About Kelvin Lawson

Kelvin Lawson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Kelvin Lawson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Kelvin Lawson
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Kelvin Lawson began his appointment as executive vice president and chief operations officer at Florida A&M University (FAMU) on Aug. 1, 2025.

Lawson most recently served as president of North Star Total Services. He previously served as the executive vice president of Business Development for Channel Partners and coordinated the sales and business development efforts for both Apollo Retail and BDS Marketing Connected Solutions. He has an extensive background in both consumer-packaged goods and sale agency organizations, having worked for Johnson and Johnson, Schering Plough and Acosta Sales and Marketing.

A native of Gadsden County, Lawson is a 1985 graduate of the FAMU School of Business and Industry, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.  He started his career with a small division of Bristol Myers, Drackett Products.  His professional career has taken him across this country and around the world.

Lawson was first appointed to the FAMU Board of Trustees in March 2011. During his tenure, he served as Board chair, chair of the Budget, Finance and Facilities Committee and chair of the Athletics Oversight Committee. He was the driving force in convincing the Florida Board of Governors to waive its policy on presidential searches, allowing the FAMU Board of Trustee to choose its 12th President.

Under his leadership and collaboration with President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., the University implemented a stronger system of accountability, metrics, and dashboards to track and monitor performance.  The University also had a strengthened relationship with the Florida Board of Governors and many other State University System partners.

Lawson serves on the Board of Truist Bank, North East Florida Region, the Board of the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Florida, and is a founding member of Knots 4 Kids, a mentoring group for young boys. Due to his involvement with Truist Bank partnering with the FAMU advancement team, the University was able to secure a $1.2 million grant to help drive student success.

Lawson and his wife, Donna, have two daughters. Both are graduates of Florida A&M University.