by WILL FOLKS
***
A major leadership shakeup has occurred at Nephron Pharmaceuticals, a crony capitalist West Columbia, South Carolina-based drug manufacturer that has made all sorts of troubling headlines in recent years.
According to a news release issued late Friday (October 16, 2026), chief executive officer and co-owner Lou Kennedy has “departed” the company – replaced on an interim basis by Haywood Miller.
“Nephron has a strong foundation built on an exceptional team, trusted customer relationships, and world-class manufacturing capabilities, and the opportunity ahead is significant,” Miller said in taking the reins of the embattled firm.
Multiple sources familiar with the situation told FITSNews that Kennedy and her husband, Bill Kennedy – Nephron’s chief business development officer and co-owner – were “pushed out” of their roles.
FITSNews first reported on the impending changes yesterday evening…
***
?#SCBiz Major developments at @NephronPharm, according to our sources… leadership changes reportedly coming very soon. Unconfirmed reports indicating both Bill and Lou Kennedy are both on the way OUT. Developing…
— FITSNews (@fitsnews) October 15, 2026
***
These sources say the Kennedys did not go gently into that good night, with multiple sources indicating they were “walked out” of the company’s sprawling and heavily taxpayer-subsidized West Columbia complex on Thursday evening (October 15, 2026).
“They were walked out by security (Thursday) night,” one source familiar with the situation told FITSNews.
“They were asked to leave,” another confirmed.
The corporate statement made no reference to the dramatic departure, and in fact thanked Lou Kennedy “for her leadership and her many years of service to Nephron.”
The statement made no mention of Bill Kennedy.
As this media outlet has meticulously documented over the years, Nephron has landed in numerous controversies since it fled the state of Florida under a cloud of scrutiny and rushed into South Carolina’s welcoming arms a decade-and-a-half ago. Palmetto State politicians – led by then-governor Nikki Haley – gave the company tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded subsidies to relocate to West Columbia. Haley spearheaded the Palmetto State’s initial corporate welfare package for Nephron, but others have since followed her lead. When the company opened its new glove facility in December 2022, for example, governor Henry McMaster and lieutenant governor Pamela Evette both attended the ribbon-cutting.
FITSNews is currently investigating another multi-million dollar taxpayer investment in Nephron that has failed to generate a return.
Stay tuned for that report in the coming weeks…
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
***
SOUND OFF…
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
