Knox Ross

Chairman // Principal, Ross & Betts; Former Mayor, Town of Pelahatchie

Knox W. Ross, Jr., CPA is a practicing Certified Public Accountant and former Mayor of the Town of Pelahatchie, Mississippi. As a CPA, he is a principal in Ross & Betts, PLLC which specializes in individual, small business, and farm accounting and taxation. During his time as Mayor, Ross was the chief executive of a town of 1,461 located in the Jackson metropolitan area. Ross has also served as the President of the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District and President of the Mississippi Municipal League. He serves on the Executive Board of the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, on the Advisory Board of the Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University, and as Chairman of the Jackson Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Ross has also served as a presenter on small town and economic development topics at numerous seminars and conventions, and has provided several articles on small town development to various periodicals. He also is a recipient of the Public Service Award from the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Ross’ accounting career spans over 20 years, beginning with Ernst & Young, an international accounting firm. For the last 14 years, he has operated his own firm located in downtown Pelahatchie. Ross’ Mayoral career began in 2001 with election to the office of Mayor. While Mayor, the Town enjoyed unprecented growth and recognition. The Town has been the recipient of five Mississippi Municipal League Excellence Awards, two North American Development Organization Awards, a Governor's Award of Excellence for the best Rural Impact Project, a Mississippi Economic Development Council Award, a regional Governor’s Cup Award, a Southeastern Economic Development Award, and a is member of the Keep Mississippi Beautiful Hall of Fame.