Our Board

Officers of the Board

James Bennett

Chair
First Citizens Bank; Columbia, SC

Kenda Laughey

Vice Chair
Southminster; Charlotte, NC

Hunter Lambert

Assistant Secretary
USC Foundations; Columbia, SC

Kim Elliott

Treasurer
USC Foundations; Columbia, SC

Rita Caughman

Chair Emeritus
Sojourner, Caughman & Thomas; Columbia, SC

Sandy Hightower

Secretary
USC Foundations; Columbia, SC

Directors of the Board

Pam Baker

Burr Forman McNair; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Governance

Jim Barrow

Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss; Dallas, TX

Committees:

Investment

James Bennett

Chair
First Citizens Bank; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Executive
Governance
Finance
Investment

Rita Caughman

Chair Emeritus
Sojourner, Caughman & Thomas; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Executive
Governance

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

EFinancial Advisors; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Executive
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:

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

Stan Juk

Lexington Cardiology; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Governance

Kenda Laughey

Governance Committee 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

Tony Tam

IMIC Hotels; Columbia, SC

Committees:

Governance

Allen Wright

Atlanta, GA

Committees:

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

Meet Kenda Laughey

Kenda Laughey grew up in Gilbert, South Carolina and earned her Bachelors Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting from the University of South Carolina in 2000.  She earned her Masters of Accountancy from the Moore School of Business at USC, graduating with her CPA and a job at Arthur Anderson in Charlotte, NC in 2001.  In 2002, she went to work at Deloitte & Touche LLP where she stayed until 2011.  From there she became CFO at Southminster, Inc, a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Charlotte, NC.

"Some of my fondest memories at USC are playing the flute in the USC Concert Band and I am forever grateful for the fellowship I received while obtaining my masters. That fellowship is what inspired me to give back to the University that helped me achieve so much. I feel fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful group of respected, thoughtful people."

Kenda Laughey

Board Portal

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

Hunter Lambert
(803) 576-7277
lamberrh@email.sc.ed

Susan Smith
(803) 777-1547
SbSmith@mailbox.sc.edu