The Pine Belt News recognizes the 2026 class of 20 Under 40. Read about Richard Carlisle here, and see the special section publishing on January 29 to read about all of this year's honorees.
Richard Carlisle is a true renaissance man, balancing mortgage banking with nightclub ownership. He is a mortgage banker for Regions Mortgage and owns Nostalgia Lounge & Bar and 215 Lounge. Just a few of his recent awards include the Alumni of the year award for the University of Southern Mississippi’s Black Alumni Committee, the five-year service pin for service in the mortgage industry, the coach of the year award for Hattiesburg Parks & Recreation little league, and not one but two Best of the Pine Belt awards for Best Bar and Best Ladies Night Out.
Richard is very proud of his involvement with the Hattiesburg Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Turkey giveaway, where this past Thanksgiving they were able to feed over 500 families. He and his business partners were also able to donate $10,000 to Hattiesburg Public School District to help with scholarships, stipends, and classroom supplies.
Richard credits his many successes with being a selfless servant and a man of God, saying, “I believe in God’s word and trying my best to aide and assist to build upon this community and the great legacy it has upheld. I do believe I am blessed to have the qualities and abilities as not only a professional in my career but also as an entrepreneur in the community.”
The leadership skill that was the most challenging for Richard to acquire was self-promotion. He explains, “I think the leadership skill of being vocal was the most challenging for me to develop because naturally I’m a calm and quiet person. I was always taught to lead by action and not words, but over time I had to develop the communication skills to become a better leader.” A fun fact you might not know about him? He was a recruited walk-on for the Southern Men’s Basketball team under Larry Eustachy. He says, “We were the first team to make it to the NCAA tournament. Great Times!”
