Mississippi Press Celebrity Roast of Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney

Get ready for an evening of good-natured ribbing, Mississippi personalities and a great cause when the Mississippi Press Foundation hosts its Celebrity Roast of Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2026, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Ridgeland.

Chaney, Mississippi's 11th Commissioner of Insurance and State Fire Marshal, has certainly given his friends and colleagues plenty of material over a long career in public service. First elected commissioner in 2007, he is now serving his fifth term. Before becoming commissioner, Chaney spent 15 years in the Mississippi Legislature, serving in both the House and Senate.

During his tenure, Chaney has focused on consumer protection, technology and insurance regulation, while also tackling issues ranging from healthcare reform and disaster recovery to bail bond reform and fire safety. He is active with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and serves on numerous committees and working groups addressing insurance issues nationwide.

His career has earned plenty of recognition, including induction into the Insurance Hall of Fame at Mississippi State University, a Distinguished Service Award from the University of Mississippi's Risk Management and Insurance program, and recognition as a Healthcare Hero by the Mississippi Business Journal. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam. Chaney and his wife, Mary, have three children and eight grandchildren.

The Celebrity Roast has become a popular Foundation fundraiser, bringing together members of Mississippi's newspaper and business communities to celebrate—and occasionally poke fun at—well-known Mississippians. Past honorees have included prominent figures from politics, business and public life.

Proceeds from the event will help provide funding for the Foundation's summer internship program, which supports opportunities for aspiring journalists to gain valuable hands-on experience in Mississippi newsrooms.

Tickets are $100 for general admission, $70 for Mississippi Press Association members and $50 for students and educators. Tables of eight are available for $750. Admission costs are tax-deductible.