All in the Family: Bakers Strengthen Impact at MSU

By Amy Cagle

Photo by Beth Wynn

An appreciation of Mississippi State University and what it has enabled the Baker family of Slidell, LA, to accomplish has manifested itself in gifts from them that support the university experience.

Bill and Susan Baker gratefully acknowledge the excellent education Bill received from Mississippi State through the College of Business, and the accounting degrees their sons, Brian and Keith, earned from the College’s Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy. These well-earned academic degrees are proven assets in helping them lead their family business, Slidell Oil Company.

Louisiana native Bill Baker was born in New Orleans and grew up in Slidell, eventually making his way to Mississippi State. He became the first Bulldog graduate in his family by earning a marketing degree in 1968.

After graduation, Bill began his career with Shell Oil Company as an analyst, first working in Atlanta, then Houston, and later in a technical sales position in Phoenix. From there, Bill joined his father, Willis Baker, at Slidell Oil Company. For Bill, entering the family business would initiate several decades of progressive roles.

Bill also found success in his personal life. He and Susan met on a blind date and married in 1969. Native Texan Susan earned a bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish with a minor in math from the University of Texas. Following graduation, she worked in Houston for an oil company. After marrying Bill, Susan taught for several years in high schools and proudly joined Slidell Oil Company by the time their sons were in grade school.

The Bakers take pride in their business and the progress it has made over time. Although Bill stepped down as President in 2005, he remains involved with the company. At the helm of day-to-day operations, Brian and Keith now share the reins as Managing Partners. While Brian focuses on the financial and legal aspects of the business, Keith guides the operations and construction side. The brothers divested their commercial business in 2016 and presently strive for growth and quality service throughout the Southeast as the company works with businesses in the retail sector.

Slidell Oil Company has now expanded from Louisiana into Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, marketing Chevron, Liberty, Shell, Texaco and Valero brands in retail units. The company also operates multiple convenience stores throughout these areas.

For Brian and Keith, their Mississippi State education is paying dividends. Although they considered other schools for their undergraduate education, ultimately it was the reputation and quality of the education offered by MSU that led them to enroll. Brian received a bachelor’s in accountancy degree from MSU in 1996, while younger brother Keith earned his accountancy degree in 1998.

The respect Bill and Susan Baker have for Mississippi State has been passed down to their sons. Just as their parents do, Brian and Keith have fond memories of their involvement with Mississippi State.

While attending MSU, Brian and Keith were members of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, and they maintain connections with their Pike fraternity brothers. Spending time with extended family also was a great pastime for them. They often visited the home of the late B.S. Hood, their grandfather’s cousin. Chief Hood had been the MSU security leader from 1960 to 1977, and a campus street honors his service. The brothers recall the Hood family’s hospitality of wonderful meals and great stories.

On the academic side, Brian and Keith spent many hours attending accounting classes and studying in McCool Hall. In particular, some of their inspiring teachers included Dr. Edd Milam and Dr. Clyde Herring, who both provided great instruction.

“We appreciate our education and recall the great times we had while attending MSU together,” says Brian, who lives in Slidell. “It was wonderful to get to know our Starkville family and enjoy meals with them since we were several hours away from home.”

Keith, who lives in Abita Springs, LA, echoes the sentiment.

“It is great to keep that Bulldog tradition going in our family, and I always enjoy returning to MSU,” he comments.

In recent years, with the business being prudently guided by their sons, Bill and Susan have been getting reacquainted with Mississippi State. They initially began their support of MSU with the Department of Athletics, gifting primarily for baseball and football. They have a great appreciation of university sports and the student-athletes who compete on behalf of MSU.

Of late, the Bakers’ generous support extends to academics, with an MSU scholarship named in their honor. The Bill and Susan Baker Endowed Scholarship assists accounting majors with preference given to juniors and seniors who demonstrate strong academic potential toward an accounting career. The Adkerson School is among the top 25 undergraduate and graduate accounting programs in the nation with fewer than 17 full-time faculty, and gifts from alumni and friends like the Bakers are strengthening its mission.

The resounding reason the Bakers chose to support MSU with a scholarship endowment in accounting is simple – the excellent education provided for two generations of their family made a positive difference in their lives.

“We were interested in helping students who were diligently working toward their accounting degrees, and we look forward to getting to know future recipients of our scholarship,” remarks Bill. “It was actually Susan who expressed a strong desire to support academics, and we are proud to put our stamp on the University in this manner.”

Susan explains her reason behind the scholarship, saying, “The MSU education earned by Bill and my sons has impressed me tremendously, and I feel it helped them refine their talents. The MSU administration makes helping students plan for life beyond graduation a priority, and that’s important.”

Susan shares Bill’s enthusiasm for the University and the community, and she feels spending more time in the area suits them.

“Starkville is a well-kept secret, and we love being a part of the community,” she states. “It’s great to tap into the excitement of the University again at this point in our lives.”

For Bill and Susan, time spent with their family is also precious. They are devoted grandparents to four grandchildren, MaryBeth and Thomas by Brian and wife Cassie, an LSU graduate, and Ella and Amelia by Keith and wife Tuesday, an MSU graduate.

“We hope the next generation of Bakers keeps the business going strong and also keeps our family ties firmly rooted in Bulldog country,” says Bill.

The Baker family’s giving makes possible a perpetual connection between them and Mississippi State. In particular, future recipients of the Bill and Susan Baker Endowed Scholarship will come to appreciate their benefactors, and in turn, the Bakers will be represented by talented scholars who can impact the world as Bulldog graduates.