President Bowman Welcomes Inaugural 50 Under 50 Class During Founder's Week

During Founder's Week, President F. DuBois Bowman '92 welcomed the inaugural Morehouse 50 Under 50 class at a special reception honoring the College’s emerging alumni leaders. The event recognized alumni whose impact, leadership, and service, directly reflect the institution’s mission.

Addressing the honorees, President Bowman reflected on the extraordinary influence represented in the room and the pride the College takes in recognizing this inaugural class. “I take you everywhere,” President Bowman said. “When I speak to prospective students, partners, and donors, I point to you. Your influence, excellence, and service are living testimony to the true power of Morehouse and what this institution makes possible.”

 President F. DuBois Bowman and First Lady Cynthia Bowman join the Inaugural Morehouse 50 Under 50 Class

He emphasized that the 50 Under 50 honorees represent far more than individual success. Collectively, they embody the values of leadership, integrity, and service that define the Morehouse Man, values that resonate across industries and communities around the world. The College formally recognized the inaugural class as a powerful network of leaders who are shaping public discourse, driving innovation, and strengthening institutions across sectors. 

Selected from a highly competitive pool of nominees, the inaugural 50 Under 50 class includes alumni making a measurable impact across public service, law, education, healthcare, journalism, philanthropy, business, and social innovation. Their work reflects both national and global reach, with honorees leading in major cities across the United States and internationally.

Notably, every member of the inaugural class is also a Morehouse College donor, demonstrating a shared belief in the institution that helped shape their journeys and a commitment to investing in future generations of Morehouse Men.

The Inaugural Class of the Morehouse 50 Under 50 includes: 

1. Olajuwon Ajanaku '12 • Founder and Creative Director, Eastside Golf

2. Mohammed Balla '00 • Chief Financial Officer, The City of Atlanta

3. Geoff Bennett '02 • Co-Anchor & Co-Managing Editor, PBS NewsHour

4. Grant Bennett '20 • Partnerships & Experiential Program Manager at Google, Founder of The Two-Six Project

5. The Honorable Nick Brown '99 • Attorney General of Washington State

6. Charles Carithers '05 • Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs

7. Austin Clements '05 • Managing Partner, Slauson & Co.

8. Darrell Comer '11 • Senior Vice President - Talent Representation, CSE Talent

9. Earl Cooper '11 • Co-Founder, Eastside Golf

10. Nicholas Crews '05 • CEO, Crews Companies

11. Golden Daka '20 • Chief of Staff, PlayList

12. Delmont Early '99 • Founder and Managing Partner, Carter Hill Advisors

13. Ronald Falls '00 • CEO / LA Executive 9 Group; Mentor and Investor in Residence (Morehouse) /Center for Black Entrepreneurship

14. Rev. Dr. Willie Francois '09 • Senior Pastor, Fountain Baptist Church | Associate Professor of Theology, Union Theological Seminary

15. Kennard Garrett '01 • CEO, PACE Recordings/Director of Multimedia, Morehouse College

16. Carlton Gordon '08 • Business Teacher, Brother Rice High School

17. The Honorable John C. Grey '04 • Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

18. Corey Hardiman '14 • Vice President, Herrendorf Family Foundation

19. The Honorable Lee Harris '00 • Mayor, Shelby County, TN

20. Dr. William Hayes '07 • CEO, Boys Latin of Philadelphia

21. Dr. Adriel Hilton '03 • Vice President of Institutional Strategy, Columbia College Chicago

22. The Honorable Chris Hollins '07 • City Controller, City of Houston, TX

23. Ernest Holmes '19 • President, CodeHouse and Technical Program Manager, Google

24. Brandon Hudspeth '02 • Chargé d’affaires, a.i. and Deputy Chief of Mission/U.S. Embassy in Namibia/U.S. Department of State

25. Dr. David Hughes '11 • Associate Professor in the Practice of Sport Management, Gordon College

26. Randall Jackson '99 • Partner, Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz

27. Harry Johnson '07 • Government Affairs and Public Policy Adroid Global Lead, Google LLC

28. Dr. Samaad Keys '08 • Senior Program Officer, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

29. The Honorable JC Love '01 • Probate Judge, Montgomery County, AL

30. Warren Luckett '07 • Founder and Managing Partner, Black Restaurant Weeks

31. Dr. Brock Mayers '00 • AVP Student Services and Dean of Students, Morehouse College

32. Stacy Merritt '05 • Famed Civil Rights Attorney

33. Dr. Artesius Miller '09 • Founder & CEO, Utopian Academy for the Arts Charter School Network

34. Hon. Winfield Murray '98 • United States Immigration Judge, United States Department of Justice

35. Lodriguez Murray '04 • Senior Vice President, Public Policy and Government Affairs, UNCF

36. Lt. Col. Timothy Patterson '01 • Deputy Commanding Officer, Fort Knox

37. Donovan Ramsey '10 • Journalist, Author and Professor at Morehouse College

38. Bryan Rand '01 • Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Rand & Co. Holdings LLC

39. Elliott Robinson '06 • Partner, Co-Head of Bessemer Growth

40. Dr. Emmanuel Rowe '02 • Research Electronics Engineer, Foundational Technology Directorate, Air Force Research Lab

41. Kenneth Saffold '99 • Co-Founder and Managing Partner, o15 Capital Partners

42. Dr. Thomas Searles '04 • Associate Professor, University of Illinois Chicago and President, National Society of Black Physicists

43. Marcus Shaw '00 • President and CEO, AltFinance

44. Davon Snipes '00 • Operations Strategy Lead, Google

45. Hon. Isaac Taggart '14 • Special Envoy - U.S. Trade & Investment, Ministry Of Foreign Affairs | Republic Of Liberia

46. Dr. Wesley Thomas '01 • General Dentist, Defense Health Agency, Pentagon, Lieutenant Colonel (O5), United States Army National Guard, District of Columbia, Active

47. Julien Turner '20 • Co-Owner of Dreadhead Films and Art Director at Abercrombie and Fitch Co.

48. The Honorable Randall Woodfin '03 • Mayor, Birmingham, AL

49. Dr. Kevin Woods '99 • Gastroenterologist, Founder, Therapeutic GI Endoscopy & Associates | Tiger Shark Ventures

50. Marques Zak '05 • Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, the Atlantic Coast Conference
    
    

The 50 Under 50 initiative celebrates not only excellence and achievement, but also stewardship and service beyond self. As President Bowman noted, these alumni are living examples of the transformative power of a Morehouse education and serve as ambassadors of the College.

Congratulations to the 2026 Morehouse 50 Under 50 Class!