South Carolina Secretary of State James Melvin
Miles was born October 10, 1941 in Norfolk, Virginia. He received a
Bachelor of Arts Degree from Duke University in 1964 and a Juris Doctor
from the University of North Carolina in 1969. He was admitted to the
North Carolina Bar in 1969, and the South Carolina Bar in 1971. In 1974,
he was admitted & qualified as an attorney before the United States
Supreme Court. In his spare time, Secretary Miles serves as a Supreme
Court certified mediator.
After practicing law in Greenville for more than twenty years, Jim
Miles entered public service as a Greenville City Councilman in 1989. In
1990 he was elected as South Carolina's first Republican Secretary of
State since Reconstruction. Secretary Miles was re-elected in 1998 with
more votes than any Republican Constitutional Officer in SC history.
During his tenure he has received numerous accolades. He received the
SC Association of Taxpayers' "Friend of the Taxpayer" award in
1993, and was named "Watchdog for the Taxpayer" by the State
Treasurer in 1998. Under the leadership of Secretary Miles, the Office of
Secretary of State was recognized for "Most Money Saved by a Small
Agency" in 1993. Secretary Miles also received The Order of the
Palmetto from Governor Carroll Campbell, one of the highest honors that
can be bestowed on a citizen of South Carolina.
Secretary Miles is dedicated to efficiency, accountability, and
customer service within state government. While in office, he has pushed
an aggressive agenda of reforms targeting government ethics, investor
protection, and telemarketing abuses. As a result, South Carolina now has
the Ethics Act and one of the toughest Charity Fraud Laws in the country.
He continues to work at increasing consumer awareness of fraud and
trademark violations, and to prosecute offenders.
Jim and his wife Betty have 5 sons and 8 grandchildren. They reside at
the Isle of Palms.
