A former West Point bank executive and Mississippi State alumnus now is leading the university's efforts to raise private funding through charitable estate planning.
W. Vance Bristow is the MSU Foundation's new director of planned giving. Since 1994, the Tupelo native has been community bank president for the Union Planters National Bank branch in West Point.
Bristow is a 1986 general business administration graduate who also holds a graduate degree from the School of Commercial Lending at the University of Oklahoma. He previously held managerial positions with the Bank of America, Hibernia National Bank, and BancTexas, all in Dallas, Texas.
Bristow succeeds Richard Armstrong, who recently was promoted to executive director of development.
"Vance brings an outstanding level of experience in banking and finance to this critically important position," Armstrong said. "He will be a great asset to our alumni and friends as they explore the opportunity of making deferred gifts to Mississippi State."
Bristow is active in several civic organizations. He has held leadership positions in the West Point Rotary Club and Clay County Cancer Society, and is a member of the finance committee for Clay County United Way.
