Story Courtesy of the Sunshine State Conference

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Presidents Council has selected Dr. P. Barry Butler, president of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, to serve a two-year term as president of the SSC Presidents Council for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 academic years.

The Presidents Council serves as the Sunshine State Conference's chief governing body, providing strategic leadership and oversight for conference policies, membership, and the continued advancement of its mission.

Butler has served as Embry-Riddle's president since 2017, leading one of the world's premier aviation and aerospace universities. During his tenure, Butler has expanded the university's academic, industry, and government partnerships while advancing research and education in aviation and aerospace safety, cybersecurity, and data analytics.

In addition to Butler's advancement of academic and research initiatives, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to collegiate athletics and supporting the Division II mission of providing holistic student-athlete experiences. Under his leadership, Embry-Riddle has continued to invest in its athletics programs, recognizing the role athletics plays in developing leadership, teamwork, and academic success.

Butler succeeds Dr. James Annarelli, president of Eckerd College, who served as president through the past two academic years. Under Annarelli's leadership, the SSC continued to build upon its tradition of excellence, celebrating major milestones while strengthening its commitment to academic and athletic achievement and providing exceptional experiences for student-athletes.

The full release can be found here.