Former Miss. Gov. Phil Bryant has joined the newly branded Bryant Songy Snell Global Partners, formerly Songy LLC – the strategy and business development firm launched last September by Joey Songy, the governor’s former chief of staff – as founding partner. As part of the move, the firm will be rebranded Bryant Songy Snell Global Partners.
Bryant will focus on economic development in the Southeast and international trade markets, and remain active in national and local political arenas. He joins founding partner Songy, who continues to focus on business development and strategic planning, and new founding partner Katie Bryant Snell, who will provide strategic advice and counsel on development opportunities to a variety of industry clients and advocate for policy initiatives on behalf of public and private entities.
“While serving as governor, nearly all of our objectives centered around education and economic development, and this opportunity will allow me to continue to advocate for education and economic opportunity in the private sector,” said Gov. Bryant. “I’m excited to have a firm where these driving forces can be cultivated, with two great partners, for years to come.”
Bryant Songy Snell is a full-service consulting firm offering economic and business development, public relations, strategic planning and government affairs servicesacross Mississippi, the Southeast nation and world.
“I began consulting for companies and organizations with the objective of continuing much of the meaningful work that defined Gov. Bryant’s administration,” said Songy. “The impact from Gov. Bryant’s extraordinary leadership has left its mark on the public sector, and this firm will allow him to bring those abilities to bear in the private sector. Katie brings to our firm vast policy experience and expertise both in the public and private arenas. Together, their leadership will help us chart future economic expansion across the marketplace.”
Bryant served two terms as governor of Mississippi from 2012-2020. He was succeeded by Tate Reeves and preceded by Haley Barbour. Prior to that, he was lieutenant governor and state auditor.
After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Bryant became a drug enforcement investigator. He received a master’s degree from Mississippi College, where he later taught political history for a number of years. Bryant also worked as an insurance fraud investigator prior to serving in statewide elected office.
Bryant launched his political career in the Mississippi House of Representatives. As a representative, he worked on the insurance committee and was instrumental in introducing the Capital Gains Tax Cut Act of 1992. He was appointed state auditor by Governor Kirk Fordice in 1996, elected state auditor in 1999, and became lieutenant governor in 2008. He has served as chairman of Jobs for America’s Graduates and the Education Commission of the States, both national education organizations.
Songy spent over seven years in the Bryant administration, and brought his numerous years of public and private sector experience to launching the firm. He served as legal counsel for three years in the administration and chief of staff for four years. During his tenure, he was appointed by the White House to the Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee on Trade to represent state and local governments. Prior to joining Bryant’s administration, Songy was an attorney in South Mississippi, where he founded the Songy Law Firm.
Snell previously served as an attorney for the Madison County Board of Supervisors and founded the Katie Bryant Snell law firm. Before starting her own firm, Snell was an attorney for Butler Snow, where she focused her practice on product liability litigation, election and campaign finance, commercial litigation, employment litigation and government litigation. After earning a degree in marketing from the University of Southern Mississippi, she graduated from the University of Mississippi law school. Snell serves as a member of the Mississippi Children’s Advocacy Centers Board.
