[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 107 (Wednesday, July 24, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1128-E1129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO MARCO WATSON McMILLIAN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 24, 2013

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, Marco Watson McMillian was 
born April 23, 1979, to the union of Airy McMillian, Jr., and Patricia 
Unger in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
  Marco accepted Christ at an early age at the New Jerusalem M. B. 
Church under the leadership of the late Reverend Johnny B. Woods, Sr.
  Marco was educated in the public schools of Clarksdale, Mississippi. 
He was an honor graduate of Clarksdale High School. He was a magna cum 
laude graduate of the W.E.B. DuBois Honors College at Jackson State 
University. Marco received his master's degree from Saint Mary's 
University of Minnesota in the area of Philanthropy and Development. 
Marco also held a certificate in fundraising management and was a 
graduate of the Fundraising School at Indiana University. Additionally, 
he studied at Mississippi State University in the area of Public Policy 
and Administration and Boston University in the area of Financial 
Planning. Marco was a graduate of Huntsville/Madison County Leadership 
Connect Program, Youth Leadership Clarksdale, National Young Leaders 
Conference of Washington, DC, and the National Association of Student 
Affairs Professionals' Leadership Program in Bowie, Maryland.
  Hailed by Ebony magazine in 2004 as one of the nation's 30 top 
leaders who are 30 and under, Marco was appointed as the Leadership 
Effectiveness Initiative Program Manager for New Leaders Memphis and 
had since been promoted to Director of Recruitment and Operations. 
Formerly, Marco served as the Executive Assistant to the President 
(Chief of Staff) at Alabama A & M University in Huntsville, Alabama. As 
a member of the President's cabinet, Marco was responsible for the day-
to-day operations of the Office of the President. In addition, he was 
responsible for the university's strategic partnerships and legislative 
affairs in which he assisted the university in receiving its largest 
state appropriation ever--$38 million. During his tenure as Associate 
Director for Development at Jackson State, he was responsible for 
managing the university's fundraising operations and programs, which 
led to the institution securing more than $16 million in private 
support. Additionally, he assisted as one of the principals in the 
development of the $50 million campaign for Jackson State University.
  Most recently, Marco served as International Executive Director for 
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated, a role he officially assumed 
on July 16, 2007, and served until October 1, 2011. As the Chief 
Operating Officer of the organization, whose membership is more than 
150,000 and headquartered in Washington, District of Columbia, Marco 
was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the almost 100-year-
old men's fraternity. Of the organization's six COOs since its 
establishment in 1914, Marco was by far the youngest person to ever 
hold this top post in the fraternity. During his tenure, Marco secured 
a half-million dollars ($500,000) for the organization including a 
federal contract for Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., a first for the 
organization. Additionally, he professionalized many of the 
organization's systems and procedures and introduced electronic voting 
for delegates at the organization's 2011 national convention in 
Atlanta, Georgia. Notably, Marco led the charge for the organization's 
first international service project in Nigeria, South Africa; and was 
the organization's first and only Executive Director to travel 
internationally to visit a chapter (Seoul, Korea).
  Previously, Marco served as Assistant to the Vice President for 
Institutional Advancement at Jackson State University where he was 
responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Division of 
Institutional Advancement.
  Prior to Jackson State University, Marco served as a program 
coordinator and classroom instructor for Clarksdale Public School 
District and Noxubee County School District, respectively. As a program 
coordinator, he supervised 20 classroom teachers and revised the 
district's class-size reduction program.
  Marco, who was honored by the Mississippi Business Journal as one of 
the ``Top 40 Leaders under 40,'' was a lifetime member of the NAACP, 
Coahoma County Branch; a former member of Arms of Love National 
Project; Community Bridge Builders, Incorporated; the Mississippi 
School for the Blind Community Health Council, and the Kiwanis Club 
International President's Advisory Council. He was also a former 
Student Government Association President for Jackson State University, 
a former International Second Vice President for Phi Beta Sigma 
Fraternity, Inc., and past National Parliamentarian for the Jackson 
State University National Alumni Association, Incorporated.
  Most recently, Marco, a certified grants specialist, registered 
meeting planner and certified event planner, served as secretary for 
March of Dimes, National Capital Area Chapter

