Dr. Alton Lacey has been President of Missouri Baptist University since 1995. He has earned degrees in chemical engineering (B.S.-Louisiana Tech University), religious education (M.A.-Southwestern Seminary) and psychology (Ph.D. - SWBTS) and has done postgraduate work at the Harvard Institute for Educational Management. Academic honors include membership in Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership) and Omega Chi Epsilon (chemical engineering). He is a frequent guest speaker, writer, and along with his wife, entertainer.
In addition to his duties at MBU, Dr. Lacey is immediate past President of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Missouri and the past Chair of the Association of Southern Baptist Colleges and Schools. He also serves as a Director on the Boards of the Rossman School, United Way of St. Louis, and is a member of board of directors for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. He is also a member of the Council on Transfer and Articulation for the Coordinating Board of the Missouri Department of Education and serves on the Financial Aid Committee of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Other memberships include the University Club of St. Louis and the Spirit of St. Louis Chapter of the Missouri Society of Sons of the American Revolution.
For nineteen years Dr. Lacey moved through the ranks at Louisiana College from classroom professor and Dean of Students to Vice President for Development. In addition to his professional career he has been involved in numerous church and community activities. During his tenure at MBU enrollment has more than doubled to over 4500 students, the number of degrees granted has more than doubled to over 500, many new programs including Masters and Specialist degrees in Education, a Master of Business, and a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry have been added. University status has been attained, and the University has finished every year in the black. The University has done over $20 million is capital improvements including the 53,000 square foot Pillsbury Chapel and Dale Williams Fine Arts Center, the signature building on the campus. The University has been named one of “America’s Best Christian Universities” for each of the past six years.
Dr. Lacey’s interests include fly-fishing, fly rod building, jogging, music, backpacking, and golf. He is a veteran of over two-dozen operas and musicals, and plays (at) percussion, guitar, and hammered dulcimer.
He is married to Pat, an accomplished vocal performer and Assistant Professor of Music at Missouri Baptist University. They have two children: Aaron (born 1977), an attorney in Washington D.C., and Brenna (born 1984), a recent vocal performance graduate of Belmont University.
