For more than four decades, Ellis C. Cuevas was a fixture at The Sea Coast Echo and a respected leader in Mississippi’s newspaper industry and the Hancock County community.
Born April 6, 1934, in Bay St. Louis and raised in Waveland, Cuevas graduated from St. Stanislaus College Prep in 1953. After working for Waveland Lumber Co. and Hubbard’s Hardware, he served three years in the U.S. Army, where he was assigned to the National Security Agency as a cryptographer.
Cuevas began his newspaper career in June 1957 in the production department of The Sea Coast Echo. Over the following two decades, he worked in numerous areas of the newspaper’s operation and steadily advanced through its management ranks. In 1977, he was named editor and publisher, positions he held until becoming publisher emeritus in 2000.
Throughout his career, Cuevas was active in the Mississippi Press Association, serving on its Board of Directors. A familiar and popular presence at MPA events, he was instantly recognizable for his signature Hawaiian shirts. His contributions to Mississippi journalism and the newspaper industry were recognized with his induction into the Mississippi Press Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2007, the association honored him as its Member of the Year for his service to The Sea Coast Echo and his community.
Cuevas’ commitment to public service extended far beyond the newspaper office. He served as president of the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce and spent 25 years on its board, including three decades as chairman of its Beautification Committee. He also held leadership positions with the United Way of Hancock County, Rotary Club of Bay St. Louis, Hancock Medical Center Foundation and numerous other civic, charitable and community organizations.
Among his many honors were the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award in 1991, NASA’s Public Service Medal in 2001 and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal Award in 2005. He also received the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce’s Lifetime Membership Award and numerous other honors recognizing his decades of civic involvement.
Cuevas died July 13, 2021, at age 87. His career at The Sea Coast Echo, his leadership within the Mississippi newspaper industry and his extraordinary record of community service reflected a lifelong commitment to the people and institutions of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
