Willis Cantey elected chair of SCICU Board of Trustees

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Willis Cantey, a Charleston business and civic leader, was elected board chair by the trustees of the S.C. Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) at their October 10 board meeting, hosted by Anderson University.

Leading a board of 21 South Carolina college presidents and 40 at-large trustees, Cantey will take the helm of the higher education advocacy organization through August 2025. Prior to the election, his other SCICU board leadership roles included chairing the SCICU Finance Committee and serving as board chair-elect.

“SCICU is very fortunate to benefit from Willis Cantey’s leadership and experience,” said SCICU President and CEO Jeff Perez. “Willis will provide the guidance to help SCICU better serve its 21 member institutions and their 36,000 students.”

In addition to his leadership roles with SCICU, Cantey previously chaired the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Executive Committee of the Historic Charleston Foundation board of trustees. He was named a Riley Fellow in 2020 through his selection for the Riley Institute’s Diversity Leaders Initiative.

In 2007 Cantey founded Charleston-based Cantey Tech Consulting, a provider of IT solutions and consulting services in the Lowcountry, the Southeast, and beyond.

Cantey holds a BA in history from The University of the South (Sewanee, Tenn.) and an MBA from the University of South Carolina.

Learn more about SCICU’s board leadership at https://scicu.org/scicu-elects-willis-cantey-board-chair-announces-additional-board-leadership/.

About SCICU
SCICU supports and promotes the values of independent higher education in South Carolina through collaboration, governmental advocacy, fundraising, and public engagement so that every student may choose, afford, and earn an independent college education that fits their personal values, professional and social aspirations, and approach to learning. SCICU’s 21 member colleges and universities educate and inspire more than 36,000 students throughout South Carolina. Learn more at scicu.org.