Mississippi State Personnel Director Elected President of National Association of State Personnel Executives

State Personnel Director Kelly Hardwick was recently named president of the National Association of State Personnel Executives (NASPE). As NASPE president, he will lead the national organization representing state government personnel executives and chief human resources officers.  Hardwick has been a longtime leader within NASPE, previously serving as vice president and secretary-treasurer. 

Appointed State Personnel Director in 2017, Hardwick oversees the state's personnel system, serving nearly 25,000 Mississippi state employees across more than 70 state agencies. Before joining the Mississippi State Personnel Board, he practiced law with a focus on governmental consultation, public finance and business transactions. He also held key public service leadership roles, including general counsel and chief of staff for the Mississippi Home Corporation, the state's housing finance authority, and chief of staff to former Mississippi Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck.

Established in 1977, NASPE promotes communication and the exchange of information among state government personnel executives nationwide. The organization provides educational resources and a forum for members to share best practices in state human resource management through conferences, publications, surveys and online discussion forums.

NASPE membership includes each state's chief human resources or personnel executive, along with the chief deputy or designee, as well as representatives from Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. NASPE is an affiliate organization of the Council of State Governments.