Alumni Fellows 2019

Jack Donovan is the founder of Omakase, a consulting firm helping organizations articulate and execute growth strategies. Omakase works with clients in a variety of industries to enhance organizational leadership skills, manage change, and establish customer-centered strategies.

Jack is a graduate of Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Public Policy Study. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Mitchell College of Business at the University of South Alabama where he received the USA Distinguished Alumni Award and was named an Executive in Residence.

Jerry Host is President and Chief Executive Officer of Trustmark Corporation and Trustmark National Bank. Before joining Trustmark in 1984 he was with First National Bank in Mobile. An alumnus of the Mitchell College, he recently served as Chairman of the Mississippi Bankers Association. He is a member of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and a past director for the New Orleans branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. Host is a past chairman of the Board of Governors of the Mississippi Executive Council and is a director and member of the Greater Jackson Chamber Board. He serves as chairman of the Mississippi Museum of Art and other nonprofit organizations across the Jackson community. 

Theresa Howarth retired as the Asia Pacific Director of Finance/Treasury Operations for Electronic Data Systems. She was responsible for transactions in the USA, Europe, and Asia Pacific, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, spin-offs, and initial public offerings.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the Mitchell College of Business and a Master of Business Administration from Tulane University. 

She is a Certified Public Accountant and has an Accredited Business Valuation designation. She is a recipient of an MCOB Impact Award, is on the MCOB Executive Advisory Council, teaches CCD, is a member of the Sydney Women’s International Club, and serves on the Board of the Beaver Creek Association.

Major General Michael H. Sumrall (ret.) is Chief Executive Officer of Skyline Unlimited, Ltd. Skyline is a nationwide professional services provider to federal, state, and local agencies. General Sumrall began his military career as an enlisted soldier with the Alabama Army National Guard. He was commissioned in 1970 through the Army National Guard Officer Candidate School at the University of South Alabama. During his career he saw duty with the United States European Command, the United States Central Command, and served as Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for National Guard Matters, The Joint Staff in the Pentagon. He retired as Acting Director, Joint Staff National Guard Bureau.

Dr. Paul H. Pietri is professor emeritus of management at the Mitchell College of Business. He has taught more than 9,000 Mitchell College students since joining the faculty in 1975. A co-author of three books, he has presented management and communication seminars to over 30 organizations across the United States and in Canada, Europe, and South America. As the first educational director of the Alabama Banking School, he developed the curriculum and taught in the program for 15 years.

He is a past recipient of the Outstanding Professor Award from the University of South Alabama National Alumni Association.