The Right Direction

By Carolanne Roberts

Some people retire. Others re-direct. D. Hines Brannan, MBA ’71, is definitely one of the redirectors, a never-stop, achieving thinker and doer who decided to leave his business career when young enough to pursue other things – equally important things, or, some may say, even more important things (especially at his alma mater).

Taking the “life is about choices” approach, the valedictorian of a 39-student high school in Woodville, MS, was the first in his family to finish college, much less earn an advanced degree.

I worked on my father’s farm,” shares Brannan. “I liked that you could see what you accomplished. I didn’t mind baling the hay, but 13 to 14 hours on a tractor or spreading fertilizer from a Jeep kind of pushed me to think maybe there was something else.

That something else might have been discovered at Ole Miss, whose football team was his favorite at the time; or at LSU, where he and other Boy Scouts ushered during games. But, encouraged by his parents and influenced by his agricultural background, he ultimately chose Mississippi State. He arrived with no clue as to what he wanted to study.

“I was good in math, so I started with the aerospace engineering program then switched to industrial engineering, but I didn’t resonate with the engineering opportunities available to me at the time,” he recalls.

So after earning his industrial engineering degree in 1970, Brannan looked toward an MBA, which seemed a good path. It proved to be just that.

“It all clicked for me in the MBA program,” he says.

As he considered how his career would begin, there was the promise of working with executives early in his career, the allure of being trained in Fortune 100/200 companies – or the one man with the purple shirt and wild tie he met on interview day. He was an employee of Andersen Consulting, a management consulting group that had recently been started by accounting firm Arthur Andersen.

“Everyone else had short hair and basic white shirts except for this guy, so I asked him why,” says Brannan, who wondered how a professional could get away with such attire. “He said, ‘because I’m really good at what I do.’ That stuck with me. If you’re confident and know what you want to do, you can write your own ticket.”

The conversation influenced Brannan’s decision to take the job when one was later offered by Andersen Consulting. He would wear his own signature look – bow ties – throughout his long career there, rising steadily through the ranks. After 18 years in Houston, he moved to Charlotte to run the Andersen Consulting offices in the Carolinas, then made a final stop in Atlanta to run the firm’s practice there. His trademark, beyond the bow ties, was strong, inclusive leadership for the billion-dollar organization. He served on the board of Andersen Consulting that took the company public, rebranded as Accenture.

When he left Accenture in 2003, the idea was family time and new directions. But energy needs its outlets.

“I started investing in start-up technology companies out of Georgia Tech, realizing entrepreneurs need help and input,” he begins. “I also co-founded a little private equity firm which I’ve had fun with.”

Also in the fun column, he added the joys of golf, hunting and fly fishing, discovered in the wake of the 24/7 schedule of those 33 hardcore years at Andersen.

This re-direction also returned Hines Brannan to Mississippi State. He came back to Starkville, driven with purpose and promise.

“I knew that education at Mississippi State is as good as any other school if you apply yourself,” he says. “But I was concerned about how people outside Mississippi regard us, the way we appear to others who think we’re only a ‘cow college.’”

This wasn’t casual concern; it was fuel for change, a willingness to help cultivate new thinking from within and without. First stop: the new Advisory Council of the Bagley College of Engineering under Dean Wayne Bennett, who also recruited Brannan as the College’s first Executive in Residence, with the aim of helping the College to operate like a business.

“I spent one week a month in Starkville over nine months, working on collaboration among the deans and strategic planning and marketing,” he notes.

His next step was joining the Mississippi State University Foundation Board, where, ultimately, he served as Chairman. At each level, Brannan sought to enhance communication and perception of the MSU mission.

“We realized that we needed to tell the Mississippi State story outside our own state,” he says. “When you win a National Championship [the 2021 College World Series] it really helps as well. We have expanded fundraising to showcase the University nationally and bring awareness to our many offerings.”

The Brannans enjoy spending time together. The family includes (front, from left) Lettie and Davis Brannan, Sawyer and Jake Stewart, (back, from left) Sarah and Davis Brannan, Linda and Hines Brannan and Kara Stewart.

Photo Courtesy of Hines Brannan

In 2021, Hines Brannan (left) received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from MSU President Mark Keenum for his leadership in MSU strategic planning and for promoting the advancement of higher education.

Photo by Beth Wynn

One aspect Brannan likes to tout is the profile of a Mississippi State student, past and present.

“It’s about being real,” he says. “There’s a certain humbleness about people who study here, a certain work ethic and sense of collaboration. We provide opportunities to gain experience beyond lectures and book learning. Look at the MSU Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach as one example.”

Now, the graduate who formerly only returned for the occasional football game through the years is a frequent presence on campus. While he didn’t walk for his undergraduate degree or his MBA graduation, Brannan proudly donned cap and gown in 2021 when the University awarded him the honorary Doctor of Public Service degree.

“From a retirement standpoint, MSU has been a big part of my life,” he states.

And he’s not done.

“We have created a Plan for Transformational Change to ensure Mississippi State stays relevant and thrives in this ever-changing world of higher education,” he says. “We’ve got to tell the world what’s happening at Mississippi State University.”

He continues, “What you’re going to see is something very different coming out of Mississippi. All over the world, you’ll be reading about the great things. People are going to see us a lot more clearly and accurately.

“I hope to stay involved as we move forward and take care of what matters in Mississippi and the world.”