Haley Names Former State Legislator Chief of Staff

Gov. Nikki Haley announced Monday that her new chief of staff is current deputy chief of staff and former state legislator Ted Pitts.

“Ted has been a vital member of our team from the very beginning and I am proud and excited to name him as our new chief of staff,” Haley said in a release. “Having served together in the legislature and worked closely over the past three years, he is someone who understands our administration’s priorities and has the institutional knowledge needed to put those priorities into action. His relationships and leadership ability are second to none and we are lucky to have someone of his personal and professional caliber fighting to improve South Carolina every day.”

Pitts served in the South Carolina General Assembly, representing District 69 in Lexington County from 2003 to 2010. He is a Major in the South Carolina Army National Guard and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 where he was awarded the Bronze Star for his service. Prior to coming to work in the Haley administration, Pitts had a successful career in commercial real estate which began in 1999 as a broker with the Columbia firm Wilson Kibler. 

Pitts came to work in the Haley administration in January of 2011, serving as a deputy chief of staff. He oversees cabinet agencies, boards and commissions, legislative, and Budget and Control Board issues.

The transition into the chief of staff role will take place over the next several weeks.

Pitts, 41, currently resides in Lexington County and is married with three children.