Alice Houston, MED '75

Alice Houston received her Master of Education from the University of Louisville in 1975. She received her Bachelor of Science from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1968 and an Honorary Doctorate from Spalding University in 2002.

Houston and her husband founded Houston Johnson, Inc. dba HJI Supply Chain Solutions (HJI) along with their friend, Charlie Johnson, in 1994. Houston served as CEO from 2005 until August 2020 when the reigns of the family business were turned over to her daughter and son-in-law. HJI is a supply chain logistics company with clients that include Ford Motor Company, Yanfeng, Martinrea, the Brown-Forman Corporation, and Humana. Previously, Houston had a successful 15-year career working at the University of Louisville as assistant director of financial aid.

Houston has served on the University of Louisville’s President’s Council and the University of Louisville Foundation. She also serves on the boards of Simmons College of Kentucky; Evolve 502, Transit Authority of River City; 15K Degree Initiative; Greater Louisville Foundation, Impetus; and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; LINKS, Inc.; Girl Friends, Inc.; and she is a trustee at Green Castle Baptist Church. In 2018, Houston and her husband made a major gift to the Louisville Urban League to support the organization’s new West End learning and sports complex.

Houston was honored as Louisvillian of the Year in 2008. She was named Alumni Fellow for the College of Education and Human Development by the University of Louisville in 2004. She was also named a Daughter of Greatness by the Muhammad Ali Center in November 2017. Houston received Greater Louisville, Inc.’s 2020 Gold Cup Award, and in August 2020, Louisville Business First honored her with the Legacy Leader Award.

Alice has three children and 15 grandchildren.