Five members of CSU board honored for service

By Jan Joslin | November 22, 2024

Dr. James Merritt, President Keith Faulkner, and Mr. Mark Hood. Photo by Dan Steffy.

Charleston Southern University recognized five members of the board of trustees at the board’s October meeting for five years of service to the university.

Completing their terms on the board were: Michelle “Missie” Branch, Phil Byrd, Mark Hood, Dr. D.J. Horton, and Dr. James Merritt.

President B. Keith Faulkner said, “Charleston Southern University appreciates the service of these board members whose leadership was invaluable in assisting the university in preparing servant leaders to pursue significant lives.”

Branch is a speaker, author, and host of the Women & Work podcast. She serves on the Southern Baptist Convention’s Racial Reconciliation Steering Committee, and is currently chairman of the Lifeway Christian Resources Board of Trustees.

Byrd is a 1976 graduate of Charleston Southern University. He is the retired president and CEO of Bulldog Hiway and recently received the Order of the Palmetto from Governor Henry McMaster for his service to South Carolina.

Hood is president and CEO of Hood Construction in Columbia. He is actively involved in the Columbia community and is a member of Shandon Baptist Church.

Horton is the senior pastor of Church at the Mill in Moore. He is the founder of Living Worthy Ministries where he shares his preaching, teaching, and resources.

Merritt is senior pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Georgia. He hosts the broadcast ministry of Touching Lives. He is a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention.