Prisma Health has named Jay Lucas as its senior vice president for government affairs. In this new role, which begins July 25, Lucas will be responsible for leading Prisma Health’s government affairs activities at the local, state and national levels.
“Jay is a highly respected leader who is well-known for his ability to build productive relationships among diverse constituencies to achieve positive outcomes,” said Mark O’Halla, president and CEO of Prisma Health. “He is the perfect person to help us achieve our purpose of improving the health and wellbeing of South Carolinians by working with policymakers and regulatory agencies in Columbia, in Washington, D.C., and in the local municipalities that Prisma Health calls home.”
Lucas is an attorney, former member and Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives and a Hartsville, native. He has his bachelor’s, master’s and law degrees from the University of South Carolina. During his career, Lucas has served as a county manager, city finance director, county attorney and municipal judge. In 1987, he began his legal career as a corporate attorney at Nexsen Pruet in Columbia, and he is currently a partner with the law firm of Lucas, White & Mitchell in Hartsville. In 1999, Lucas was elected to represent District 65 in the S.C. House of Representatives, and, in 2010, he was named Speaker Pro Tempore by his colleagues, ultimately serving as Speaker of the House from 2014 until 2022.
“I am very excited to join the Prisma Health team to help create a better state of health for South Carolina,” said Lucas. “I have seen firsthand the dedication of the physicians, nurses and staff to providing compassionate patient care and improving community health. I am so pleased to be part of this team and help with the important, meaningful work that is in front of us.”
Throughout his years in public service, Lucas has received several prestigious awards, including the Wilkins Award for Excellence in Legislative Leadership from Furman University’s Riley Institute, the Roger Milliken Defender of Manufacturing Award and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce’s Public Servant on the Year Award, among many others.
