NEMCC announces 2026 Alumni Hall of Fame Inductee Kenneth Paul "Kent" Geno, Jr., P.E.

by Northeast Development Foundation and Alumni Association

BOONEVILLE, Miss. -- (09/18/2026) — Booneville native Kenneth Paul "Kent" Geno, Jr., P.E., president of Cook Coggin Engineers, Inc., has been selected as the 2026 inductee into the Northeast Mississippi Community College Alumni Hall of Fame.

Geno, Jr., P.E., attended Northeast Mississippi Junior College from 1981-82, graduating in 1982 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in pre-engineering. He continued his education at Mississippi State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering in 1984.

Following graduation from Mississippi State, Geno began his professional career in Jackson, Mississippi, as a design engineer with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Design Unit. In 1986, he joined Cook Coggin Engineers, Inc. as a staff civil engineer, beginning what would become a 40-year career with the firm. He became a principal in 1992 and has served as president of the company since 2000.

As president of Cook Coggin Engineers, Geno has combined firm leadership with a hands-on approach to engineering and client service. A licensed professional engineer in Mississippi and Tennessee, his experience includes the planning, design, and management of a broad range of public works and infrastructure projects.

He has served as county engineer for Alcorn, Tippah, Prentiss, Tishomingo, and Benton counties and currently serves Alcorn, Prentiss, and Tishomingo counties in that role. Throughout his career, Geno has played an important role in transportation infrastructure, public facilities, and economic development projects that have strengthened communities across Northeast Mississippi.

Geno has also remained active in professional leadership and service. He currently serves as president of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Mississippi and is a member of the Mississippi State University Civil & Environmental Engineering Advisory Committee. He has helped continue Cook Coggin Engineers, Inc.'s long-established endowed scholarship for a local civil engineering student at MSU.

Geno is a past president of the Mississippi Association of County Engineers and continues to serve on its Legislative Committee. He also previously served as president of the Prentiss County Development Association, reflecting his longstanding involvement in economic and community development throughout the region.

A native of Booneville, Geno has maintained a strong and meaningful connection to Northeast Mississippi Community College throughout his career. As president of Cook Coggin Engineers, Inc., he has overseen or assisted with numerous projects that have enhanced the college's Booneville campus, including the Field of Dreams Baseball and Softball Complex, the recent football field restoration, and the multiphase campus sidewalk and lighting improvements that have enhanced both the campus experience and pedestrian connectivity with the surrounding community.

Geno's commitment to Northeast extends far beyond his professional involvement. He helped establish a Cook Coggin Engineers, Inc. endowed scholarship for a pre-engineering student at Northeast and has supported opportunities for students through the NEMCC Apprenticeship Program for Civil Engineering Technology. Through both his personal giving and the generosity of Cook Coggin Engineers, Inc., Geno has helped provide more than $90,000 in support to Northeast over the years, demonstrating a longstanding commitment to investing in the college, its students, and its future.

Geno credits Northeast with providing the educational foundation that launched his career. In the decades since, he has continued to give back to the institution through his time, expertise, leadership, and financial support, helping ensure that future generations of Northeast students have opportunities to learn, grow, and build successful careers of their own.

Kent and his wife, Betty Gale, are the proud parents of Kenneth Paul "Kenny" Geno III (fiancee, Shelby Sweatt), and Cora Geno Scott (husband Jake). They are also proud grandparents of Gunnar Kent Scott and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of twins, a boy and a girl, expected in February 2027.

Kent and Betty Gale are active members of Jumpertown Methodist Church, where Kent serves as lay leader and Trustee chairman. In addition to their church and professional activities, Kent, Betty Gale, and their family own and operate several Jumpertown businesses and community landmarks, including Geno's Family Restaurant, the Geno Farm Museum and Event Center, the circa 1913 Curlee General Store, and their most recent endeavor, the establishment of "The Steeple" and "The Southern Charm Hall" rental venue.

Through a lifetime of professional achievement, community service, and unwavering support of Northeast Mississippi Community College, Kent Geno exemplifies the spirit of the Northeast Alumni Hall of Fame and the lasting impact of a Northeast education.

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