South University has elected two new members to its Board of Trustees. President and CEO of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, William W. Hubbard and President and CEO of the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA), Eric R. Winger, were elected to fill the two seats vacated by Curtis. G. Anderson, whose term expired, and Robert Knutson, who retired.
Both of these new trustees bring extensive experience in leading organizations through periods of growth and expansion. South University's transformation at its Savannah campus, which began conferring doctoral degrees in 2005, is a single example of the new programs and changes that are planned for the five-campus university.
William W. Hubbard began leading the Savannah Area of Chamber of Commerce in 1998, and since that time he has grown the membership by one third, to over 2,400 member firms and over 3,900 registered individuals. Under his leadership, the chamber has run several successful Special Local Option Sales Tax campaigns for the community. Prior to living in Savannah, Hubbard served as the Marketing Manager for the Greater Detroit Michigan Chamber of Commerce, where he was responsible for developing marketing plans for economic development efforts covering five counties in metro Detroit. He also served the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce for ten years as Senior Vice President for Economic Expansion. Under his leadership, Atlanta became the most recognized community in the United States for corporate relocation or expansion.
Hubbard holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in marketing and finance from the University of Central Florida, where he graduated magna cum laude.
"Mr. Hubbard is a great addition to our board," said Arnold Tenenbaum, board chairman of South University's Board of Trustees. "He brings a deep understanding of how leaders need to be thinking when they are steering organizations through periods of intense growth. I expect he will make many meaningful contributions to South University's Board of Trustees."
Eric R. Winger, a long standing member of Savannah's business community, is the longest serving member of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. During his service, he led the fund drive to purchase the chamber's present building and he began
the Savannah Area Sports Council. Over the preceding 27 years, Winger has held various positions at Wachovia Bank, including the position of Regional Executive for Coastal Georgia and Savannah President for 12 years. As President and CEO of SEDA, he manages the authority and its property. During his tenure with SEDA, Chatham County has attracted $2.5 billion in investment, and the authority has been named one of the top ten development groups in the nation twice.
Winger holds a bachelor of arts degree from the College of William and Mary and earned a master's degree in business administration from the American Graduate School of International Management.
"Our board members immediately recognized the value of Mr. Winger's experience," said John T. South, III, chancellor of South University. "He is a well thought of and long- standing business leader in our community, and we are all looking forward to his insight, his perspective, and his leadership as we move ahead with our mission, expand both our undergraduate and graduate offerings, and add new campuses."
Established in 1899, South University is a private academic institution dedicated to providing educational opportunities for the intellectual, social and professional development of a diverse student population. South University offers educational programs at the associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral level with campuses located in Savannah, Ga., Columbia, S.C., Tampa and West Palm Beach, Fla. and Montgomery, Ala.
Further information on South University is available at: www.southuniversity.edu.