Michael J. Highfield

Dr. Michael J. (Mike) Highfield is the President and Chief Academic Officer of the Graduate School of Banking at LSU, where he provides executive leadership for the institution’s academic programs, strategic initiatives, institutional effectiveness, and long-term growth. He earned a BBA and MBA from Mississippi State University, followed by an MS in Economics and a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Kentucky. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA), Certified Treasury Professional® (CTP), and Chartered Banking Professional® (ChBP) designations.

Mike began his academic career at Louisiana Tech University before joining the faculty at Mississippi State University, where he served as Professor of Finance and the Robert W. Warren Chair of Real Estate Finance. During his 18-year tenure at Mississippi State, he held several key leadership roles, including Head of the Department of Finance & Economics, faculty representative on the MSU Foundation Investment Committee, chair of the Department Head Executive Committee, and chair of the university’s Financial Conflict of Interest Committee. He most recently served as Provost and Executive Vice President at Mississippi Christian University, where he was responsible for academic strategy, institutional effectiveness, accreditation and long-term planning.

A consultant for the CFA Institute and past president of the American Real Estate Society, Highfield is deeply engaged in financial education, corporate governance, and leadership development. He serves on the Board of Directors of a mutual health insurance company, a private life insurance company, the Mississippi Higher Education Assistance Corporation (MHEAC), and the Woodward Hines Educational Foundation (WHEF), where he chairs the WHEF Investment Committee. A member of the Board of Directors of Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: CALM), Highfield serves on the company’s Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees.