William Brown, founder and CEO of Legacy Early College, was awarded South Carolina’s highest civilian honor on April 24.
State Rep. Bruce Bannister presented the Order of the Palmetto to Brown on behalf of Gov. Henry McMaster during Legacy Early College’s Senior Signing Day. The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate extraordinary achievement and service to the community and state.
“I am humbled and deeply grateful for this recognition,” Brown said. “But the real honor is watching our scholars announce where they are going to college. That is what this work has always been about.”
Brown founded Legacy Early College in 2009 to help underserved youth living in the communities of West Greenville prepare for and succeed in college. It has become the largest Title 1 school in Greenville, serving 1,700 Pre-K through 12th-grade students across multiple campuses.
The public charter school has achieved a 97% graduation rate and a 94% college acceptance rate under Brown’s leadership. Legacy Early College is currently completing a $25 million capital campaign for its new 55-acre campus on Marion Road, scheduled to open in fall 2027.
Seabrook Marchant, owner of Marchant Real Estate, nominated Brown for the Order of the Palmetto. He said if anyone was deserving of this honor, it was Brown.
“Greenville should be proud of what he’s done and what we’ve got here and the fact that the people that are served by him are going to go on to be well-rounded, productive people in society and leaders in the community,” Marchant said.
Brown worked as a CPA before focusing his efforts on helping educate Greenville’s youth. He is one of the first people in the country to earn the title of Personal Finance Specialist. In 1997, Brown opened his first CPA firm in Greenville. He founded Family Legacy Inc., an investment advisory firm, in 1995. Brown was also a high school basketball coach for a period of time.
