Steve W. Sanders

Independent Director

Steve W. Sanders was elected to the Board as an independent director in 2009. Mr. Sanders is a Certified Public Accountant who retired as Managing Partner of the Ernst & Young LLP, Jackson, Mississippi, office after more than 30 years of service. Mr. Sanders has extensive audit, merger and acquisition accounting and valuation-advisory experience. In his practice, Mr. Sanders advised private companies searching for bolt-on acquisitions and engaging in initial public offerings. Mr. Sanders also has broad experience providing industry verticals with audit services and various acquisition audits and related services.

Mr. Sanders was promoted to partner at Ernst & Young in 1986. During his tenure, Mr. Sanders was increasingly responsible for human capital management, including hiring, retention and client-side staffing for the Jackson, Mississippi, office. He also supervised the Jackson, Mississippi, office’s ethics, legal and regulatory compliance prior to his retirement in 2002 as Managing Partner. Mr. Sanders’ early career included experience working part-time at a poultry company, which gave him insight into the poultry industry’s operating needs. Mr. Sanders served as a Lecturer at the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy at Mississippi State University, where he taught accounting and auditing courses from 2003 until his retirement in 2017. His previous board service includes a directorship of Valley Services, Inc., a privately held national contract food services manager, from 2002 until Elior North America acquired the business in 2012. Mr. Sanders’ community activities include service as Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison, Mississippi.

Mr. Sanders earned his B.S of Accountancy at Mississippi State University in 1968 and Masters in Business Administration in 1969. The Board believes that Mr. Sanders’ extensive audit, accounting and finance experience, in addition to his human capital management and leadership record, qualify him to serve on the Board.