COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster on Nov 19th, announced his appointment of Dr. Edward Simmer as the first director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH). Dr. Simmer served as the director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) from February 2021 until the agency’s statutory reorganization in July 2024. The new law directed that the DHEC director serve as the interim director of the new agency until such a time as the governor nominates and the Senate confirms a permanent DPH director in 2025.

"Dr. Edward Simmer joined DHEC in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and immediately proved to be an exceptional leader and invaluable member of Team South Carolina," said Governor Henry McMaster. "As interim director of DPH, he has successfully guided the agency through a smooth transition, once again proving he is the right person to lead. I am grateful for his continued commitment to serving our state and know he will build upon the progress he has made in advancing public health in South Carolina." 

As DHEC director, Dr. Simmer led a team of 4,000 professionals in the areas of public health, healthcare quality, and environmental protection. He oversaw the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, led the agency’s response to natural disasters, and ensured that the state’s health care facilities provided high-quality, safe care. He also led the state’s more than 70 health departments and worked to improve the health of the people and the environment across the state.

“I am honored to have been nominated by Governor McMaster to serve as the first director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health,” said Dr. Edward Simmer. “It has been a privilege to serve the people of South Carolina for the past three and a half years, and I look forward to continuing to work with the amazing team at DPH and our many dedicated external partners to improve the health of all South Carolinians. Working together, there is nothing we cannot achieve.”

Prior to his confirmation as DHEC director, Dr. Simmer served on active duty in the United States Navy for over 30 years, during which time he held leadership positions, including Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for the TRICARE Health Plan and Commanding Officer and CEO at the Naval Hospital in Oak Harbor, Washington. With a strong track record of transforming large health care systems, Dr. Simmer has over 25 years of extensive clinical leadership and team-building experience. A copy of his biography can be found here. 

Dr. Simmer, 59, has been married to his wife, Peggy, for over 35 years. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Saint Louis University and holds a Master of Public Health degree, with a focus on epidemiology, from the Eastern Virginia Medical School/Old Dominion University Consortium, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hiram College. He completed a psychiatry residency at Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth. Dr. Simmer is board-certified in general and forensic psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is certified in administrative psychiatry by the American Psychiatric Association. A copy of his resume can be found here, and a copy of his headshot can be found here.