The Austin Business Journal has named Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse, Ph.D., the 2026 CEO of the Year.
The award was announced during the annual Best CEO Awards on Oct. 6. The award honors CEOs in Central Texas who have a strong record of innovation, outstanding performance and leadership roles in the philanthropic, civic or political arenas that make a difference.
The Austin Business Journal will feature Damphousse in a forthcoming special edition.
“I am exceptionally proud of this recognition as I stand alongside a dedicated team of faculty, staff and leadership who are all working together to create something truly special here at Texas State,” Damphousse said. “Our goal is to become a national model proving that student access and academic excellence are not competing priorities, but mutually reinforcing commitments. Thank you to the Austin Business Journal for this humbling honor.”
Damphousse came to TXST in 2022 from Arkansas State University, where he served as chancellor. At TXST, Damphousse has presided over a period of extraordinary growth, including record enrollment increases, a steady trajectory toward achieving Carnegie R1 research status by 2027, and the university’s move to the Pac-12 Conference in 2026, which elevated the school’s athletic and academic national profile. Research expenditures have doubled in the past three years and tripled over the last decade. The university has also expanded educational access and invested in initiatives designed to meet students where they are and to serve communities across Texas.
TXST reported record enrollment of more than 47,000 students for Fall 2026, making the university the fastest-growing institute of higher education in the state four years running, reflecting the university’s rising profile in Texas and nationally. Under Damphousse’s leadership, TXST has introduced 32 new degree programs in recent years, aimed at strengthening workforce readiness, research capacity and educational quality.
Under Damphousse, TXST signed a $23 million, 15-year naming rights deal with University Federal Credit Union to rename Bobcat Stadium to UFCU Stadium. In June 2026, Damphousse announced that TXST would add women’s gymnastics, the first NCAA Division I program in the sport in Texas, with competition set to begin in 2028.
In addition to serving as a mentor to new presidents for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities every year, Damphousse has also been actively engaged in national leadership roles, including having served as a member of the NCAA Board of Governors, the NCAA Board of Directors, and chair of the Sun Belt Conference Board of Directors. He currently chairs the executive committee of the Pac-12 Board of Directors, comprised of Pac-12 university presidents.