The College of Natural Resources is pleased to announce that Kent Hudson has been named its 2025 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in recognition of his esteemed career and contributions to North Carolina State University.

Hudson, who graduated with dual degrees in pulp and paper science technology and chemical engineering in 1975, began his career as an engineer with Federal Paper Board Company in Riegelwood, North Carolina.

In 1979, Hudson joined AccuRay, where he specialized in the computer control and optimization of paper machines in locations across the Southeast. He later joined Devron-Hercules as executive vice president of sales and services in 1986.

Combining his entrepreneurial mindset with his technical skills, Hudson saw a need for better software tools to manage school maintenance and founded Applied Computer Technology, which rapidly became the national market leader in enterprise asset management software for K–12, colleges and universities. 

Hudson later served as president and CEO of Indus International, a Nasdaq-listed company and global leader in enterprise asset management for the global utility industry, and co-founded Dude Solutions in Cary, North Carolina. 

Under his leadership, Dude Solutions became the world’s largest Software as a Service (SaaS) enterprise asset management provider. The company, which was rebranded to Brightly, was acquired by Siemens AG for $1.58 billion in 2022.

Hudson, who received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in 2017, remains a loyal supporter of NC State, recently establishing the Kent Hudson Scholarship to support rural North Carolina students in the paper science and engineering program, and continues to support 4-H.

“Kent Hudson exemplifies leadership with purpose: grounded in innovation, driven by impact,” said Jennifer Piercy, assistant dean of philanthropy at the College of Natural Resources. “It not only shows in his career, which has been transformative for industry, but it also shows in his generosity to our college as his contributions support the next generation of engineers and entrepreneurs.”