Michael Amiridis is the University of South Carolina’s 30th president, committed to using education and research to improve prospects for all South Carolinians. Born in 1962 in Kavala, Greece, Amiridis earned his doctoral degree in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1991 and became a U.S. citizen in 2000.

Amiridis began his academic career at USC as an assistant professor in 1994, advancing through the ranks to become chair of Chemical Engineering in 2002, dean of Engineering and Computing in 2006 and provost in 2009. As provost, he initiated an ambitious faculty hiring program, creating 200 new tenure positions over four years, and led development of Palmetto College, the Carolina Core curriculum, Global Carolina and the USC School of Medicine in Greenville.

In 2015, Amiridis became chancellor of the University of Illinois Chicago, where he successfully led enrollment growth to 34,000 students and research funding to $450 million. He returned to USC as president on July 1, 2022.

David Clayton serves as executive director of CU-ICAR and associate vice president for economic development at Clemson University. Clayton earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University and an International Master of Business Administration from the University of South Carolina.

Under Clayton’s leadership, CU-ICAR has experienced substantial growth and national recognition within the innovation and research community. Clemson was recently named a finalist for the prestigious APLU National Innovation & Economic Prosperity Awards. The research park has expanded into the new Technology Neighborhood III, welcoming two new tenants: Samaritan Biologics and Purilogics (Donaldson Life Sciences). The facility recently completed and unveiled the 16th iteration of the Deep Orange vehicle prototype, a rapid response vehicle developed in partnership with the U.S. Army suited for rapid response during natural disasters.

Clayton demonstrates his commitment to regional economic development through active board service with the Upstate SC Alliance, the Oconee Economic Alliance and Alliance Pickens. He previously served on the board of Artisphere.

James P. Clements became Clemson University’s 15th president in 2013, after serving as president of West Virginia University. Under his leadership, Clemson has achieved record levels in academics, admissions, enrollment, retention rates, graduation rates, research and fundraising. Through the strategic plan Clemson Elevate, Clements is elevating the student experience, doubling research and transforming lives across South Carolina and beyond. He has helped raise more than $2 billion in private funds since arriving at Clemson.

Clements serves on the board of directors for the Atlantic Coast Conference and the College Football Playoff Board of Managers. He also serves on the executive committee for the Council on Competitiveness, the Special Olympics International Board and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce Board.

The grandson of a coal miner and firefighter, Clements is a first-generation college graduate who has published more than 75 papers in higher education, leadership and technology. He created the President’s Leadership Institute at Clemson, a nine-month leadership development program that has graduated 220 participants.

W. Scott Cochran leads Spartanburg Methodist College, where he has transformed the institution through fiscal discipline and curriculum innovation. Under his leadership, the college achieved record enrollment of 1,220 students in fall 2025, marking the first time the institution exceeded 1,200 students in its history.

Cochran pioneered a unique approach to higher education by creating the Camak Core program, making Spartanburg Methodist College the only institution in America to integrate professional development as a required academic component of every bachelor’s degree. Drawing from 37 years in business experience, he recognized traditional career services were insufficient for preparing graduates for the workplace.

He holds a Master of Business Administration from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Wofford College.

Cochran serves as vice chair of the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees and chair of its Council of Presidents. He is an avid cyclist who rides between 3,000 and 4,000 miles annually, with most rides beginning at 4:30 a.m.

David J. Cole earned his Bachelor of Science degree in biology from New Mexico State University and received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York. He completed his internship and residency at Emory University Affiliated Hospitals in Atlanta and his fellowship in surgical oncology at the NIH/NCI Surgery Branch in Bethesda.

Cole joined MUSC in 1994. In 2003 he was named the A. McKoy Rose Jr., M.D. endowed chair in surgical oncology and was selected as chairman for the Department of Surgery in September 2007. Cole was elected president of MUSC Physicians in 2013 before becoming president of MUSC in 2014.

Cole is board certified through the American Board of Surgery with a primary clinical field of interest in breast cancer as well as melanoma and sarcoma. He has more than 17 years of continuous NIH funding and recently stepped down after seven years as medical director for the center for cellular therapy. His research focused on novel cancer vaccine development and molecular diagnostics.

Bryan Davis, Executive Director of The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Furman University, leads an eight-person team driving entrepreneurial growth across South Carolina. Davis holds degrees in Business Management, Executive Leadership and Entrepreneurship from Clemson University and credentials from the Wyatt School of Real Estate.

Davis serves on Furman’s AI Strategic Task Force and Corporate and Community Engagement Committee while maintaining his role as a Forbes contributor and Business Council Member since 2023. His career began as a Jr. Account Manager at Erwin Penland, where he learned to manage diverse teams under pressure.

Under Davis’s leadership, the institute launched three major initiatives: FutureX, a two-year venture acceleration residency aiming to grow 100 high-impact companies in Greenville over five years; GVL Starts, an expanded first-time founder program attracting entrepreneurial talent beyond South Carolina; and The Innovation Academy, a summer experience for high-performing high school students exploring startups and innovation.

The institute has supported over 200 new startup ventures over the past four years. Davis, who was a featured TEDx speaker in 2025, explained that the best leaders “embrace this as an opportunity to take whatever comes their way and figure it out by leaning into their own version of ‘entrepreneurially-minded leadership.’”

Elizabeth Davis became Furman University’s 12th president in July 2014, bringing 22 years of experience from Baylor University in Texas, where she served as a member of the accounting faculty and later as executive vice president and provost. She began her career as an auditor at Arthur Andersen & Co. in New Orleans.

Under Davis’ leadership, Furman introduced The Furman Advantage, a distinctive approach combining classroom learning with immersive experiences, mentoring, reflection and career exploration. The initiative has received more than $75 million in support from The Duke Endowment since October 2016. During her tenure, the university has moved from the low 50s into the mid-40s in the U.S. News & World Report rankings and has been voted a “Most Innovative School” six years consecutively.

Davis serves on the board of directors of the United Way of Greenville County. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Baylor in 1984 and her Ph.D. from Duke University in 1992.

John H. Dozier leads Columbia College, an institution serving 265 employees, with a philosophy rooted in stewardship and sustainable impact. His extensive civic engagement includes service on the Columbia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, South Carolina Tuition Grants Commission as secretary and Midlands Business Leadership Group. Previously, he served on boards including the Boston Arts Academy Foundation, MIT Press Management Board and Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts.

Dozier holds a Doctor of Education from DePaul University, where his dissertation examined the predictive validity of high school grades to college mathematics performance, an Master of Business Administration from DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from South Carolina State University.

“I measure success by the positive change I help create,” Dozier said. “Leadership is about stewardship—taking responsibility for the growth, health, and direction of the institutions and communities of which I am a part.”

His accolades include the Columbia NAACP Branch Higher Education Award and South Carolina State University Distinguished Alumnus Award. Before entering higher education leadership, Dozier served eight years in the Army Reserves.