Dick Molpus
Encyclopedia
Richard "Dick" Molpus is a former Democratic Party Secretary of State of Mississippi
and President of The Molpus Woodlands Group, LLC (MWG), a timberland investment management organization headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi.
native and a 1971 Business Administration graduate of the University of Mississippi
, he served for a number of years as Vice President of Manufacturing for Molpus Lumber Company.
In 1980, he was Governor William Winter
's first appointee and was selected as Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Federal-State Programs, an agency in disarray from the previous administration. For his work in reducing staff and bringing managerial efficiency to that troubled agency, he was selected in 1983 as Mississippi's Public Administrator of the Year by the American Society of Public Administrators.
Dick Molpus was among several younger staff members, including future Governor Ray Mabus
, known as the "Boys of Spring" who helped guide Governor Winter's historic
Education Reform Act of 1982 to passage. In 1983, he successfully ran statewide for Secretary of State of Mississippi
against seven opponents. He was re-elected by significant margins in 1987 and 1991. Mr. Molpus took the Secretary of State's Office from an agency that was a tax drain of $200,000 to a profit maker of over $2,000,000 per year.
As Secretary of State he also served as Lands Commissioner of Mississippi and, in that capacity, supervised over 600000 acres (2,428.1 km²) of 16th Section commercial, residential, and timber property that had been set aside in the early 19th century to raise money for the public schools. By forcing renegotiation of some 5,000 below market leases, he increased, by more than $24,000,000, the amount of revenue to the public schools from those properties during his tenure.
He also successfully led efforts in the Mississippi Legislature
for sweeping lobbyist law reform that required lobbyists to report all money spent on public officials. In addition, he proposed and led to passage substantial election law improvements, including allowing citizens to register to vote by mail.
In 1993, he was recognized by his peers and was elected President of the National Association of Secretaries of State
. As President of that organization, he founded Project Democracy, an effort chaired by former Presidents Gerald Ford
and Jimmy Carter
to increase voter participation in the United States.
In August 1995, he won the Democratic Nomination for Governor of Mississippi. In November of that year, after a strongly contested race, he was defeated in the general election by the incumbent Governor.
On January 8, 1996, after completing his third term as secretary of state of Mississippi, Molpus began a timberland investment management organization. Today, The Molpus Woodlands Group, LLC, and its sister operating company manage for investors almost 1000000 acres (4,046.9 km²) of timberland in Alabama
, Mississippi
, Louisiana
, Arkansas
, Florida
, Georgia
, North Carolina
, Virginia
, Oklahoma
, Texas
, Tennessee
, Kentucky
, Pennsylvania
, Michigan
, and New York
valued at approximately $1.12 billion. The Molpus companies employ seventy-three people with fourteen offices located strategically across the U.S. Molpus Woodlands and its sister operating company, Molpus Timberlands Management, LLC, are vertically integrated management companies with in-house CPAs, attorneys, foresters, biometricians, and GIS specialists, along with silvicultural and harvesting experts.
Dick Molpus and his wife, Sally, were the founders of Parents for Public Schools, which now has chapters in 25 cities in 15 states across the United States. That organization steadfastly supports local public schools and works with parents to ensure high standards for those schools. He serves as Development Chairman for the Jackson Parents for Public Schools chapter and is a former President of National Parents for Public Schools. He received from the H. Council Trenholm Memorial Award from the National Education Association
in 2004 for his work on behalf of public education.
In 2005, he was honored as an inductee into the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame, and in 2008, he was honored as a Visionary Public Servant by the Mississippi Center of Justice at their annual Champions of Justice dinner. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Mississippi Economic Council, which is the Chamber of Commerce
for Mississippi. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the National Alliance of Forest Owners and the Wilson Research Foundation, which is the fund raising arm of Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson, MS. He was Co-Chairman of the successful 2006 Jackson Public School
Bond Campaign that brought $150MM in renovations and new schools to Jackson.
In 2007 he became the founding Chairman of the United States Endowment for Forestry and Communities
, a $200MM endowment funded by the U.S./Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement. The endowment is focused on improving forest health and assisting timber-reliant communities in the U.S.
Secretary of State of Mississippi
The Secretary of State of Mississippi is the state secretary of state of the U.S. state of Mississippi.It is a constitutional official originally established under the Article IV, §14 of Mississippi Constitution of 1817, and was reestablished under Article V, §133 of the Mississippi Constitution of...
and President of The Molpus Woodlands Group, LLC (MWG), a timberland investment management organization headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi.
Background
A Philadelphia, MississippiPhiladelphia, Mississippi
Philadelphia is a city in and the county seat of Neshoba County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
native and a 1971 Business Administration graduate of the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
, he served for a number of years as Vice President of Manufacturing for Molpus Lumber Company.
In 1980, he was Governor William Winter
William Winter (politician)
William Forrest Winter is an American politician from Mississippi. He served as the 58th Governor of Mississippi from 1980 to 1984 as a Democrat. He is known for his strong support of public education, racial reconciliation, and historic preservation. Winter is best remembered for the passage of...
