Ken Hush

Michelle Morris

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(m. 1986⁠–⁠2014)​

Patricia Miller

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(m. 2015,annulled)​

Ken Hush
18th President of Emporia State University
Incumbent
Assumed office November 17, 2021 Interim: November 17, 2021–June 22, 2022
Children	2
Residence(s)	Emporia, Kansas
Alma mater	Emporia State University
Profession	Businessman
Website	Office of the President

Kenneth James Hush (born August 1, 1959) is an American businessman and 18th president of Emporia State University. Prior to becoming the president, Hush served as interim president from November 2021 to June 2022, and held multiple executive titles at Koch Minerals and Carbon. Hush is a former tennis player for Emporia State. ^[2]

Biography

Education

Born and raised in Emporia, Kansas, Hush graduated from Emporia State University with a business administration and marketing degree in 1982, and competed on the men's tennis team where he helped lead his team to four Central States Intercollegiate Conference championships and made three National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national tournament appearances, making him the first alumni to serve as the university president and be in the Athletics Hall of Fame. ^[3] Hush later served on the Emporia State University Foundation Board of Trustees, where he served as chairman, as well as serving on the Wichita State University Board of Trustees. ^[4]

Early career

After college, Hush began his long career at Koch Industries working in the Minerals and Carbon division where he served in different leadership capacities. After leaving there, he became the general manager at Senior Commodity Company, and later returned to Emporia where he was owner and CEO of BLI Rentals. ^[5]

Emporia State University

On November 17, 2021, Hush was announced as the interim president at Emporia State. ^{[6] [7]} On June 22, 2022, Hush was named the 18th president of Emporia State. ^[8]

Hush, with no professional background in education, came under fire when his administration utilized the Kansas Board of Regents new policy allowing any employee to be fired for any reason – including tenured professors – and fired 33 professors from the university, citing budget restraints. ^[9] Additionally, this led to restructuring the university's schools and colleges, as well as staff, to focus on core areas of the university's mission and reduce costs. ^[10]

Hush announced that he was retiring on December 27, 2025. ^[11]

References

1. "Kenneth James Hush" . Retrieved December 17, 2022.
2. "Back at home, Hush named interim president". ESU Bulletin. November 16, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
3. "Ken Hush (1995) - Hall of Fame". Emporia State University Athletics. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
4. "Regents name Ken Hush president of Emporia State". www.kansasregents.org. June 22, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
5. "June 2022 – Regents President Announcement – Emporia State University". June 22, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
6. "November 2021 – Interim President – Emporia State University". www.emporia.edu. November 16, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
7. Trahoon, Tagan (November 17, 2021). "Hush hits ground running as Emporia State's interim president" . Retrieved September 7, 2022.
8. Carter, Alex; Motter, Sarah (June 21, 2022). "Board of Regents names Ken Hush as next president of Emporia State University". www.wibw.com. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
9. "Emporia State guts tenure protections, fires 33 professors including one who publicly criticized new policy | The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression". www.thefire.org. November 2, 2022.
10. Gazette, The Emporia (April 26, 2023). "Emporia State University announces new schools, institute as part of restructuring efforts". Emporia Gazette.
11. Gazette, Jessie Wagoner The Emporia (July 24, 2025). "ESU President Ken Hush Announces Retirement". Emporia Gazette.

External links

• Office of the President