bills. He was named by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to the national policy task forces on transportation and homeland security.

He served as co-chairman of the Mississippi Legislative Sportsman's Caucus that pushed successfully for passage of pro-hunting legislation.

State Auditor

Pickering speaking at a fundraiser for Mitt Romney in 2012
Pickering speaking at the Neshoba County Fair in 2013

Pickering was elected state auditor in 2007, when he defeated the Democrat Mike Sumrall, 55 to 45 percent, in the general election.[5] In 2011, Pickering received only third-party opposition as he defeated Reform Party nominee, Ashley Norwood 76 to 24 percent.[6]

In June 2012, Pickering was honored with the National State Auditor's Association's "National Excellence in Accountability Award" for his work on accountability and oversight regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.[7] In 2009, the United States Department of Defense honored him with a "Patriot Award" from its Mississippi Committee on Employer's Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) in recognition of his extraordinary support of its employees who serve in the Mississippi National Guard and Reserve.[8] Pickering received this same award again in May, 2013.[9]

In 2014, Pickering received the David M. Walker Excellence in Government Performance and Accountability Award, a national award presented once every two years to three auditors from the public sector accountability community who represent federal, state, and local governments.[10]

Pickering also served on the Domestic Working Group for the office of the Comptroller General of the United States and the Financial Management and Intergovernmental Affairs and Performance Audit Committees for the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers.

2012 Presidential Campaign

Pickering served as the chairman of Mitt Romney's Mississippi campaign during the 2012 presidential campaign.[11]

Personal

Pickering and his wife, Whitney, reside in Laurel, Mississippi, with their four children. The Pickerings have served as past presidents of their children's Parent Teacher Organization and volunteer for the Laurel Rogers Museum of Art. Pickering is a Mason, volunteer firefighter, member of the National Rifle Association and Sigma Nu fraternity. He serves on the board of the Pine Burr Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.[12]

He is a cousin of former U.S. Representative Chip Pickering of Mississippi's 4th congressional district, and a nephew of Charles W. Pickering, a former state senator, Republican party state chairman, and a former judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.

Electoral History

Mississippi State Senate 42nd District Election, 2003
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stacey Pickering 10,932 58.77
Democratic Randy Ellzey 7,669 41.23
Mississippi Auditor Election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stacey Pickering 399,279 54.97
Democratic Mike Sumrall 327,033 45.03
Mississippi Auditor Election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stacey Pickering (inc.) 596,395 75.62
Reform Ashley Norwood 192,271 24.38
Mississippi Auditor Republican Primary Election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stacey Pickering (inc.) 183,367 67.74
Republican Mary Hawkins-Butler 87,318 32.26
Mississippi Auditor Election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stacey Pickering (inc.) 453,601 63.99
Democratic Jocelyn "Joce" Pepper Pritchett 245,899 34.69
Reform Lajena Walley 9,380 1.32

References

Mississippi State Senate
Preceded by
Vincent Scoper
Member of the Mississippi State Senate
from the 42nd district

2004–2008
Succeeded by
Chris McDaniel
Political offices
Preceded by
Phil Bryant
Auditor of Mississippi
2008–2018
Succeeded by
Shad White
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.