Board of Commissioners
We're an independent public utility governed by a Board of Commissioners.
Three Commissioners are elected at-large by majority vote and serve six-year terms. The mayor of Charleston and an appointed city council member are ex-officio members of the board.
The Board acts as an oversight and policy-making body and has full authority to approve contracts, purchase property, and authorize water / wastewater rate adjustments.
The utility's daily operations are carried out by a staff of 430 associates. Executive management consists of six officers.
Board Meetings
Our Board of Commissioners meets on a monthly basis to discuss policy matters, review financial information, approve contracts, etc. Items discussed at Board meetings, as well as procedural requirements and meeting scheduling, is specified in the Commission By-Laws and Rules of Procedure, which you can read here.Board Members
Thomas B. Pritchard, Chairman
First Elected: 1999
Current Term: 2018 - 2023
A native Charlestonian, Mr. Pritchard attended USC as an Alumni Scholar and served as the Chief of Staff to the student body president; he graduated cum laude in 1989 with a B.A. degree in Political Science.
Mr. Pritchard received his law degree from USC in 1992 and served as the law clerk for the Honorable William L. Howard, Sr., resident judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit. He was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 1992, and the US District Court for the District of South Carolina and the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in 1993.
He is a member of the Charleston County Bar, the South Carolina Bar, the American Bar Association, the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys' Association, and the Defense Research Institute.
Kathleen G. Wilson, Vice Chairman
Elected 2019
Current Term: 2020 - 2025
Kathleen Wilson has served the Charleston region in multiple capacities. She earned a bachelor of music and master of music in harp performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, serving as principal harpist with the Charleston Symphony, North Charleston Pops and as a guest with other regional orchestras. She is recognized as one of the foundational musicians through the decades of growth within Charleston, the go-to musician of choice. She holds adjunct teaching positions as instructor of harp at Charleston Southern University and the College of Charleston and maintains a freelancing schedule.
William E. Koopman, Jr., Commissioner
Appointed: 2022
Current Term: 2022 - 2027
Mr. Koopman was appointed to our Board of Commissioners in 2006 to fill the unexpired term of Chairman Howard Burky who passed away that year. He became an elected Commissioner in 2014 and chose not to run after his term concluded in 2020. Mr. Koopman accepted his second appointment to our board in 2022 following the passing of Dr. David E. Rivers that year.
Mr. Koopman earned a degree in business administration from the Baptist College at Charleston – now Charleston Southern University and a master’s in public administration from Florida Atlantic University.
Perry K. Waring, Charleston City Council
(District 7)
Appointed, 2016
Perry K. Waring was appointed to our Board of Commissioners in January 2016.
Read his bio on the city of Charleston's website.
Mayor John J. Tecklenburg
Read Mayor Tecklenburg's bio on the city of Charleston's website.