's first appointee and was selected as Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Federal-State Programs, an agency in disarray from the previous administration. For his work in reducing staff and bringing managerial efficiency to that troubled agency, he was selected in 1983 as Mississippi's Public Administrator of the Year by the American Society of Public Administrators.
Dick Molpus was among several younger staff members, including future Governor Ray Mabus
Ray Mabus
Raymond Edwin "Ray" Mabus, Jr. is the 75th United States Secretary of the Navy. Mabus served as the 60th Governor of the U.S...
, known as the "Boys of Spring" who helped guide Governor Winter's historic
Education Reform Act of 1982 to passage. In 1983, he successfully ran statewide for Secretary of State of Mississippi
Secretary of State of Mississippi
The Secretary of State of Mississippi is the state secretary of state of the U.S. state of Mississippi.It is a constitutional official originally established under the Article IV, §14 of Mississippi Constitution of 1817, and was reestablished under Article V, §133 of the Mississippi Constitution of...
against seven opponents. He was re-elected by significant margins in 1987 and 1991. Mr. Molpus took the Secretary of State's Office from an agency that was a tax drain of $200,000 to a profit maker of over $2,000,000 per year.
As Secretary of State he also served as Lands Commissioner of Mississippi and, in that capacity, supervised over 600000 acres (2,428.1 km²) of 16th Section commercial, residential, and timber property that had been set aside in the early 19th century to raise money for the public schools. By forcing renegotiation of some 5,000 below market leases, he increased, by more than $24,000,000, the amount of revenue to the public schools from those properties during his tenure.
He also successfully led efforts in the Mississippi Legislature
Mississippi Legislature
The Mississippi Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The bicameral Legislature is composed of the lower Mississippi House of Representatives, with 122 members, and the upper Mississippi Senate, with 52 members. Both Representatives and Senators serve four-year...
for sweeping lobbyist law reform that required lobbyists to report all money spent on public officials. In addition, he proposed and led to passage substantial election law improvements, including allowing citizens to register to vote by mail.
In 1993, he was recognized by his peers and was elected President of the National Association of Secretaries of State
National Association of Secretaries of State
The National Association of Secretaries of State , founded in 1904, is the oldest non-partisan professional organization of public officials in the United States, composed of the Secretaries of State of U.S. states and territories. Currently, all secretaries of state, including Washington D.C.,...
. As President of that organization, he founded Project Democracy, an effort chaired by former Presidents Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
and Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
to increase voter participation in the United States.
In August 1995, he won the Democratic Nomination for Governor of Mississippi. In November of that year, after a strongly contested race, he was defeated in the general election by the incumbent Governor.
On January 8, 1996, after completing his third term as secretary of state of Mississippi, Molpus began a timberland investment management organization. Today, The Molpus Woodlands Group, LLC, and its sister operating company manage for investors almost 1000000 acres (4,046.9 km²) of timberland in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
valued at approximately $1.12 billion. The Molpus companies employ seventy-three people with fourteen offices located strategically across the U.S. Molpus Woodlands and its sister operating company, Molpus Timberlands Management, LLC, are vertically integrated management companies with in-house CPAs, attorneys, foresters, biometricians, and GIS specialists, along with silvicultural and harvesting experts.
Dick Molpus and his wife, Sally, were the founders of Parents for Public Schools, which now has chapters in 25 cities in 15 states across the United States. That organization steadfastly supports local public schools and works with parents to ensure high standards for those schools. He serves as Development Chairman for the Jackson Parents for Public Schools chapter and is a former President of National Parents for Public Schools. He received from the H. Council Trenholm Memorial Award from the National Education Association
National Education Association
The National Education Association is the largest professional organization and largest labor union in the United States, representing public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become...
in 2004 for his work on behalf of public education.
In 2005, he was honored as an inductee into the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame, and in 2008, he was honored as a Visionary Public Servant by the Mississippi Center of Justice at their annual Champions of Justice dinner. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Mississippi Economic Council, which is the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
for Mississippi. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the National Alliance of Forest Owners and the Wilson Research Foundation, which is the fund raising arm of Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson, MS. He was Co-Chairman of the successful 2006 Jackson Public School
Jackson Public School District
The Jackson Public School District is a public school district based in Jackson, Mississippi . In addition to Jackson, the district serves a portion of the Byram community.-Superintendent:...
Bond Campaign that brought $150MM in renovations and new schools to Jackson.
In 2007 he became the founding Chairman of the United States Endowment for Forestry and Communities
United States Endowment for Forestry and Communities
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities, Inc. is a newly organized not-for-profit corporation established at the request of the governments of the United States and Canada in accordance with the terms of the Softwood Lumber Agreement 2006 between the two countries...
, a $200MM endowment funded by the U.S./Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement. The endowment is focused on improving forest health and assisting timber-reliant communities in the U.S.