Mr. Albert Riley James, Chief Executive Officer and Manager of A.C. Riley Cotton Company in New Madrid, Missouri, was appointed by President Donald A. Trump to the Mississippi River Commission, March 24, 2020.
James succeeds Mr. Sam Angel, the MRC’s longest standing member who was appointed by President Jimmy Carter, September 25, 1979.
James is a long-time flood control advocate, having served as President of the St. John Levee & Drainage District, which manages over 100 miles of levee that protect three counties in Southeast Missouri, and as Vice President of the Little River Drainage District, which maintains 300 miles of levees and manages 2 million acres of rain runoff.
James has long been affiliated with the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association, which represents flood control interests along the seven states of the lower Mississippi River. Through his affiliation with the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association, he has served on the Executive Committee and as state Vice-President from Missouri.
In 2014, James served as President of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association, which represents cotton gins from Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Missouri. He also served as Missouri's Alternate Member to The Cotton Board, a delegate to National Cotton Council, and as Secretary-Treasurer for Missouri Cotton Growers. In 2016, he was recognized with the Missouri Department of Agriculture "Missouri Agriculture Legacy Award."
James earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Economics from Mississippi State University in 1995, and a Master of Business Administration from Washington University in 2005. He has lived his entire life in the Mississippi River Valley and spent his life's work and civic service in efforts to promote economic prosperity in the region.