School Board Member of the Year Bobby Gault with his son, Bob.
New Albany board president Bobby Gault is the third recipient of the Mississippi School Boards Association’s Board Member of the Year Award, recognizing extraordinary board member leadership on behalf of children’s education. Gault was presented the award Tuesday, November 15 during the MSBA Lighthouse School Leader Awards Luncheon, held in conjunction with the MSBA Fall Leadership Conference in Jackson.
The names of 18 board members from across the state were submitted to MSBA for consideration in the prestigious award program. A selection committee made up of board members from each of the congressional districts examined the documentation for each nominee and selected Gault.
The “MSBA Board Member of the Year” honors a current school board member who has exhibited distinguished leadership during his or her tenure, as demonstrated by effective efforts in: Advocating for children, Increasing student achievement, Understanding school board governance, and Involving the community in the children’s’ education.
Gault has been a member of the New Albany School Board of Trustees since 1976. He retired from Mohasco Industries after 35 years as vice-president of Administration and went right back to work as vice president of operations and partner in his company, Gault Office Products.
A former FBI investigator, he attended Northeast Mississippi Community College and Strayer College of Accounting in Washington, D.C. He is active in his church, serving as a deacon, and is a member of the New Albany Kiwanis Club. He also is a Mason and a Shiner. He was married to the late Ruth Gault, and has three sons, Bob, Phil, Dave and nine grandchildren.
At the state level, Gault has been a member of the MSBA Board of Directors since 2005, and was elected secretary-treasurer and recently elected as vice president of the association. As vice president, he will represent MSBA on committees of the National School Boards Association and the NSBA Southern Region, as well as at NSBA’s Leadership Conference and Federal Relations Networking conferences.
“Anyone who is in Bobby’s presence for more than a few minutes knows that he’s all about children’s education,” said MSBA Executive Director Michael W. Waldrop. “He has been able to have statewide and even national influence on behalf of children’s education as he has served faithfully on the MSBA Board of Directors for the past several years.”
Support letters on behalf of Gault’s nomination as 2011 Board Member of the Year included sentiments from the current superintendent of the New Albany School District, fellow board members and community members in the area.
A New Albany community member noted: “The level of involvement that Mr. Gault has maintained throughout his service is a testament to his dedication. Whether it’s an open house, a ball game, or an academic awards banquet, Mr. Gault is an ever-constant presence. The entire New Albany community is aware of his level of engagement and is quick to reach out to him with concerns or compliments. This level of openness is a strong part of the success that our district enjoys.”
