June 3, 2025

Alumni, their family and friends, community partners, and current faculty and staff of Pearl River Community College gathered to honor this year’s recipients of Alumni Awards. The Alumni Association and Development Foundation hosted the evening at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg on Thursday, May 22. 

During the ceremony, individuals and one organization were recognized for personal and professional achievement while displaying the PRCC’s values. 

Mr. Ethan Spiers, The Chemours Company 
Mr. Jason Farve, Mississippi Power Company 
Mr. Mark Wallace, Coast Electric Power Association 
Mr. Keith and Mrs. Melissa Saucier, Keith’s Superstores 
Mr. Emmet Foxworth Retired CEO of Coastland Federal Credit Union, Mr. Henry E. Johnson 
Dr. John Broom, Retired History Professor from the University of the Cumberlands 

Dr. Kari Eve Valence, Director of Marketing and Recruitment, served as Master of Ceremonies. Vice President for Hancock County Campus Dr. Raymunda Barnes provided the Invocation. PRCC President Dr. Adam Breerwood greeted attendees prior to the awards being given. Breerwood provided a glimpse at the college’s current successes.  

“We come here tonight to celebrate people who have made a tremendous mark, not only on our college but in their community,” said Dr. Breerwood. Thank you not only for your service to our to our college, but for serving as a role model.” 

Executive Director of Development Foundation/Alumni Association Delana Harris ended the evening by congratulating the honorees again and thanking those individuals and companies who support the Foundation.  

“This is truly a special night for our college and our foundation as we recognize those who have contributed to Pearl River Community College, their communities, and so much more,” said Harris. “Each of the honorees tonight have made meaningful impacts on our institution and thank you to each of you for representing Pearl River Community College and for allowing our college to play a continued role in your life. 

“Thank you for choosing Pearl River Community College and for continuing to share the value of our college with others. Please always remember that PRCC is home and that you are forever family and we are proud to call you a Wildcat.” 

More information about the Alumni Association and Development Foundation is available at prcc.edu/alumni/. Nominations will open on July 1 for the 2026 Alumni Awards. 

The Pearl River Community College Alumni Association and Development Foundation annually recognizes individuals, groups, and organizations that have earned both personal and professional achievement while also displaying the values of PRCC. 

A proud Poplarville native, Spiers graduated with high honors from Pearl River Community College in 2021. While at The River, he was a work-study student in the Alumni Association, served as Vice President of Philanthropy for the Phi Theta Kappa Iota Mu Chapter, and held leadership positions in the Dr. William Lewis Honors Institute as both Freshman Representative and later Vice President. He was recognized with the Wildcat Way Award and the Mathematics Award. His academic achievements earned him Mississippi State University’s prestigious full-tuition Presidential Partnership Scholarship.

He graduated summa cum laude in 2023 from MSU with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering. He was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, representing the top ten percent of his class, and was a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and Omega Chi Epsilon Chemical Engineering Honor Society. Spiers also contributed to MSU’s success at regional competitions, including a second-place finish in the 2023 Student Process Troubleshooting Competition sponsored by the Mid-South Section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He further gained valuable industry experience through an internship with Cooperative Energy in Moselle, Mississippi. 

Spiers began his professional career with The Chemours Company at its Delisle Plant in Pass Christian, where he currently serves as a Manufacturing Technology Senior Associate Engineer and Co-op Supervisor.  

Spiers now resides in Diamondhead, Mississippi, with his wife, Jennaa 2021 graduate of PRCC’s nursing program. The couple looks forward to welcoming their first child in July 2025. 

“I’m so honored and blessed to receive this prestigious award,” said Spiers. “Pearl River has meant so much to me and my family over the years. 

“The school gave me such a great foundation and helped me become the man I am today.” 

A graduate of St. Stanislaus College Preparatory and Pearl River Community College, Farve earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration & Management through studies at Southern New Hampshire University and Kennesaw State University. 

Farve began his career at Coast Electric Power Association, where he spent twelve years progressing through roles including apprentice lineman, lineman, lead lineman, serviceman, and construction foreman. In 2013, he joined Southern Company, gaining experience from Georgia Power, Gulf Power, and Mississippi Power. Over the years, he has held a variety of leadership positions. 

Farve currently serves as the Safety & Health Manager for Mississippi Power, where he leads a dedicated team committed to ensuring the well-being and safety of all company employees. 

