Dr. Benjamin E. Sasse has served as President Emeritus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and professor at the University s Hamilton Center, since August 2024. He previously served as President of the University of Florida from February 2023 to July 2024 and as President of Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska from 2010 to 2014. He has taught at Yale University, the University of Texas, and Midland University. In addition to his academic career, Dr. Sasse has served in several policymaking roles in the United States government, including in the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Legal Policy in the Department of Justice, and he served in the United States Senate from January 2015 to January 2023. Dr. Sasse is a two-time New York Times national best-selling author. He has served on the Board of Directors of SouthState Bank Corporation since October 2025. Dr. Sasse earned a bachelor s degree in government from Harvard University, a Master of Arts in liberal studies from St. John s College, and master s and doctoral degrees in American history from Yale University. Dr. Sasse was elected to the Board in April 2024, and serves on the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee believes that based on his extensive experience and expertise in higher education as well as his experience in public policy at the highest levels of government, Dr. Sasse should serve as a director of the Company.