ÂÜŔňÂŇÂ×

Ed Hightower was appointed to the SIU Board of Trustees by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on March 22, 2019. He previously served from 2001 to 2014. He also served on the Lewis and Clark Community College Board of Trustees for more than 26 years.

In 2015, Dr. Hightower retired as superintendent of the Edwardsville School District 7. In the 19 years he led the district, it grew from 5,000 students to more than 7,000 students and became one of the top districts in the state, with remarkable accomplishments in academics, athletics and in the performing arts.

Supervising more than $160 million in school construction during his tenure, Dr. Hightower raised millions of dollars from private sources to build a wrestling center and aquatic center with an Olympic-sized pool as well as funding computer upgrades through the Technology in the 21st Century Classroom Initiative.

He also was an NCAA Basketball Referee for 36 years, officiating 12 Final Four Championships. Hightower has been named the Illinois Principal of the Year and Naismith College Official of the Year, received the National Distinguished Principals Award and has been inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.

The Edwardsville resident received his bachelor’s, master’s and specialist degrees from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a doctorate in Education Administration from St. Louis University.