William “Bill” G. Cheney, Jr.
William G. Cheney, Jr.
Assistant Secretary of State – Lands
Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office
William “Bill” Cheney was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and graduated from Mountain Brook High School. He attended Millsaps College and received his B.B.A. in 1985. In 1988 he received his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law. Following his graduation from law school, Bill served as the law clerk for the Honorable Michael Sullivan and the Honorable Edwin Pittman at the Mississippi Supreme Court.
Prior to serving in his present capacity with the Secretary of State’s Office, Bill spent 10 years in private practice with the firms of McDavid, Noblin, and West; Price and Zirulnik; and Brunini, Grantham, Grower, and Hewes. His primary area of practice was oil and gas law and related real estate matters.
As Assistant Secretary of State – Lands, one of Bill’s responsibility is working with local school districts and other parties in the oversight, management, and leasing of 16th Section Public School Trust Lands. Bill has been in the Lands Division of the Secretary of State’s Office for approximately 25 years.
Bill is active with the Boy Scouts of America working with Troop 1 at St. James Church. He is married to the former Nancy Bigelow of Columbus, Mississippi. Bill and Nancy have two sons, Garner and Gibson.