Frank E. Willis

Who is Frank E. Willis?

Frank E. Willis was the mayor of Florence, South Carolina from 1994 to 2008. His administration was widely praised for ushering in an era of economic expansion as the city of Florence rapidly grew into a regional business hub for the eastern Carolinas, especially in the areas of health care and financial services.

Prior to serving as mayor, Willis was a successful local businessman who chaired the Florence County Economic Development Authority. In 1980, he co-founded the South Carolina Transportation Policy and Research Council. As a conservative member of the Democratic Party, he was an ardent supporter of both Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Leadership Council.

In 1994, Willis defeated former Mayor Rocky Pearce and won the Democratic Party's mayoral nomination. He then went on to defeat the Republican nominee, City Councilman John Chase, in the general election. Due to a slight change in election law, however, Mayor Willis's initial term was extended through 1998, allowing him to win re-election in 2000 and then again in 2004. Florence has a council-manager government, so the mayor works part-time in conjunction with the city council, the city manager and the county council.