Seven South Carolina agency heads received requested salary bumps. Here’s how much of a raise

South Carolina set the salary for its new higher education leader at nearly a quarter of a million dollars while also giving large raises to six other agency leaders Thursday.

The new director of the Commission on Higher Education, Dr. Jeffrey Perez will receive $240,071. The State Ethics Commission Director Megan Walker is receiving a raise to $194,058, up from $145,600.

A set of requests from the governor’s office for select cabinet agencies included:

• Department on Aging Director Connie Munn will receive $162,414,from her current $130,000.
• Department of Children’s Advocacy Director Amanda Whittle will receive almost a $30,000 raise, from $132,600 to $162,414.
  
  
• Office of the Inspector General leader Brian Lamkin will receive $172,971, up from $129,993.
• Department of Juvenile Justice Director Eden Hendrick will receive $215,702 up from the current $158,420.
• Department of Motor Vehicles Director Kevin Shwedo will receive $177,998. Schwedo currently earns $149,230.
• Department of Public Safety Director Robert Woods will receive $237,487, up from $179,150.

The salaries were confirmed at the Agency Head Salary commission meeting Thursday, where state representatives and Senate members approved the increases.

The chairman of the Senate Finance committee and the chairman of the House Ways and Means committee each appoint four members to the commission, and the governor appoints three members.

All salaries requested were approved at the rate they were asked for.