Howard Brown Jr. serves as the chief financial officer. In this capacity, Brown is responsible for the oversight of business & finance, accounting, financial reporting, fiscal affairs, and budget and planning for the University.

Brown previously served as the deputy executive director for the Mississippi Legislative Budget Office (LBO) and was with the LBO for more than 25 years. He worked directly with the lieutenant governor, speaker of the House, and all members of the Mississippi Legislature to formulate a $22 billion state budget with multiple funding sources.

As deputy executive director for the LBO, he managed a staff of approximately 30 employees who provide fiscal analyses, policy analyses and information technology support to approximately 300 legislators and staff. Additionally, he served as the LBO liaison to the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus by providing budgetary support to its members for items pertaining to their legislative agenda.

Brown has helped streamline the submission process for all budgets in Mississippi and assisted in the implementation of the Statewide Strategic Plan for Performance and Budgetary Success.