Deeply involved in his community, Farve has served on the boards of the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce, Infinity Science Center, Partners for Stennis, CASA of Hancock County, Bay St. Louis Rotary Club, and Pass Christian Main Street. He currently serves on the Southern Company Safety & Health Council, Mississippi Underground Damage Prevention Board, and the Mississippi Coastal Plains Land Trust Board. 

Jason and his wife, Ashley, are natives of Bay St. Louis. They are the proud parents of four children: Hayden, Harlen, Hatcher, and Hadley. 

“I really appreciate being honored,” said Farve. “I was already a journeyman, but knew I wanted to go back and do something different with my career long-term. So, I went to that guinea pig class, the first lineman class at Pearl River. 

“I learned a lot about electricity that I didn’t know from Randy Henry. I learned a lot about grit and time management and pushing through things because I was already working full time to go back to school nights, weekends, and whenever the company would allow us.” 

A lifelong resident of Pearl River County, Wallace is deeply rooted in his community and profession. A graduate of Pearl River Central High School in 1986, Mark attended Pearl River Community College from 1987 to 1988, establishing a lasting connection to the institution that continues today. Through decades of professional achievement and community leadership, Mark Wallace exemplifies the Wildcat spirit and a steadfast commitment to making a difference in Pearl River County and beyond. 

With a distinguished 33-year career at Coast Electric Power, Wallace currently serves as Director of Energy Management. In this role, he oversees energy initiatives and customer programs, drawing on a wealth of professional certifications. 

Wallace’s talents extend far beyond the energy sector. He is a licensed auctioneer with over 25 years of experience and has built a diverse career as an outdoor writer, radio show host, and television personality. 

His dedication to service is evident in his extensive community involvement. He currently serves as Chairman of the Picayune Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, as a board member and president of the Pearl River County Home Builders, and as a member of both the Pearl River Community College Alumni and Foundation Board and the State and National Home Builders Boards. 

He and his wife, Cynthia Short Wallace, reside in McNeill, Mississippi, and are the proud parents of six children and three grandchildren. 

“Pearl River means a lot to me,” said Wallace. “It gave me the foundation and the confidence to be able to go out and do whatever I wanted to. 

“I appreciate this award. And, thank you to everyone here tonight for what you do for Pearl River Community College.”  

With a focus on superior customer service, clean facilities, and community engagement, Keith’s Superstores exemplifies a successful partnership dedicated to nurturing and serving the local communities in which they operate. 

“This is a surprise,” said Melissa Saucier. “Everything we do, sponsor, or organize on our own has to do with the children. They are our future; they are the ones paving the way for us in our glory years. 

“It is amazing the things everyone is doing for the students attending Pearl River. Thank you so much for this award and we will continue to support Pearl River and all of the universities in Mississippi. We’re so proud of Mississippi. And we love calling it home.” 

Born and raised in rural Marion County, Foxworth graduated from Columbia High School with no intention of college, even though one instructor encouraged him to pursue it. He was persuaded by his friend John David Broome to enroll at Pearl River Junior College. Foxworth, Broome, and Johnson became roommates and lifelong friends.  

At PRCC, Foxworth studied accounting and played baseball, helping the coach and fellow students with the sport. He was also active in the Baptist Student Union, participated in campus plays, and became a ping pong doubles champion with Johnson. Foxworth describes his two years at PRCC as the best of his college career, a time marked by friendship, growth, and a nurturing environment that set the foundation for his future.  

He transferred to Mississippi Southern (now the University of Southern Mississippi) and majored in accounting, excelling in his studies. Facing the Korean War draft, he found work with Humble Oil and Refining Company (later Exxon) near New Orleans, while also taking classes at Tulane University.  Emmet’s career at Exxon spanned both accounting and pioneering work in computer systems. He helped develop and manage the Computer Automated Production System (CAPS), which modernized oil production reporting and operations. He also trained offshore workers and managed critical operations during hurricanes.  

While living in Grand Isle, Louisiana, Emmet co-founded a credit union for Exxon employees. Upon transferring to New Orleans, he expanded the credit union, eventually growing it into Coastland Federal Credit Union, the largest in New Orleans and second largest in Louisiana, with assets reaching $387 million by his retirement in 2008. 

Since moving to the West Bank of New Orleans in 1965, Emmet has been a devoted member of First Baptist Church, Marrero, serving as deacon and treasurer for decades. He has also chaired the PRCC Alumni Association and values his lifelong friendships with John David Broome and H.E. Johnson.  

