Congratulations to Rodger Wilder, the 2024 recipient of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce’s Pat Santucci Spirit of the Coast Award. He was honored at the Chamber’s annual meeting held February 20 at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino, where more than 600 people were in attendance.
The Pat Santucci Spirit of the Coast Award is the only award given by the Chamber. Each year it is awarded to a person who has made outstanding and enduring contributions to South Mississippi.
“This is a great honor,” said Wilder, a 47-year Coast resident. “To follow in the footsteps of past recipients of this award means the world to me. I have grown to love and respect this place, and I especially love and respect the people here. To me, it really is home…and I love my home.”
Rodger, a partner in Balch & Bingham LLP in the firm’s Gulfport office, was the incorporator of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation in 1989 and has had an active role with GCCF ever since, including serving as a continuous member of the Board of Directors of which he is a past chair. He is also active in numerous community, civic and professional activities, including serving as president of the Mississippi Bar Association and as president of the Harrison County Bar Association. He is a member of the American Bar Association, a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation, and a Fellow of the National Conference of Bar Presidents. Since 2011, he has served as co-chair of the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission. He is also involved with Memorial Hospital at Gulfport Foundation Board, Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Services, Gulf Coast Business Council, Knight Nonprofit Center and many more.
