With great sadness, the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET) family announces that its Interim CEO and Executive Director, Derrick Huggins, passed away unexpectedly Friday morning.
A multi-faceted transportation and community leader, Huggins displayed talent, ingenuity, and commitment to everything he touched. He was a long-time board member of The COMET and served as board chair up to his recent appointment as Interim CEO & Executive Director in November of 2021 after a successful tenure as a transportation executive with the University of South Carolina.
“The COMET board of directors extends our condolences and sympathy to the family of Derrick Huggins. We are saddened at this very unexpected loss, as so many of us just had conversations with him in recent days and were making future plans together. Derrick was not only the CEO of the COMET. He had been a Board member and Board Chair, and we all knew him not only professionally but also personally. He will be missed.” said Board Chair, Allison Terracio.
LeRoy DesChamps, Chief Operating Officer will assume oversight of the organization at this time as the Board of Directors makes plans for the future.