Chamber chief Ted Pitts to depart pro-business lobby for SC-based real estate firm
Ted Pitts, whose work over the past year at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce has been leading the pro-business lobby through the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak, will step down from his post later this year to join a giant in commercial real estate.
The chamber announced Pitts’ leave Tuesday, saying he will step down to run Wilson Kibler, a South Carolina-based commercial real estate firm that Pitts previously worked at as a partner before he joined then-Gov. Nikki Haley’s administration as chief of staff.
A statement said Pitts will stay at the chamber until his successor is hired and in place. A nationwide search is being done now by recruiting firm, Find Great People LLC.
The announcement also comes amid some friction between legislative leaders and the state chamber, who unsuccessfully tried this year to get legislation passed that sought to offer businesses legal protections as they started to reopen during the COVID-19 crisis.
“I have loved my time at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and our work to improve the state’s business climate and connect businesses from across the state has been extremely rewarding,” Pitts said in a statement where he thanked the chamber board and chairs, including staff and business leaders. “I am honored that Jeremy Wilson has the confidence in me to lead the company he and Marshall Kibler built. When I left Wilson Kibler Commercial Real Estate ten years ago to go to work for Gov. Haley, I always hoped I would return — this is an opportunity of a lifetime.”
Pitts has led the chamber since 2015, most notably helping to advocate for the roads bill ahead of its passage in 2017 which raised the state’s gas tax and other fees. In 2016, the chamber encouraged members to call state senators to tell them to stop state Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, from continuing his filibuster on the floor. Though controversial and without the endorsement of the governor, the Republican-majority General Assembly ultimately adopted the proposal and then overrode Gov. Henry McMaster’s veto on it.
In its statement announcing his departure, the chamber also highlighted Pitts’ work on keeping unions out of South Carolina and broadband expansion. And it included glowing quotes from prior and current board chairs.
“Ted Pitts has been a true leader for South Carolina’s business community and the chamber is deeply appreciative of his work,” said board chair Tim Arnold, head of Colonial Life. “Whether leading the charge on sustainable infrastructure funding or pushing for workforce development initiatives, Ted’s commitment to growth and advancement has made a real impact on our state.
But the chamber’s announcement comes during an uncertain business climate, as small and large companies continue to deal with the financial costs of shutting down earlier this year amid the pandemic and now slowly reopening. The chamber and its supporters aggressively lobbied the Legislature to pass COVID-19 liability protection this year, saying it would protect staff and customers from dealing with lawsuits should people contract the virus at their operations. That effort was not successful.
Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, told The State Tuesday he was very disappointed with the bill’s outcome.
“I am very disappointed that we didn’t get any progress on that,” said Massey, the bill’s main sponsor. “I think we will very likely see the results of that on businesses next year. The chamber made a big push for that. They made a big push for business license tax reform (which passed).”
But nonetheless, Massey called Pitts, a former lawmaker, a great business advocate and said he appreciate the work he has done.
“Good for him,” he said. “I like Ted.”
But the bill’s failure also underscored clashes between the chamber and particular lawmakers, some said.
This summer, as state Senate Judiciary Chairman Luke Rankin faced a tough primary election, Pitts told the Charleston Post and Courier that Rankin was not as business friendly as his predecessor. The COVID-19 business liability bill pushed by the chamber died this year in Rankin’s committee.
Rankin, a personal injury attorney, said “no comment” Tuesday when The State asked him to weigh in on Pitts’ exit.
House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington, also said, “no comment.”
But state Rep. Gary Clary, a Pickens Republican who is not seeking reelection, said Tuesday there was a broad range of issues, including communication, with the biggest issue being between legislative leadership and the chamber.
“When I first came to the State House, the Chamber of Commerce, I really thought they drove a lot of the agenda,” Clary said, acknowledging he’s been critical of the chamber before. “But over time, I think the chamber had a number of personnel moves and for whatever reason they lost their mojo, lost their clout.”
This story was originally published October 6, 2020 at 2:54 PM.