[[Page E1129]]

Board of Directors; chair for the William E. Doar, Jr. Public Charter 
School for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC Board of Trustees; 
president for Pigtown Main Street, Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland Board of 
Directors and was a member of the 100 Black Men of Maryland, Inc., the 
Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Rotary Club of 
Washington, DC. He was also a member of the Executive Committee for the 
National Pan Hellenic Council; a member of the Eunice Kennedy Shiver 
National Institute of Child Health & Human Development at NIH Community 
Ambassadors Council, and board member for the National Coalition on 
Black Civic Participation. Currently, Marco served as a member of the 
International Community Ambassadors Network (I! CAN).
  Marco was featured as one of 27 interesting personalities in the 
Who's Who in Black Washington, D.C. inaugural publication and was the 
recipient of the 2009 Thurgood Marshall Prestige Award presented by the 
Thurgood Marshall College Fund. He has also been featured in the Who's 
Who in Black Washington, D.C. second edition and Who's Who in Black 
Baltimore inaugural publication. The Governor of the Commonwealth of 
Kentucky, The Honorable Steve Beshear, commissioned Marco as a Kentucky 
Colonel; the Mayor of Augusta, Georgia, The Honorable Deke Copenhaver, 
recognized him for his outstanding service to the community; the Mayor 
of Meridian, Mississippi, The Honorable Cheri Barry, declared September 
26, 2010, as Marco McMillian Day and the Mayor of Huntsville, Alabama, 
The Honorable Tommy Battle, and City Council honored him for his 
contributions to the Tennessee Valley. Marco was also the recipient of 
President Barack Obama's Lifetime Volunteer Service Award.
  Upon the former life member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., 
Jackson State University National Alumni Association, Inc. and the 
NAACP was bestowed the honor of being the youngest member inducted into 
the Outstanding Sigmas of the Southern Region Chapter, the highest 
honor granted to a member of the fraternity by his region. He was the 
youngest person featured in Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity's 100+ Most 
Influential Members publication, commemorating the organization's 
centennial celebration. Marco had received numerous other awards and 
accolades.
  Marco leaves to cherish fond memories: his parents, Patricia (Amos) 
Unger and Airy McMillian, Jr., Clarksdale, MS; his brother, Darius 
Jones, Atlanta, GA; his grandmother, Louise Taylor, Clarksdale, MS; a 
surrogate mother, Bertha (Samuel) Blackburn, Clarksdale, MS; two 
godmothers, Daisy (John) Burnett, Clarksdale, MS and Bobby (Stanley) 
Morton, Lincoln, NE; godfather, Carter Womack, Columbus, OH; godson, 
Rustin Holt, Jackson, MS; two godsisters, Ermalecia Johnson, Fort 
Worth, TX and Augusta Morton, Lincoln, NE; stepsister, Pamela Unger, 
Clarksdale, MS; stepbrother, Eligha (Celika) Keaton, New Orleans, LA; 
three godbrothers, Emanuel, Stanley, Jr. and Le Quan Morton, Lincoln, 
NE; thirteen aunts, Mary (Jessie) Tate and Annie (Elvin) Todd, 
Clarksdale, MS; Shirley (Leon) Pettis, Oklahoma City, OK; Ouida Earl, 
Clarksdale, MS; Vivian Whaley, Goose Creek, SC; Beatrice (Arthur) 
Sanders, Evans, GA; Diane Marie Brewer, Stone Mountain, GA; Gloria 
Haynes, Chicago, IL; Bennie Thomas, Baltimore, MD; Shirley, Yvonne, 
Angela, and Michelle Unger, all of Jackson, MS; ten uncles, Rickey 
Minor, Clarksdale, MS; Dennis (Jeanea) Butler, Houston, TX; Robert 
(Gail) Wilkins, Atlanta, GA; Terry Taylor, Chicago, IL; Ernest Taylor, 
Jr., Seoul, Korea; Donald Taylor, LaPlace, LA; Ronald Taylor, 
Hattiesburg, MS; Michael Taylor, Atlanta, GA; James Unger, Clinton, MS; 
Charles Unger, Chicago, IL; a special friend, Tinnia Holt, Jackson, MS; 
and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

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