Our Board

Officers of the Board

Kenda Laughey

Chair
Southminster; Charlotte, NC

Calvin Elam

Vice Chair/Governance Committee Chair
EFinancial Advisors; Columbia, SC

James Bennett

Chair Emeritus
First Citizens Bank; Columbia, SC

Kim Elliott

Treasurer
USC Foundations; Columbia, SC

Sandy Hightower

Secretary
USC Foundations; Columbia, SC

Hunter Lambert

Assistant Secretary
USC Foundations; Columbia, SC

Directors of the Board

Pam Baker

Burr Forman McNair; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Governance

James Bennett

Chair Emeritus
First Citizens Bank; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Executive
Finance

Chip Chase

USC Sumter Representative
FTC; Sumter, SC

Committees:

Governance

Susan Cramer

Magna Sign International; Lexington, SC

Committees:

Finance

Tom Deas

Investment Committee Chair
National Association of Corporate Treasurers; Haverford, PA

Committees:

Executive
Investment

Calvin Elam

Vice Chair/Governance Committee Chair
EFinancial Advisors; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Executive
Governance
Investment

Keith Elliott

Columbia, SC

Committees:

Investment

Lori Hair

BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Investment

Felicia Howard

Dominion Energy; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Governance

Boyd Jones

Synovus Bank; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Executive
Finance
Investment

John Jonson

Austin, TX

Committees:

Investment

Chris Judge

USC Regional Campus Faculty/Staff Representative
University of South Carolina Lancaster; Lancaster, SC

Committees:

Finance

Kenda Laughey

Chair
Southminster; Charlotte, NC

Committees:

Executive
Governance
Finance
Investment

Steve Marino

Jefferies Finance; SC

Committees:

Investment

Buddy McEntire

McEntire Produce; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Finance

Leah Moody

USC Board of Trustees Representative
Attorney; Rock Hill, SC

Committees:

Finance

Scott Plyler

Finance Committee Chair
South Atlantic Bank; Myrtle Beach, SC

Committees:

Executive
Finance

Norwood Smith

Wilmington, NC

Committees:

Governance

Jeff Spears

USC Aiken Representative
First Community Bank; Augusta, GA

Committees:

Finance

Allen Wright

Atlanta, GA

Committees:

Executive
Investment

Ex Officio Directors of the Board

Jason Caskey

President and Chief Executive Officer, USC Foundations
Columbia, SC

Michael Amiridis

President, University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC

Michelle Dodenhoff

Vice President of Development, University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC

Thadeous Westbrook

Chair, USC Board of Trustees
Columbia, SC

Administrative Liaison to the Board

Donna Arnett

Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, USC
Columbia, SC

Chairs Emeritus

Jim Barrow

Chair Emeritus
Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss; Dallas, TX

Board Portal

If you are a member of the board and have questions or need assistance logging into your account, please contact our Foundations Board Effect administrator: 

Sandy Hightower 

(803) 777-1826 

shightow@mailbox.sc.edu