Influential donor loses spot to attorney Tommy Cofield
Prolific donor Darla Moore is no longer on the university’s Board of Trustees.
Gov. Nikki Haley replaced Moore with Lexington attorney Tommy Cofield earlier this month, said USC spokeswoman Margaret Lamb. The governor gets two picks on the board; every other spot is selected by the General Assembly. Mark W. Buyck Jr., the governor’s designee, holds the other governor-appointed position.
Moore was appointed to the board in 1999 by then-Gov. Jim Hodges and has remained since. She has given $70 million to the business school that’s named after her.
“The importance of Darla Moore’s philanthropy cannot be overestimated,” board chairman Miles Loadholt said in a statement. “Her constant push for excellence, not only at a state level, but in a global context, will be a standing legacy and among her many contributions to the university.
Haley spokesman Rob Godfrey didn’t respond to questions from The Daily Gamecock on the change, but provided a written statement.
“As is the case with many of our appointees, the governor looked for a fresh set of eyes to put in a critical leadership position — a governor’s appointee to the USC board,” Godfrey said. “We have a great deal of respect for Ms. Moore and everything she has done for the university and our state, and we look forward to her future service.”
Cofield couldn’t be reached for comment late Tuesday. He graduated from USC and started his own law firm in Lexington nine years ago, according to his website. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Southern Baptist Convention and as a board member for Make-a-Wish South Carolina. Cofield was a donor to Haley’s gubernatorial campaign.
Board members aren’t paid, but make influential decisions for the university and receive perks including free football tickets.
Moore, a USC alum and Lake City resident, was the first woman featured on the cover of Fortune magazine and is an executive vice president with Rainwater Inc., an investment firm.
A call to Lisa Miller, Moore’s secretary in California, wasn’t returned as of late Tuesday.