Brookhaven’s Bill Sones has been chosen as Mississippi College’salumnus of the year.

Sones will be recognized during Saturday’s homecoming activitiesat the college in Clinton.

Considering all the people who could have been chosen for thedistinction, Sones said he felt humbled and honored.

“I got a call out of the blue, I was excited and humbled by it,”he said. “It’s a humbling experience really, because there are somany people they could have chosen.”

Sones serves as the chairman of MC’s board of trustees, but thisyear marks his last at that position.

“He has dedicated his time, talent, and resources to hisprofession, his community, his church, and his family,” said MCPresident Lee Royce in a recent release.

But Sones, a Brookhaven native, said helping others and givingof oneself is simply a part of how life should be lived.

“I’d say it’s just the way you do things, so you can feel you’velived a worthwhile life,” he said.

Sones graduated from MC with a degree in businessadministration. He also currently serves as the president and CEOof Bank of Brookhaven, which he co-founded in 2000.

Sones and his wife Theresa have five children, who all graduatedfrom MC.

“I think they made the choice on their own, but I know ourfamily heritage played a role,” said Sones. “I guess MC has been awarm family tradition for the Brookhaven Soneses.”

Sones said he’s looking forward to Saturday’s presentation,mostly because he will be able to share the honor with family andfriends.

“My family’s all going to be there, which is great, and also Ithink some friends from Brookhaven are going to be there, which isgreat, too,” he said. “It’s just going to be a familycelebration.”

And Sones said he plans to continue to give time and heart tothe college that has been so important to him and his familythroughout his life, even if he’s finding new ways to do it.

“I’ve been chariman of the board of trustees for a few years,and I go off the board this year,” he said. “So next year I’m goingto be involved in a new scholarship dinner to raise money forscholarships for students.”