Columbia, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster today named Don Herriott as the next Executive Committee Chairman of the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA). Former Chairman Bill Blume resigned from the position, effective today, June 30.

SCRA is a state-chartered organization tasked with fostering the growth of South Carolina’s technology and innovation economy by supporting entrepreneurs, enabling university research commercialization and connecting industry to innovators.

“South Carolinians are among the brightest and most talented people in the world, and it’s important that we do everything we can to encourage the creativity of entrepreneurs in our technology sector,” said Gov. McMaster. “I’m confident that Mr. Herriott’s experience and leadership will serve SCRA well and will help bring in a time of unprecedented prosperity in our state.”

Currently a small business owner, Mr. Herriott was an executive with SYNTEX and eventually Roche Carolina, where he was named as President and General Manager to develop a $600 million pharmaceutical manufacturing investment in Florence.

In 2004, Herriott was named Head of Roche Global Chemical Manufacturing and CEO of Roche Carolina, responsible for the operations at its pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in South Carolina, Colorado, Switzerland, Ireland, Mexico, Austria and Germany.

Following his retirement from Roche, Mr. Herriott was named director of the University of South Carolina’s economic development function, Innovista Partnerships, in 2010 and served in that capacity until 2013.

Highly respected for his work in business and education, Herriott also chaired the Governor’s Task Force on Education and Workforce Development, which led to the passage of the 2005 Education and Economic Development Act.

Awards and Honors:

Herriott has been awarded the South Carolina Business Leader of the Year Award from the S.C. Chamber of Commerce, the South Carolina Ambassador for Economic Development Award by Governor Sanford, the Ashpy Lawrimore Community Service Award and the Charles Townes Award for Support of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education from the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics.