Conroe ISD Superintendent Dr. Curtis Null Named Most Admired CEO 2024 by Houston Business Journal

CONROE, TX -- Conroe ISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Curtis Null has been named one of the Houston Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs 2024 at a reception this afternoon.

Dr. Null has served as superintendent since June 2018, leading the 9th largest district in Texas with approximately 73,000 students and the largest employer in Montgomery County with over 10,000 employees. He is beginning his 25th year in public education, with 23 of those in Conroe ISD.

Dr. Null is admired for demonstrating servant leadership with care and compassion. He can often be seen sitting on the floor with children, reading, asking them questions, or out on the playground shooting hoops, simply showing a sincere interest in their success as students. His authenticity allows him to make instant connections with teachers, staff, and community members to inspire the next generation of leaders. With rapid growth in the area, a school district faces many challenges. For over a decade Conroe ISD grew by an average of 1,500 students a year, with the recent three-year average rising to 2,500. However, Dr. Null’s wisdom, judgment, and consistency are trusted by thousands of families, who not only choose to have their children educated here, but live and work in the Conroe ISD community.

During his tenure as superintendent, Dr. Null has led a shift in Conroe ISD’s communication to include more videos and a larger social media presence. He also led the implementation of more personal forums, such as community coffees, car shows, realtor courses, and faith leader breakfasts.

In 2024, Conroe ISD ranked 37th among America’s Best Large Employers by Forbes based on an independent survey of over 170,000 U.S. employees. The District was one of only two K-12 school systems on the entire list of 600 businesses. Conroe ISD was also ranked 62nd on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers for Women. In the November 2023 election, approximately 60% of voters passed Conroe ISD’s $1.972 billion bond to address growth and needs across the District.

Under Dr. Null’s leadership, Conroe ISD extended its streak to 11 years of the highest recognition for transparency from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The Education Resource Group has ranked Conroe ISD in the top 10 of the 200 largest school districts in Texas for academic and financial performance for over a decade and has the third-lowest tax rate in the Houston area. Conroe ISD was recognized by The Rotary Club of The Woodlands with a Community Hero Award in 2020 and was named a Top Workplace by the Houston Chronicle in 2021. Forbes named Conroe ISD as one of America’s Employers By State for Texas in 2022, 2023, and 2024, while Niche named the District the Best School District Overall in Montgomery County, the Most Diverse, the Best Place to Teach, and the Best School District for Athletes in the county for 2023 and 2024. Conroe ISD was also named a 2023 Hometown Hero by Interfaith of The Woodlands.

In addition to his District responsibilities, Dr. Null volunteers on numerous educational and civic boards and committees, including the Junior Achievement Board of Southeast Texas, the Montgomery County Food Bank Board of Directors, the Montgomery County Public Health District Board, the Conroe/Lake Conroe Area Chamber of Commerce, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, the Conroe Economic Development Council, and the Education for Tomorrow Alliance. Dr. Null is a graduate of the Leadership Montgomery County class of 2015, and, in 2020, was named Texas Counseling Association Layperson of the Year. In 2021, he received Leadership Montgomery County’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. In 2022, Dr. Null received the Community Citizen of the Year award from The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2023, he was honored as the Grand Marshall for the 47th Annual 4th of July Parade in South County.

Conroe ISD is an outstanding school district, because of the quality of its staff and the hard work, dedication, and experience of its leader, Dr. Curtis Null. He doesn’t just exemplify what a superintendent should be; he is a leader to which districts and organizations across the state and country can look for a model of true servant leadership.

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