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Wilson named Executive Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement


Last updated October 17, 2014

By News administrator

Wilson-sizedMike Wilson, a 1988 Furman University graduate who earned six varsity letters as a member of the football and track teams, has been named Executive Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement at the university.

A native of Iva who resides with his family in the Wren community of Anderson County, Wilson attended Furman on a football scholarship and graduated in 1988 with a B.A. degree in political science.  He also holds an MBA from Winthrop University, and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Anderson School District One.

“I have had the chance to work with a great organization with a solid impact on our region, but this opportunity offers the ability to make an impact on the world through the strength of our Furman alumni,” Wilson said. “One can’t turn that kind of chance down.”

Wilson joins Furman from Duke Energy, where he began his career in 1989.  He has held several positions at Duke Energy’s corporate office working in regulatory affairs, planning and marketing. His career at Duke Energy culminated with his work as District Manager of Government and Community Relations for Greenville and Spartanburg counties.

“We completed an intensive search to consider how this position can impact Furman’s strategic direction,” said Mike Gatchell, Furman’s Vice President for Development. “Energizing the alumni and parent base is a crucial piece of the puzzle as we seek to amplify the lifelong value of a Furman education.”

Wilson is a former member of the board of directors for the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce, Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce, Innovate Anderson, Senior Solutions, Anderson Area YMCA, United Way of Anderson County, Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Tri-County Tech Foundation, and the Paladin Club.

He currently serves on the board of the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, Governor’s School of the Arts Foundation, Artisphere, Metropolitan Arts Council, Chapman Cultural Center, and the Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce.  He is a past-president of the Anderson Rotary Club and a current member of the Spartanburg Rotary Club.

Wilson and his wife, Jill, a 1990 Furman graduate, have three children: Sarah, Owen, and Eli.

For more information, contact Furman’s Alumni Association office at (864) 294-3489.

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