Wayne Lee Sterling

     Wayne Sterling, age 86, passed away peacefully on September 16, 2024. Son of James and Vera, he was born in Pike County, MS, and retired to Canton, MS.  Wayne is survived by his wife of 56 years, Becky Wells Sterling, his son John (Cassie) Sterling, daughters Patricia Sterling (Jim Colborn) and Rachel (Robert) Stone, and his grandchildren: Kaitlyn, Laura, Ethan, Eli, Brody, Jennifer, and Davis. 

     Upon high school graduation in Magnolia, Wayne joined the Army in the language immersion program, learning fluent Korean in Monterey, CA before deployment to the DMZ. Upon his return to the US, he pursued his education in earnest, beginning with an Associates Degree at Southwest Mississippi Community College and then a Bachelor’s Degree in English at Ole Miss. While continuing his education at Ole Miss law school, Wayne met his wife Becky, a senior, at a rousing game of bridge. After they married, Wayne practiced law in McComb, MS, before continuing his education at Ole Miss and receiving a Masters in Economics.  He leveraged this education by becoming an economics professor at Southeastern Louisiana University before launching his career in economic development. 

     Wayne was known by friends and business colleagues alike as the consummate Southern gentleman. If you asked him how he was doing, the answer always came with a grin: “not bad, for an ol’ country boy.”  His default ‘happy place’ was on the golf course with an ice-cold Coca-Cola in hand and a pack of peanut M&Ms tucked in his golf bag. He played on hundreds of courses (and closed business deals) from the sand fairways in Saudi Arabia to the pristine greens of Pebble Beach. He was always easy to spot on the course with his Australian backcountry hat and signature khakis.

     With a mantra of “nothing is impossible,” Wayne left a legacy of successes as he followed a career path – in law, in education, and, most impactfully, in economic development. With a tenure responsible for over $60 billion in economic development announcements, Wayne was a predominant force impacting capital investment in the Southeast for more than 30 years. He was in the elite few ever to head economic development efforts for two states.

     As Chief of Staff at the South Carolina Department of Commerce from 1999-2001, he achieved the highest level of investment results in SC history: over $12 billion in two years. During that time 65,000 jobs were created.

     As Executive Director of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Wayne generated a 500% increase in the number of active projects. The announcement of three semiconductor wafer fabrication plants changed the economic structure of Virginia. He convinced big names to make big investments: Frito-Lay, Volvo, Hewlett Packard, Motorola, IBM, and many others.

Wayne is also recognized for luring highly significant projects to SC and Texas:

BMW Manufacturing chose SC over 250 other sites.

The US Treasury Department chose Ft. Worth over 83 other cities. 

Fujifilm, Pirelli, Michelin, Target, Bayer, Caterpillar, Keebler, and Mattel are just a few of the big-name projects where Sterling experienced success.

     For his tenacity and commitment to job creation, Southern Business & Development Magazine labeled him a “Southern treasure.” But Wayne’s impact also expanded Internationally, where he was on the Dubai Silicon Oasis Advisory Board.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Southwest Mississippi Community College Foundation (https://smcc.edu/foundation/).

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