Mike Griffin selected to serve as USF Board of Trustees chair

By Adam Freeman, photos by Torie Doll, University Communications and Marketing

The University of South Florida Board of Trustees today unanimously elected Mike Griffin to serve a two-year term as board chair. Griffin has been acting chair since April when Will Weatherford announced he was stepping down as chair, but would remain on the board.

Griffin, a USF alum who earned a bachelor's degree in business administration, served two terms as student body president and was the student representative on the first USF Board of Trustees in 2001. He is the first former USF student body president to become BOT chair.

Griffin has served as BOT vice chair since 2021 and chaired the last two Presidential Search Committees, including the search that concluded with Moez Limayem's selection in 2025 as the ninth president in USF history.

Griffin is vice chairman and co-head of the Florida region for Savills, a worldwide company known for its consistent delivery of a full range of integrated real estate services across the globe. He previously served as chairman of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and was recognized as its youngest chairman in the more than 140-year history of the organization. Griffin is a member of the Florida Council of 100 and is a graduate of Leadership Florida (Cornerstone XXVI). He is chairman of the Lions World Vision Board of Directors and a member of the Board of Directors for Seacoast Banking Corp.

"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!"

The BOT also elected Oscar Horton to serve a two-year term as vice chair. Horton, who first joined the board in 2018, is president and CEO of Sun State International, a full-service commercial transportation organization with five locations in West Central Florida and annual gross revenues exceeding $150 million. Horton serves on the boards of Tampa General Hospital, Academy Prep Center of Tampa, Community Foundation Tampa Bay, the Bank of Tampa, and he previously served 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."

During today's meeting, Griffin led trustees and President Limayem in honoring outgoing Chair Will Weatherford for his service over the past five years.

"It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as chair," Weatherford said before looking ahead to the board's new leadership. "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."

The BOT is comprised of 13 members, six of whom are appointed by the Florida governor and five who are appointed by the Florida Board of Governors. The elected Faculty Senate president and Student Government president also serve as trustees.