Steve Pettit elected as president of Palmetto Family Council

Palmetto Family Council Board Chairman Stu Rodman announced today that its Board of Directors unanimously elected Steve Pettit as the organization’s sixth president. Pettit will begin to serve immediately.

“As an organization, we are pleased to welcome Steve Pettit as our new president,” said Rodman. “The search committee diligently worked to find the absolute best candidate for the board to consider—and they certainly found it with Steve Pettit. We look forward to his leadership of Palmetto Family.”

“I look forward to serving as Palmetto Family Council’s president and reintroducing it to churches and people of faith across South Carolina,” said Pettit. “The family is one of the foundational pillars in our society and I look forward to continuing the work of Palmetto Family Council in strengthening families through engaging our faith community.”

Pettit was raised in Columbia, South Carolina, and earned his BS in Business Administration from The Citadel in 1978. He earned an MA in Pastoral Studies from Bob Jones University in 1980.

For the last year, Pettit has served as president of the Steve Pettit Evangelistic Association, an organization he headed for 29 years prior to his service as Bob Jones University’s president from May 2014 through May 2023. During his tenure at BJU, he led with a strong commitment to the authority of Scripture and the integration of a biblical worldview into academic programs and student life. This involved maintaining a vibrant chapel program and focusing on student discipleship. Under his leadership, BJU achieved regional accreditation and tax exemption in 2017. The university also added numerous academic programs, established new schools such as the School of Health Professions and the School for Continuing Online and Professional Education, and created centers for Student Care, Global Opportunities, and Biblical Worldview. Pettit also authored eight books that focus on biblical themes and discipleship.

In 2015, Pettit was recognized as the 140th Distinguished Alumni in the history of The Citadel. On May 5, 2023, Steve Pettit Day was declared in the State of South Carolina by Governor Henry McMaster to honor Pettit’s numerous accomplishments as BJU’s president.

ABOUT PALMETTO FAMILY COUNCIL

Palmetto Family Council began in 1993 and works in association with Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council to defend and strengthen the family in South Carolina.

Palmetto Family continues the fight to keep biblical values a consideration in the culture at large and in public policy decisions.  As the only organization in South Carolina focused full-time on the entire range of issues facing families, we have helped the Palmetto State realize hundreds of wins for faith, family, and freedom.