New Mill Springs executive director
has extensive military history background

Stephen B. McKinney, a specialist in military history and the Civil War, has been named executive director of the Mill Springs Battlefield Association.

The Alabama native assumed his new position in December.

McKinney, who has worked in private consultation for both profit and non-profit organizations for more than 20 years, has experience in advertising, marketing, public relations, fundraising and client relationship management. In his new post, he’ll oversee operations of the Association and its visitor’s center and will be coordinating efforts to incorporate Mill Springs into the U.S. National Park Service.

The new executive director received his undergraduate degree from Auburn University and his master’s degree in public administration from Auburn University-Montgomery. He also has a masters degree in military history from American Military University.

His masters thesis, “Confederate Defeat: A Failure of Strategy and Tactics?” has been published.

McKinney has served as historic coordinator and technical advisor on 18 television and film projects about the Civil War and has been a Civil War re-enactor since 1976. He also is a Civil War artifact collector and authenticator. In addition, McKinney says he knows of 30 relatives who fought in the Civil War, including his great-great-great grandfather James Henry Thomas McKinney, a member of Company B, Confederate, 16th Alabama Infantry. His relative was killed at the Battle of Mill Springs and is buried in a mass grave at the park’s cemetery.