Julian Beall Watson, Jr.

Chairman of the Board

Elected to the LOFC Board in 2018, for an eight- year term, Julian's term will expire in February 2026. He was also elected to serve as Chairman of the Board in 2018 and continues to serve in this capacity.

Born 1945 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Julian and his parents moved to the family farm in Franklin, a community outside of Lexington, when he was five years old. After graduating from Lexington High School, Julian graduated from Mississippi State University (MSU) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1968. While at MSU Julian joined the Army Reserve and served for six years. After leaving MSU, Julian moved to Jackson where he worked in the banking industry before focusing on life insurance.

Julian maintains strong ties to Lexington and Holmes County where he owns land that has been in his family since 1872. Over the years and through different generations the land has been used to grow cotton, corn, beef and dairy cattle, race horses, and to house a cotton gin. Thirty-two years ago, Julian converted the land into a successful tree farm. In 2009, the Mississippi Forestry Association selected Julian as the Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year.

Julian has Watson and Powers family members buried in Lexington Odd Fellows Cemetery.