USF Trustees unanimously elect Mike Griffin as new Chair

The University of South Florida Board of Trustees has unanimously elected Mike Griffin as its board Chair. The vote installs Griffin for a full two-year term after he assumed the post in April following the resignation as Chair of Will Weatherford.

The selection is a homecoming of sorts for Griffin, who as a student at USF served two terms as USF student body president and was a student representative on the first USF Board of Trustees in 2001.

“I am humbled to be elected chairman of the Board of Trustees for the University of South Florida, an institution that I have been deeply passionate about since I first stepped foot on campus as a freshman,” Griffin said.

“As the modernization of higher education continues, USF will continue to lead and provide meaningful solutions to our region, state and nation. We are poised to continue to grow our momentum, reach new heights and boldly accomplish things that have never been done in the 70-year history of our university. Go Bulls!”

Griffin has served as a Trustee since 2021. He also chaired the school’s last two Presidential Search Committees, including the most recent that saw the installation of Moez Limayem as the university’s ninth President.

In addition to his work with USF, Griffin is also the Vice Chair and co-head of the Florida region for Sevills, an integrated real estate services company. He previously chaired the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, serving at the time as its youngest leader in the organization’s 140-year history.

Currently, Griffin is a member of the Florida Council of 100. He also chairs the Lions World Vision Board of Directors and is a member of the Seacoast Banking Corp. Board of Directors. He is also a Leadership Florida graduate.

The USF Board of Trustees on Wednesday also elected Oscar Horton as Vice Chair. Horton has served on the board since 2018. He is CEO of Sun State International and serves on boards for Tampa General Hospital, Academy Prep Center of Tampa, Community Foundation Tampa Bay, the Bank of Tampa and, previously, on the USF Foundation Board.

“I am honored to be selected by my fellow trustees to serve in this important leadership role as vice chair,” Horton said. “The University of South Florida’s impact continues to grow rapidly and I’m excited about what’s to come for our students, faculty, staff and the Tampa Bay community in our next chapter.”

The board also recognized Weatherford for his service leading the board over the past five years.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as chair,” Weatherford said. “I don’t know anyone who loves this university more than Mike Griffin. He bleeds green and gold. Just an incredible person, leader and a driving force for good at the university. I can’t think of anybody who could do a better job than Mike Griffin as chairman.”

Weatherford stepped down as chair in late May, when he offered similar words of praise for his successor.

The Board of Trustees has 13 members, including six appointed by the Florida Governor, five by the Florida Board of Governors, the Student Government President and the Faculty Senate President. Trustees vote amongst themselves on leadership roles on the board.