Morris Strickland is a native Mississipian having been born on a farm in Greene County. He joined the Army at an early age and was commissioned an Army officer after completing Officer Candidate School. He served two tours in Vietnam where he was awarded 3 Bronze Star Medals, a Purple Heart and a Vietnamese Cross for Gallantry. Among his assignments were tours of duty in Ethiopia, Germany, Republic of Panama and the Pentagon. He left the Army and joined Coca-Cola in 1980 where he served in various locations and corporate officer positions.
He graduated from Oglethorpe University, Summa Cum Laude, with a BA in Economics and has a Masters of Art in Industrial Management from the University of Alabama. He has done additional academic studies and has 12 hours towards a Doctorate in International Relations.
While still with Coca-Cola, Morris returned to Mississippi in 1996 as a Zone Manager responsible for Coke operations in parts of Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi. He was appointed by Governors Fordice and Musgrove to serve as the Chairman of the Governor’s Commission on Physical Fitness and Sports.
He retired from Coca-Cola in 2001 in order to start his own businesses on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Morris is the owner of Eagle Enterprises, Eagle Express, Eagle Plaza, Cheyenne Properties, and a Partner in Strickland-Summers Properties. All of these companies are involved in commercial real estate. He also owns Mosaic Medspas, LLC which operates two medical spas in Alabama.
He is on the Executive Committee and is a Charter Member of the Gulf Coast Business Council. Morris is a Trustee of the Singing River Health System, a Board Member of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, Chairman –elect of the Board of Trustees for the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, Chairman of the Board of the John S. and James L. Knight Nonprofit Center and incoming Chairman of the Board of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce..
Morris and his wife Lucy have two adult children and live in Ocean Springs.