Emmet and his late wife, Muriel, raised three childrentwo sons (Emmett and Steven), both ministers, and a daughter (Tammy Ann) who works in a church in Houston. He is the proud grandfather of seven and great-grandfather of seventeen.  

“Been recognized as Alumnus of the Year meant a lot to me,” said Foxworth. “The best honor I could have ever imagined receiving was throwing out the first pitch to a baseball game last year. 

“Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award is beyond that. From a country guy who was not going to college to receive this award; it is so special. Tonight is the best day of my life.”  

Known to friends and family as H.E., Johnson was from Columbia, graduating from Columbia High School in 1952. Johnson continued his education at Pearl River Junior College, where he attended on a football scholarship and graduated with honors in 1954. He then advanced to William Carey College in Hattiesburg, again on a football scholarship, earning a degree in Business Administration in 1956. 

Johnson began his professional career with Shell Chemical Company in Norco, Louisiana. After seven years, he transitioned to Sanderson Farms, serving as Chief Accountant, and later worked for IBM in various cities. Johnson eventually settled in Houston, Texas, where he joined Texas Commerce Bank. Rising to the role of Vice President in Data Processing, he played a pivotal part in the bank’s evolution, overseeing the conversion of hundreds of member banks to branch banks when Texas laws changed. After J.P. Morgan Chase Bank acquired Texas Commerce Bancshares, Johnson was responsible for integrating Texas Commerce’s deposit systems into Chase Bank in New Yorka monumental task he completed before retiring in 1995.  

Johnson married Dorothy Ashe in 1955, and together they raised four children. Their family grew to include four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. After nearly 55 years of marriage, Dorothy passed away. In 2021, he married Beth Hanley.  

Johnson has been active in the Baptist Church, serving as both deacon and treasurer, supporting youth activities, teaching men’s Bible studies, and volunteering in food pantries. He is also a member of Gideon’s International. Johnson and his lifelong friend Emmet Foxworth have shared many milestones, serving as best men in each other’s weddings and celebrating birthdays together over the years. 

“I never expected this; it is quite an honor,” said Johnson. “Pearl River changed my life. I was told I could be somebody besides someone who didn’t have a future, have pride in what I do, work hard, and be rewarded. It’s still there. Pearl River is still doing the same things.” 

Dr. Broome graduated from Columbia High School in 1952, where he formed enduring friendships with H.E. Johnson, Jr., and Emmet Foxworth. The trio continued their academic journeys together at Pearl River Junior College, sharing not only a dorm room but also a wealth of memorable experiences that Dr. Broome fondly recalled throughout his life.  

After Pearl River, Dr. Broome earned his B.A. in History from Mississippi College in 1956, then pursued advanced theological studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, receiving both B.D. and Th.D. degrees in 1960 and 1965. He also completed an M.A. in History from the University of New Orleans in 1968. 

In 1966, Dr. Broome joined the faculty of Cumberland College (now the University of the Cumberlands) in Williamsburg, Kentucky, where he devoted his career to teaching history and religion. Over the course of nearly five decades, he impacted the lives of more than 7,000 students in the classroom and personally assisted over 15,000 students with their academic schedules as Director of Academic Advising. His dedication to student-athletes was evident through his 35 years of service on the College Athletic Committee, including a term as Faculty Athletic Representative President on the National Council of NAIA FARs. Dr. Broome’s excellence was recognized with the Honored Professor award on two occasions, as well as the distinction of Honorary Alumnus and numerous accolades from student organizations. 

Though he officially retired from teaching in 1999, Dr. Broome continued to serve the university as Coordinator of Academic Advising and Athletic Eligibility Coordinator until 2014. 

Broome met his beloved wife Mavis at 4-H camp during middle school, and they married in 1956 after graduating from Mississippi College. Together, they raised three daughters and were blessed with eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Mavis passed away in 2017, and Dr. Broome continued to honor her memory through his service and family devotion.  

A faithful member of First Baptist Church since 1966, Dr. Broome served in numerous roles, including deacon (emeritus), trustee, Sunday School teacher, and committee member. He was also a devoted sports enthusiast, cheering for the UC Patriots, Mississippi State University, the New Orleans Saints, the Boston Red Sox, and the St. Louis Cardinals.  

Dr. Broome cherished his lifelong friendships, particularly those with H.E. Johnson, Jr., and Emmet Foxworth, and his legacy endures through the countless lives he touched as an educator, mentor, and friend. 

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), Facebook (@PRCCMKTG), and TikTok (@prcc_wildcats).

Article by Laura O’Neill. Photography by Laura O’Neill and River Roderick.