Editing Chip Pickering (section)

==Early life and education==
Chip Pickering was born in [[Laurel, Mississippi]], to attorney [[Charles W. Pickering]].<ref>{{cite web |title=AllPolitics/CQ - Freshmen of the 105th Congress |url=https://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/states/frosh/9612/25/ |website=CNN |access-date=June 24, 2021}}</ref> He is a cousin of [[Stacey Pickering]], former [[State Auditor of Mississippi]], Mississippi State Senator, and executive director of the Mississippi Veterans Affairs Board.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Ashton |last=Pittman |url=https://www.mississippifreepress.org/veterans-agency-director-stacey-pickering-resigns-but-reasons-unclear/ |title=Veterans Agency Director Stacey Pickering Resigns, But Reasons Unclear |work=Mississippi Free Press |date=May 17, 2022}}</ref>

Pickering graduated with a [[bachelor's degree]] in [[business administration]] from the [[University of Mississippi]] where he was a legacy member of the Eta chapter of [[Sigma Chi]]. He went on to receive a [[Master of Business Administration]] from [[Baylor University]] in 1989.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/chippickering/page/1989 |title=Chip Pickering Articles – Political Columnist & Commentator |website=finance.townhall.com |access-date=February 26, 2016}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite book |title=Congressional Directory for the 110th Congress (2007-2008) |date=August 2008 |publisher=[[United States Government Publishing Office]] |page=147 |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CDIR-2008-08-01 |access-date=March 19, 2024 |chapter=Charles W. <nowiki>''Chip''</nowiki> Pickering, Jr. |chapter-url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDIR-2008-08-01/pdf/CDIR-2008-08-01-MS-H-3.pdf}}</ref>