Speakers

SPEAKER BIO

Mark A Tullos Jr. is the President and C.E.O. of the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience in Meridian, Mississippi. He has been the Assistant Secretary for the Louisiana Office of State Museum, Director of the Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana and founding director of the Walter Anderson Museum of Art. Tullos received a degree in visual arts from Louisiana State University. He attended graduate school at Stephen F. Austin University and also participated in Getty Leadership Institute at Claremont Graduate University. Tullos served as a member of the advisory board for the Museum Loan Network at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the honors committee of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), a panelist for the National Museum Service Board, and a peer reviewer for AAM, Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the state arts commissions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida.

He and his wife of 39 years have four adult children and four grandchildren.

THE EXPERIENCE

The new Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) is a revolutionary museum experience showcasing Mississippi’s global legacy—honoring our legends and inspiring tomorrow’s artists to follow their creative dreams. There are two main objectives behind the creation of this new cultural attraction. First, The MAX provides educational opportunities for youth and families and creates a sense of pride in our great state and its people. Second, The MAX is a new cultural economy asset, attracting not only interstate tourists but also visitors from international markets. Mark Tullos, The MAX President and CEO, provides a 20-minute multimedia presentation to major civic clubs and service organizations.

 

Wes Brooks is the Development Coordinator for the DuBard School for Language Disorders at The University of Southern Mississippi. As Development Coordinator, he is responsible for all fundraising, donor cultivation and development, coordination and management of all fundraising campaigns, community outreach, and public relations.

In addition, Wes currently serves as Communications Director for Westminster Presbyterian Church of Hattiesburg, is co-chair of the Hattiesburg ADP’s Leadership Pinebelt Steering Committee, Past President and current P.R. & Communications Chair of the Rotary Club of Hattiesburg, and occasionally writes a column for The Pine Belt News under the title "Finding Focus." 

A Laurel native, Wes, his wife, Shane, and their son, Campbell, reside in Hattiesburg.