Michael L. Lomax to Step Down as UNCF Chief After 22 Years

Michael L. Lomax, longtime president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), will step down in June 2027, the organization announced.

UNCF Board Chair Milton H. Jones, Jr. called Lomax’s tenure unmatched in shaping an institution, crediting him with raising the national profile of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and expanding opportunity for hundreds of thousands of students.

Since 2004, Lomax has turned UNCF from a scholarship fund into a major philanthropic force. He raised more than US$4 billion for Black students and institutions, grew UNCF’s endowment tenfold – from US$60 million to US$500 million, with a US$600 million target before he leaves – and helped over 300,000 students graduate through scholarships spanning 600 colleges, including UNCF’s 36 member HBCUs.

He also strengthened corporate and philanthropic ties that positioned HBCUs as key drivers of workforce development and economic mobility.

Lomax will remain active through his final year, leading UNCF’s 2030 Strategic Plan and its US$1 billion capital campaign, then stay on as an adviser for a year to support his successor.

“Serving as president and CEO of UNCF has been the privilege of a lifetime,” Lomax said, adding that the organization’s momentum will continue uninterrupted.

UNCF’s board has launched a national search for its next leader.