Wilbur O. “Billy” Powers, a South Carolina self-made businessman whose faith, determination and generosity touched lives across his home state and beyond, died Monday, November 2, at his home in Florence. He was 90. Powers is survived by the love of his life, his wife Ann Powers.
A devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Powers built a life rooted in the lessons he learned growing up on a farm: hard work, keep your word and help your neighbors. Those values guided the businesses he built with his wife, Ann, and the many ways they gave back — often without seeking recognition.
At Clemson, where Powers studied civil engineering before returning home to help his family, his connection to the University endured for seven decades. He and Ann supported students, faculty and programs across the campus. Their 2020 gift established the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business, creating opportunities for generations of future business leaders.
“Today, Clemson has lost a truly exceptional person whose generosity and quiet service changed countless lives,” said Clemson President Ben Ayers. “Billy Powers understood that the true measure of success is what it makes possible for others. I am deeply grateful for his belief in Clemson and in the power of education to change lives. His legacy extends far beyond the college that bears his and Ann’s names; it lives in the students, faculty and communities that will benefit from their generosity for generations. Marilyn and I, along with the Clemson Family, extend our deepest sympathies to Ann and the Powers family during this difficult time.”
To honor his life and work, memorial wreaths will be placed in front of the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business, including one at the campus memorial of his grandson, Chandler Burns’ and in the business college’s Atrium. Wreaths will also be placed in other spots on campus where his gifts are at work, including in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences and the College of Architecture, Art and Construction.
Clemson’s carillon bells will sound a tribute to Powers at 11 a.m. Wednesday, and a celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Central Methodist Church in Florence.
“Billy Powers gave our College far more than a name,” said Wendy York, dean of the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business. “His entrepreneurial spirit, discipline, humility and belief that success comes with a responsibility to serve others have become part of who we are. He challenged us to think bigger, pursue excellence and prepare leaders who measure achievement by what they contribute. He established not only a legacy, but a standard that will continue to guide the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business into the future.”
Born in 1936, Billy grew up in Timmonsville, South Carolina, along with his sister and their parents, Fred and Katherine Powers. As a boy, 3:30 a.m. wake-up calls and chores before school were a way of life for the farming family. His values and work ethic were shaped in those early years, and that included being on the receiving end of deep generosity early in his life. When the Powers’ family home was destroyed by fire, neighbors and friends stepped in and provided the family with a place to live and helped them rebuild.
“You always helped your neighbors,” he recalled in a 2020 interview. “You’d work for your neighbor for nothing, and they would do the same for you. Whether that was putting in tobacco, whatever you had to do, they would come and help you. That was just understood.”
After graduating from high school in 1953, Powers enrolled at Clemson College to study civil engineering. He joined the Air Force ROTC with dreams of becoming a pilot. In 1956, when his father became ill, he returned home to help on the family farm.
He later worked for the South Carolina Department of Transportation before establishing his first business as an independent land surveyor. A construction company followed, growing into one of the largest commercial construction companies in the Southeast. Over time, Billy and Ann expanded their enterprises into real estate, aviation, manufacturing and other fields spanning the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
Through 44 years of marriage, Billy and Ann shared a partnership in family, business and service. Friends described them as a complementary team: Billy brought the energy and persistence; Ann brought patience and a steady perspective he deeply valued. Together, they supported causes close to their hearts and found ways to help friends and strangers alike.
Powers believed his blessings were meant to be shared, a conviction he put into practice through both public philanthropy and private acts of kindness. He paid bills for people in need, made a plane available for a sick child to receive medical care and arranged a dream fishing trip for a friend with cancer.
“You haven’t really helped someone until you do things for people who can’t do something back in return,” he often said.
In 2016, Billy and Ann founded the W.O. and Ann Powers Foundation to support organizations in their community and beyond, including those serving families, advancing education and strengthening the Florence area.
His lifelong love of aviation began with a flying lesson while he was working for the highway department. He went on to earn his pilot’s license and, through his passenger charter service, made planes available to organ transplant patients and others in medical need.
Though Powers left Clemson before completing his studies, his affection for the University never waned. A devoted Tiger, he supported Clemson Athletics, was a member of IPTAY and the Greater Pee Dee Clemson Club, and he served on the Clemson University Foundation board of directors. He was an Academic Cornerstone Champion, a member of the Next Century Society and a founding member of the Leadership Circle.
In 2004, Clemson University bestowed Powers with an honorary doctorate of humanities degree, and in 2011, he was recognized with the Clemson Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award.
That Tiger legacy continued into the next generation and beyond. His two children, Tim ’81 and Penny ’84, and three of his grandchildren are Clemson graduates.
In 2020, Billy and Ann made a $60 million transformational gift to the College of Business, the largest academic gift in Clemson’s history. The college bearing their name reflects their belief in education and their desire to help students build meaningful futures. The couple also supported distinguished professorships in civil engineering and construction science.
Their Clemson philanthropy carried a deeply personal meaning. In memory of their beloved grandson Chandler Burns ’15, who passed away after a sudden illness the year following his graduation, the family named a tower of the business school building in his honor.
From the neighbors who helped his family after a fire to the students and families he would help years later, Billy Powers understood generosity as a bond between people. He was a visionary benefactor driven by purpose. His successes led to an extraordinary life, and in that life, he practiced extraordinary generosity for which he will always be remembered.
