Commencement Speaker

John Hope Bryant is an American entrepreneur, prominent thought leader, author, philanthropist, and a leading expert in financial literacy and economic inclusion. Referred to as the “conscience of capitalism” by numerous Fortune 500 CEOs, Bryant is the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Operation HOPE, Inc. the nation’s largest nonprofit provider of financial literacy services for youth and adults. 

Bryant is also chairman and chief executive officer of John Hope Bryant Holdings, Bryant Group Ventures, and Bryant Group Advisors. Until June 2024, he was the Executive Chairman of The Promise Homes Company, which is the largest for-profit minority-controlled owner of institutional-quality, single-family residential rental homes in the United States. 

John Hope Bryant is the former Vice-Chairman of the U.S. President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy. He is responsible for financial literacy becoming the official policy of the U.S. federal government. 

Bryant was named in 2024 by TIME Magazine to their inaugural list of The Closers, 18 global leaders working to close the racial wealth gap, he is a CNBC Contributor, host of the iHeart Radio podcast, “Money and Wealth with John Hope Bryant,” a member of the CNBC Global Financial Wellness Council and the CNBC CEO Council, and a best-selling author of six books, including Financial Literacy For All, released April 2024. He is one of the only bestselling authors on economics and business leadership.