Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration

Kevin Upchurch

Kevin J. Upchurch
Executive Director
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration

With over 27 years of experience in state government, Kevin Upchurch’s career reflects strong leadership, extensive policy and administration experience, and a strong sense of duty to service. Kevin Upchurch is the Executive Director for the Department of Finance and Administration. DFA is the executive agency responsible for fiscal management and a wide range of other vital functions necessary to the operation of state government. As the leader of this agency, he manages a staff of approximately 400 employees and is responsible for, among other things, the management of Mississippi’s $19 Billion annual budget. As State Fiscal Officer, he works closely with the State Treasurer and is routinely called upon to advise the Governor and the Legislature on financial matters affecting the State ranging from budget development and management to bond issuances.

Prior to coming to DFA, he served as the Secretary of the Senate under the term of Lieutenant Governor Phil Bryant. He also served as the Deputy Executive Director for the Mississippi Department of Finance & Administration where he had direct management oversight of the critical state functions such as state construction, state purchasing and travel functions, and the management and reporting of the State’s expenditures. He served as the Deputy Executive Director for the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) where he provided direction, oversight and accountability for the financial management, budget, procurement, project programming, human resources, asset management, professional development and support services needs of the department.

Kevin has served in various capacities during his tenure in state government. His professional experience includes service in both the Executive and Legislative branches of government. His matriculation in both of these branches has made him extremely knowledgeable of state government operations and an invaluable asset to the statewide policy development. He began his career in state government in 1984 with the Mississippi Department of Health, where he worked as a payroll accountant. Later, he transferred to the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, where he served as the director of the state’s lime plants. Following his tenure with the Department of Agriculture, he served as Senior Auditor for the State Auditor’s Office. In 1988, Kevin moved to the Legislative Branch of Mississippi government, where he served as a Legislative Budget Analyst for the Legislative Budget Office. In 1992, he was assigned to serve as the Budget Officer for the Mississippi State Senate. He believes that his ability to motivate employees to achieve excellence in the workplace and to encourage them to strike an appropriate balance between home and work is key to his philosophy and success as a leader.

Kevin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and Management from Anderson University in Indiana. He is extremely active in community service and has a deep abiding commitment to faith and family. He has been married to his wife, Margie, for over 27 years and they have three children - Jared, Kyle, and Erin.

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