Ike W. Thrash was born in Meridian, Mississippi on March 17, 1953. He and the former Dawn Marie Lacour have been married since July 13, 1974 and have four children: Jennifer, Kelly, Walker, and Joseph. Ike played baseball and attended Tulane University, and later graduated with honors from the University of Southern Mississippi.From 1975 to 1986, he worked as an underwriter for J.H. Harris Mortgage Company in New Orleans, as a site selector and general contractor for Studebakers Restaurants, and as a residential builder and developer of apartments and single-family homes. Since 1986, Ike W. Thrash has been involved in the acquisition, development, renovation, and disposition of multifamily and other income producing properties. This has included over 18,000 apartment units as well as multiple successful condominiums and hotel projects with total values exceeding one billion dollars. He also has more than 25 years of construction experience as a general contractor and has developed over 3,000 rental units and over 2,000,000 square feet of retail commercial. These commercial developments include: restaurants, hotels, office parks, office buildings, and shopping centers. Ike and his wife Dawn also operate a very successful stable of thoroughbred race horses. Ike and Dawn Thrash currently reside in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.