Florida State University leaders are among the 500 most influential Floridians highlighted in Florida Trend’s annual Florida 500 list.
The prestigious listing celebrates the impact of business, research, education and community development across the Sunshine State.
This year, several individuals with strong ties to FSU have been honored for their outstanding contributions to their fields and to the state as a whole. Their inclusion underscores FSU’s far-reaching influence on Florida’s educational, business and research landscape.
“FSU attracts a wealth of individuals who are committed to driving innovation and growth in the state of Florida,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “As president of FSU, I’m honored to be included in such a prestigious list and also delighted to see that Florida Trend has recognized many of my colleagues for their outstanding contributions to this state.”
FSU-Affiliated Honorees on the Florida 500
- FSU President Richard McCullough: The 16th President of Florida State University. A renowned chemist and entrepreneur, McCullough has over three decades of experience in scientific innovation and institutional leadership. He is celebrated for his pioneering discovery of regioregular polythiophenes, revolutionizing plastic electronics, and for founding two startup companies. Under McCullough’s leadership, the university launched FSU Health, a bold initiative to transform health and healthcare in Northwest Florida.
- Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson: Patterson oversees FSU’s thriving research enterprise, which boasts annual expenditures exceeding $487 million and more than 50 prominent research centers and institutes. She is a co-founder of the startup 490 BioTech and previously served as Vice President for Research, Outreach, and Economic Development in the University of Tennessee system. At FSU, she led FSU’s first strategic plan for research, which laid the groundwork for the university to pursue big initiatives like working with Triumph Gulf Coast to stand up a manufacturing and innovation center in Panama City and partnering with local health care leaders to expand health innovation throughout the state.
- National High Magnetic Field Lab Director Kathleen Amm: Amm serves as director of the FSU-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, the world’s largest and most powerful magnet lab. An expert in superconducting magnet development, Amm has held leadership roles at GE Global Research and Brookhaven National Laboratory. She is highly regarded for her commitment to advancing the superconductivity community through education and outreach.
- FSU Board of Trustees Chair Peter Collins: Collins is the co-founder and managing principal of Forge Capital Partners, LLC, and serves as chairman of the FSU Board of Trustees. Collins directs all private equity activities and serves as CEO of the firm’s real estate private equity fund division, having overseen over $1.5 billion in real estate and corporate transactions.
- FSU Trustee Jorge Gonzalez: Gonzalez is the president and CEO of The St. Joe Company, a diversified real estate development and operating company and one of Florida’s largest private landowners. Since becoming CEO in 2015, he has helped drive significant growth in Northwest Florida. Gonzalez serves as Chairman of the St. Joe Board and also sits on the Florida State University Board of Trustees where he serves as the head of the Research Committee.
- FSU Trustee Brian Murphy: Murphy is the founder and CEO of ReliaQuest, a high-growth cybersecurity technology company headquartered in Tampa. He founded the company in 2007 and has grown it into a “triple unicorn” with a valuation of over $3.4 billion and over 1,200 team members globally. ReliaQuest increases visibility and manages risk with its AI-powered security operations platform, GreyMatter. He is also Chairman of the Board for Embarc Collective, Florida’s fastest-growing startup hub. He was named to the FSU Board of Trustees in 2025.