Two KA alumni currently serve as Speakers of the House in their respective state legislatures:: Hon. George Murrell Smith, Jr. (Delta–Wofford ’87) of South Carolina and Hon. Dustin Ray Burrows (Alpha Epsilon–Rhodes ’98) of Texas.
Hon. George Murrell Smith, Jr. (Delta–Wofford ’87)
Born in Florence, South Carolina, and raised in Sumter, George Murrell Smith, Jr. graduated from Wilson Hall before earning his B.A. in History and Government from Wofford College in 1990. He later obtained his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1993. Smith began his legal career as a public defender and is a founding partner of the Smith Robinson law firm.
Elected in 2000 to represent District 67, Smith rose to serve as Chairman of both the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Ethics Committee. On May 12, 2022, he was elected as the 61st Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives where he continues to lead with integrity and resolve.
Speaker Smith is 5-year member of the Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation’s Crimson & Gold Society, and he has been inducted into the W. McLeod Frampton, Jr. Province Court of Honor.
Knight Commander King V. Aiken, Jr. presented Smith with the Order’s Award for Distinguished Public Service during the Frampton Court of Honor on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Hon. Dustin Ray Burrows (Alpha Epsilon–Rhodes ’98)
A native of Lubbock, Texas, Dustin Ray Burrows graduated from Monterey High School before attending Rhodes College, where he earned a B.A. He went on to receive both his J.D. and M.B.A. from Texas Tech University. A practicing attorney, he is a partner at McCleskey, Harriger, Brazill & Graf, LLP.
Since first being elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2014, Burrows has represented District 83 and served as Chairman of both the Ways and Means and Calendars Committees. He authored major legislation such as the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act of 2019 and the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act of 2023. On January 14, 2025, he was elected the 77th Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.
Burrows 2-year member of the KAOEF’s Crimson & Gold Society, past president of the Lubbock Area KA Alumni Chapter, and has been inducted into the Henry J. Mikell Province Court of Honor—now known as the J. Michael Duncan Court of Honor.
