William W. Brown

William believes in the success of every child. His life-long advocacy for education is reflected in his passion for creating opportunities where children can “be all they can be.” As Founder and Board Chair of Legacy Early College, William is transforming education in South Carolina with a unique school model that combines academic excellence, physical fitness, and superior nutrition. Under his stewardship of the Legacy Board of Directors and school leadership team, Legacy is fulfilling the mission to provide quality educational experiences for underserved students and seeing every scholar to and through college graduation.

William graduated from The Citadel after completing four years of military service. He was among the first CPAs in the country to earn the board specialization, PFS (Personal Financial Specialist) from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. In 1977, William opened a CPA firm in Greenville and in 1995 he formed an Investment Advisory Firm, now known as Family Legacy, Inc.

In 2010, William founded Legacy Early College which is now the largest Title 1 school in Greenville with approximately 1,600 scholars (K4 – 12th grade). William currently serves as Board Chair for Legacy.

Actively involved in the success of the Upstate, William has served on community boards that support the arts and education, including the Greenville Symphony, Greenville Tech Foundation, Limestone University, and the Peace Center. He currently serves on the boards of Artisphere and Legacy Early College.

William has been recognized by the Greenville Tech Foundation as part of the elite Entrepreneurs Forum. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service from Limestone University. Additionally, he was recognized with the National Community Leadership Award by the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition for his work with Legacy Early College. William was also the recipient of the 2019 Education Spirit Award from Community Journals and the Community Foundation of Greenville.

William is an avid reader and sports fan who keeps physically fit through a regular exercise program.