Jackson State University President Thomas K. Hudson, J.D. has been selected as a 2023 Top CEO by the Mississippi Business Journal. The distinguished cohort of 23 leaders were honored today at an awards ceremony held in Jackson, Miss.

“I am humbled to receive this honor from the Mississippi Business Journal and to be recognized in the company of so many accomplished leaders from across the region,” said Hudson. “True leadership involves cultivating a great team, and I’m blessed to work with many talented administrators, faculty and staff at Jackson State University. We are successful because of our unified mission to help students achieve their educational goals in a nurturing environment.”

Mississippi Business Journal Publisher Tami Jones said the goal was to recognize leaders from a variety of companies, large and small, where the CEO is making a difference.

“We received nominations from all over, and this year’s honorees are outstanding,” said Jones. “In February, we'll also be publishing a special issue with biographies and photos of all of the 2023 honorees. The special publication will be distributed to all print and online readers of the Mississippi Business Journal, and will also be available at select distribution outlets around the state.”

Under President Hudson’s leadership, JSU retained its High Research designation by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. During the past fiscal year, the Division of Research and Economic Development garnered $65.8 million in research awards, including $10 million to create a public health informatics curriculum to train and assist public health professionals in collecting scientific data for improving clinical and medical decisions. This month, Jackson State University was awarded $4 million to establish a Center for Supply Chain Management.

Hudson was recently named one of Mississippi’s Most Influential African Americans by Our Magazine. He was also selected as a 2022 Top Minority Business Leader by the Delta Business Journal.