Secretary Michael Watson Update

Thank you to Boys State for the opportunity to speak to the incredible group of upcoming leaders. 29 years ago, I sat in the same crowd as a young man and had no thought of returning to speak there one day. Appreciate the time to visit with some of Mississippi's best!

Annie and I recently visited our good friend Bill Rivers at his family-owned farm. For three generations, Bill's family has developed Rivers Plant Farm into a major supplier of vegetables and bedding plants. I'm always thrilled to see the success of our hardworking Mississippians.

Mississippi is truly the best place to live and do business. Grateful for Bill, his family, and their dedication to better our state for generations to come!

I always enjoy visiting with our high school students, especially when it's to talk about elections. Appreciate these fine students at Florence High School and grateful for the teachers and administrators who instill the importance of civic education. 

Congrats to the Mississippi Highway Patrol Class 68 and their recent graduation! These brave individuals have dedicated their lives to protecting our highways, families, and communities. I am thankful every day for their commitment to service in Mississippi. Keep these brave men and women in your prayers as they hit the roads across the state to protect each and every one of us.

I had a great visit with my friends at the Hinds County Public School District Foundation. We discussed plans to partner with them to invest in our students more through our Student Ambassador program.

Mississippi's students are some of our smartest and most passionate individuals. I appreciate every opportunity to continue encouraging our next generation of leaders!

A big thanks to the graduating class of Desoto Central High School for letting me share a small part of their special occasion! I was honored to celebrate them and wish them good luck in their future endeavors.

I look forward to watching the continued success of these seniors as they take the next steps in their journey. I hope these seniors will accept my challenge to stay and keep making Mississippi an even better place!

Katherine Perkins

Katherine serves as the Director of Examinations in our Securities Division. She joined the Secretary of State's Office in 2014.

Katherine has over 18 years of experience as an examinations supervisor and investigator. Her passion for and dedication to the work she does is seen daily in both the way she performs her duties and in how she leads her staff. Beyond her knowledge and experience, Katherine has a fun, energetic, and infectious personality and a joy with whom to work.

We are extremely blessed to have Katherine on our team and appreciate her service to Mississippi!