2008 LEGENDS AWARD RECIPIENT
Jackson, Mississippi

Native Mississippian and former Ambassador to Portugal, John N. Palmer is an entrepreneur, telecommunications pioneer, community leader and venture capitalist.

Prior to his appointment as Ambassador in 2001, he was the chairman of GulfSouth Capital, Inc. in Jackson – a position he holds today – and served as the chairman of SkyTel Communications from its founding in 1989 until its sale to MCI WorldCom in 1999.

He began his career in telecommunications in 1965 with the purchase of a local Mississippi radio common carrier. By 1973, he had developed
more than nine regional paging companies throughout the South and
formed MCCA – Mobile Communications Corporation of America. During his 16-year tenure as chairman and president, MCCA grew to become a significant force in the cellular telephone business.

In 1989, Ambassador Palmer sold MCCA to BellSouth – but retained
certain businesses that he forged into SkyTel. These operations
included SkyTel's domestic one-way paging and advanced messaging
system and Latin American paging services. SkyTel became a leader
in advanced wireless messaging, and deployed the first nationwide
two-way wireless messaging network.

Currently he is co-chair of the Technology Development and Transfer
Committee of Momentum Mississippi and a member of the Momentum Mississippi steering Committee.

Ambassador Palmer has served on the President's Export Council
as a Private Sector Advisor to the Secretary of Commerce; and as
a Private Sector Trade Advisor to the Office of the U.S. Trade
Representative. He was a member of the boards of three New York Stock Exchange companies, AmSouth Bancorporation, EastGroup and Entergy Corporation.

Ambassador Palmer’s civic leadership efforts included several board memberships: chairman of the National Trustees of the National Symphony Orchestra; the Institute for Technology Development; Foundation for the Mid-South; Trustee of Millsaps College;
and president and director for The University of Mississippi Foundation.

Ambassador Palmer was also president of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association and Telocator, both national trade associations. He is a past member of the Young President's Organization and the Chief Executives Organization.

Ambassador Palmer holds B.A. and MBA degrees from the University of Mississippi and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Millsaps College. He and his wife, Clementine, have four grown children.