J. Davis Pace III (Alpha Upsilon–Mississippi ’07) was named to 2025 Class of the Ole Miss Alumni Association’s 40 Under 40 listing.
This program celebrates the personal, professional and philanthropic achievements of successful University of Mississippi graduates under the age of 40. Recipients will be recognized with a ceremony on March 28, followed by a celebration event at Circle and Square Brewing.
Davis Pace serves as President and CEO of Mississippi Enterprise for Technology (MSET), a state-chartered non-profit organization located at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. At MSET, Davis works to grow SSC, the Gulf Coast, and Mississippi. Davis is a nationally recognized leader in the development of the state’s aerospace and defense community through MSET’s relationships with NASA, the Navy, the Mississippi Development Authority, and Mississippi’s R-1 universities. Since taking over at MSET in 2021, Davis has overseen the development and growth of the state’s first aerospace and defense industry trade association, the Aerospace and Defense Alliance of Mississippi, or ADAM, and an annual Symposium focusing on aerospace and defense technology and manufacturing in the state.
Prior to MSET, Davis spent nearly a decade in Washington, D.C., on and off Capitol Hill, with a focus on technology, telecommunications, and cybersecurity issues. While on Capitol Hill, he served as senior staff for the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) under Ranking Member Michael McCaul (TX), where he managed the emerging technologies, telecommunications, space, and cyber portfolio. In this role, he successfully led the effort to incentivize leading-edge technology development and manufacturing in the United States and led the charge to reorganize the U.S. State Department’s standards setting, cyber security, and emerging technology initiatives.
Previously, he served as Legislative Director to former-Rep. John Ratcliffe (TX) preceding his cabinet-level appointment as Director of National Intelligence. In this role, Davis spearheaded critical reforms in cyber defense at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and information systems. Davis also served as Legislative Director to Rep. Jodey Arrington (TX), and Counsel to then-Republican Study Committee Chairman Mark Walker (NC).
In 2024, Davis was appointed to serve as the inaugural Chairman of the Aerospace and Defense Alliance of Mississippi’s Board of Directors and is a member of the prestigious American Enterprise Institute’s Leadership Network. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi and a juris doctorate from the Mississippi College School of Law. He lives on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with his family where he is a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, in Gulfport.
Davis is a member of the Loyal Order and a 2-year member of the Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation’s Crimson & Gold Society.
