Malcolm X College President Named ‘Chicago Titan 100’

Among hundreds of nominees, Malcolm X College President David A. Sanders has been named a 2024 Titan 100.

A panel of local judges poured over nominations and weighed personal and professional accomplishments for a list made up of recipients across industries, including education, food and beverage, healthcare, architecture, technology, and construction just to name a few. Nominees must live and work in the Chicagoland area, hold a top executive role, and demonstrate contributions of growth to their company or organization.

President Sanders’ career at City Colleges has been extensive. Before his tenure as president, Sanders was the Auxiliary Services Director at Kennedy-King College, and Deputy Chief Operating Officer for the District Office, responsible for the day-to-day operations at City Colleges. He was also lead executive project manager for the $251 million Malcolm X College and School of Health Science and Career Programs.

Since becoming Malcolm X’s president in 2015, Sanders has seen Malcolm X named one of the “Most Promising Places to Work” for three years, the college has met or exceeded graduation rate metrics, and saw one of its highest retention rates in 2020. The School of Nursing has become one of the best Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) programs in the state by volume and pass rates, and the college’s licensure pass rates for Health Science programs have increased, consistently averaging more than 85% over the past four years.

Now, Sanders oversees a nearly $67 million operating and grants budget and is responsible for more than 12,000 students and nearly 1,000 employees. He is tasked with managing the overall vision, mission, and operations of the college as well as implementing strategic, enrollment management, and equity plans. Currently, President Sanders is completing his doctoral studies in Educational Leadership at Concordia University Chicago, and is a committed church leader, husband, father, and grandfather.

The Titan 100 is a national program that recognizes the top 100 CEOs and C-level executives in a region in both the private and public sector. Winners demonstrate exceptional leadership, vision, passion, and influence in their field. The Titan 100 are recognized at an annual awards event, published in the Titan 100 book, and given the opportunity to build relationships with their fellow Titans by connecting multiple times throughout the year. Titans must be nominated and selected annually. The top achievement is being recognized as an elite Hall of Fame honoree in their third year.

President Sanders, along with the other Titan 100 from Chicago, will attend a Titan 100 VIP reception on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at Wintrust’s Grand Banking Hall to network with other recipients. All the Chicagoland nominees will officially receive their awards at the Titan 100 celebration on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at Navy Pier’s Aon Grand Ballroom.

The Titan 100 is a community of executives across the nation. It includes seven U.S. markets in Chicago, Wisconsin, Phoenix, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Colorado, and Georgia. 2024 is the inaugural year for Chicago’s Titan 100.