Gary Russell Bass

Born on an Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, Gary was raised in the small rural South Mississippi town that bears his family name — Bassfield. After graduating from Columbia Academy with honors and USM with a Bachelir of Science in Business, he worked as a corporate trainer for a franchise sales company before moving to New York City. After eight years in New England, Gary moved West to Sedona, Arizona where he honed his sales and marketing skills in the travel and tourism industry. In 2011, he returned home to Mississippi and has worked as a community activist, marketing consultant, and marketing director for a manufacturing start up, as well as a small business entrepreneur. In December 2020, Gary buried a time capsule to commemorate the founding of the town of Bassfield. In February 2021, Gary was named Director of the Jefferson Davis County Economic Development District and, one year later, received a CEDA -Community Economic Development Award from the MEDC - Mississippi Economic Development Commission for the 125th Anniversary Time Capsule Ceremony for Bassfield. He was also selected as a 2022 Fellow in the Delta Regional Authority’s Leadership Institute where he will be learning best practices in Economic & Community Development. Gary lives in the house he grew up in with his rescue dogters - Elly Mae and JuneBug Bass.