Dillons Gift $1 Million To State Excellence Fund
July 16, 2026 | Athletics, Bulldog Club
STARKVILLE – Longtime supporters Ray and Deborah Dillon have given $1 million to Mississippi State Athletics. The Dillons' generosity serves as the most recent key contribution to help elevate MSU in the current landscape of college athletics.
"We're so grateful for Ray and Deborah," Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "Their love for Mississippi State is evident, and we can't say, 'Thank you' enough for this selfless gift that will help us keep pushing forward and reaching new heights at State. Ray and Deborah are not only generous supporters of our community, institution and state, they are great friends to me and my family and trusted partners who care deeply for Mississippi State and have been running shoulder to shoulder with us in advancing Mississippi State Athletics forward from day one."
Ray and Deborah's Bulldog roots run deep. Ray is a 1977 MSU graduate with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. After graduating from MSU, he went to work for Crown Zellerbach Corporation in Bogalusa, Louisiana, as a process engineer and then its pulp mill superintendent, becoming mill manager for the company's Pine Bluff, Arkansas, mill in 1987. In 1994, Ray became Vice President of Mill Operations in Chicago and later Executive Vice President until the company's sale in 2003. While in Chicago, Ray received his MBA from the University of Chicago.
In 2003, Ray became President and CEO and a Board Director of Deltic Timber Corporation, headquartered in El Dorado, Arkansas, until the company merged with Potlatch Corporation out of Spokane, Washington, in 2017.
Ray has also served on other boards including US Concrete, America's Car Mart and Stone Bank in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Ray is currently retired and dedicates his time to multiple philanthropic causes. He has served on the Bagley College of Engineering Dean's Advisory Council and was named a Distinguished Fellow for the BCoE in 2024.
Deborah is a 1978 State graduate. She earned her bachelor's degree in medical technology. After completing her internship at Oschner's Foundation Hospital in New Orleans, Deborah worked at Slidell Memorial Hospital and Bogalusa's Charity Hospital as a medical technologist.
Together, Ray and Deborah have continuously given back to their alma mater in multiple ways as they've sought to push MSU toward the front of the pack.
Ray and Deborah are originally from Tylertown, Mississippi, but are retired in Little Rock, Arkansas where two of their four children and four of their five grandchildren live. They split their time between Little Rock and Starkville and are incredibly involved on campus at MSU. Rarely missing a game, you can find Ray and Deborah cheering on the Bulldogs throughout the year.
"Mississippi State is near and dear to our hearts, and it's always our desire to see us competing at the highest level, Ray and Deborah said. "We want to do all we can to help bring success to our great university. So many wonderful things are happening at MSU, and we're excited to help that continue."
Mississippi State's fundraising efforts continue as it seeks to support its bold vision for the future. To learn more or support State's initiatives, visit StateExcellenceFund.com and HailState.com/HowardIPF.
"We're so grateful for Ray and Deborah," Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "Their love for Mississippi State is evident, and we can't say, 'Thank you' enough for this selfless gift that will help us keep pushing forward and reaching new heights at State. Ray and Deborah are not only generous supporters of our community, institution and state, they are great friends to me and my family and trusted partners who care deeply for Mississippi State and have been running shoulder to shoulder with us in advancing Mississippi State Athletics forward from day one."
Ray and Deborah's Bulldog roots run deep. Ray is a 1977 MSU graduate with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. After graduating from MSU, he went to work for Crown Zellerbach Corporation in Bogalusa, Louisiana, as a process engineer and then its pulp mill superintendent, becoming mill manager for the company's Pine Bluff, Arkansas, mill in 1987. In 1994, Ray became Vice President of Mill Operations in Chicago and later Executive Vice President until the company's sale in 2003. While in Chicago, Ray received his MBA from the University of Chicago.
In 2003, Ray became President and CEO and a Board Director of Deltic Timber Corporation, headquartered in El Dorado, Arkansas, until the company merged with Potlatch Corporation out of Spokane, Washington, in 2017.
Ray has also served on other boards including US Concrete, America's Car Mart and Stone Bank in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Ray is currently retired and dedicates his time to multiple philanthropic causes. He has served on the Bagley College of Engineering Dean's Advisory Council and was named a Distinguished Fellow for the BCoE in 2024.
Deborah is a 1978 State graduate. She earned her bachelor's degree in medical technology. After completing her internship at Oschner's Foundation Hospital in New Orleans, Deborah worked at Slidell Memorial Hospital and Bogalusa's Charity Hospital as a medical technologist.
Together, Ray and Deborah have continuously given back to their alma mater in multiple ways as they've sought to push MSU toward the front of the pack.
Ray and Deborah are originally from Tylertown, Mississippi, but are retired in Little Rock, Arkansas where two of their four children and four of their five grandchildren live. They split their time between Little Rock and Starkville and are incredibly involved on campus at MSU. Rarely missing a game, you can find Ray and Deborah cheering on the Bulldogs throughout the year.
"Mississippi State is near and dear to our hearts, and it's always our desire to see us competing at the highest level, Ray and Deborah said. "We want to do all we can to help bring success to our great university. So many wonderful things are happening at MSU, and we're excited to help that continue."
Mississippi State's fundraising efforts continue as it seeks to support its bold vision for the future. To learn more or support State's initiatives, visit StateExcellenceFund.com and HailState.com/HowardIPF.
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