Charles P. "Buddy" Darby, III
Chair, Board of Governors
As a prominent Charleston business figure and renowned developer of Kiawah Island, Charles P. “Buddy” Darby, III, CEO of Kiawah Development Partners is the ideal chair to steer the School of Business’ Board of Governors as we expand our academic programs, particularly with global institutions.
The School of Business is poised for growth, particularly in foreign markets such as Vietnam, China, Germany and Brazil. The timing is ideal for Darby to work with our dean, Alan T. Shao, in spearheading innovative, global partnerships, and developing new alliances for student and faculty achievement.
Buddy’s visionary and strategic planning experience is valuable and will help us build our reputation as a widely recognized business school.
As the CEO of Kiawah Development Partners, he brings tremendous opportunities to expand our Hospitality and Tourism Management program in the worldwide mega industry. Many student interns and alumni work at Kiawah Development Partners, recognized for creating what Golf World Magazine voted as the #1 Resort in the U.S.
“This appointment is a tremendous opportunity to lead the Board in supporting the faculty and administration as they continue their important work of cultivating our next generation of business leaders,” says Darby. “I’m honored to serve as the Chair of the Board of Governors and believe this will be an exciting way to continue working closely with the College, which I thoroughly enjoy."
About Darby
Since leading the effort to acquire Kiawah Island from the Kuwaitis in 1988, Darby has held primary responsibility for Kiawah's development activities, overseeing all operations involved in the development of the Island. He is particularly gratified by the fact that under his guidance, "Kiawah has evolved from a languishing regional attraction into one of the world's most renowned golfing destinations," garnering the 1996 ULI Award for Excellence, among other accolades.
Darby also expanded the appeal of Kiawah Island by leading the creation of neighborhood shopping at Freshfields Village. In addition to Kiawah Island, Darby developed the Doonbeg Golf Club, located in County Clare, Ireland. The Club features residential cottages, exceptional accommodations (The Lodge at Doonbeg Golf Club), and a Greg Norman-designed links course, which has been internationally recognized as a top-25 golfing destination by industry publications and travel writers.
