Billy Hewes, Republican, currently serves as Mayor of Gulfport, Mississippi, the state's second largest city, having won office in the 2013 City of Gulfport General Election, in which he ran unopposed.
Hewes is a relative to the first Mayor of Gulfport. In addition, Billy's grandfather served as a Chancery judge for many years, and his father served on the Gulfport City Council. Following a generational example of political interests and activism, his family has a long history of civic involvement. Elected to public service in 1992, Billy represented the interests of Republican voters in South Mississippi in the Mississippi Senate for 20 years, serving as President Pro Tempore in his last term. Among other roles, he has served as National Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council and as chairman of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. In addition, Billy served as Chairman of the Senate Ports and Marine Resources Committee, Rules Committee, Highways and Transportation Committee, and was also the founding chairman of the Mississippi National Guard Legislative Caucus. Mayor Hewes is 2019 Chairman of the Mississippi Municipal League, and serves on the U.S. Department of CommerceFirst Responders Network Authority Board, as well as, the Advisory Board for the U.S. Department of InteriorNational Park System Board. Hewes was named Mississippi Association of Realtors Legislator of the Year by the Mississippi Association of Realtors, a private trade association that provides business benefits to its members including "education, communication, and lobbying for business-friendly legislation." He is an outdoors enthusiast, songwriter, and musician, having served on the Mississippi Blues Commission and as founder of the SouthMississippi Music Hall of Fame. Hewes has had songs featured in two movie soundtracks and his band Cut Bait performs at various festivals and charity events.
Hewes is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. He is the owner of Billy Hewes Insurance Agency and is a Broker-Associate with Billy Hewes Real Estate. He has been the recipient of the Nationwide Insurance Company's District Community Service Award five times, and is a member of the Gulf Coast Board of Realtors and Gulf Coast Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. A graduate of Leadership Mississippi and Leadership Gulf Coast, Hewes is a member of the Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, Gulfport Rotary Club and is a past president of the Gulfport Jaycees.
Mississippi State Senate
Senator Hewes represented District 49, Harrison County, Mississippi. He served that district from his election in 1992 until 2012, serving as President Pro Tempore from 2008 until 2012. He was the chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, and served on the following committees: Business and Financial Institutions; Compilation, Revision and Publication; Elections; Environmental Protection, Conservation and Water Res; Ethics; Finance; Highways and Transportation; Housing; Insurance; Legislative Budget; Municipalities; Ports and Marine Resources; and Public Health and Welfare committees. He was succeeded as president pro tempore by Terry C. Brown.
