S.C. Real Estate Hall of Fame

Wilson Baker Springs

The late Wilson Springs is an inagural inductee to the South Carolina Real Estate Hall of Fame at Coastal Carolina University. 

Biography

Wilson grew up in Myrtle Beach, graduating from Myrtle Beach High School in 1945 and from the University of South Carolina in 1949. While at Carolina, he was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity, and after graduating with a B.S. in Business Administration, he enlisted in the Air Force and attended Officer Candidate School at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and proudly served his country in both Tripoli, North Africa and stateside. In 1953, after completing his service, Wilson returned to Myrtle Beach to take over H.B. Springs Company. His late father, General Springs, had founded the real estate and insurance company in 1928, several years after moving his family to Myrtle Beach from Greenville, South Carolina.

While the main purpose of the move was to assist the Woodside brothers in developing and building Pine Lakes Country Club and The Ocean Forest Hotel, it also enabled his father, General Springs, to bring the family closer to his own childhood home, Waverly Plantation in Pawley's Island, and to establish the family company. Wilson was later joined in the business by his brother, Albert, and together they managed H.B. Springs Company for more than 50 years. In recent years, the business has been operated by Albert's three sons. Wilson continued, however, until his death, to be one of the owners, as well as President and CEO of Ponderosa, Incorporated. During his almost seventy year career, Wilson felt privileged to be involved with numerous development and business ventures in the area, holding PirateLand Campground and Caledonia and True Blue Golf Courses closest to his heart.

Wilson retired after serving more than thirty years on the Board of Directors of Coastal Federal Savings and Loan and Coastal Financial Corporation. He was a board member of Myrtle Beach National Corporation, a past chairman of Ocean View Foundation and a past president of the Myrtle Beach Civitan Club, having been recognized as a fifty year member. He was also a former member of the Dunes Golf and Beach Club and a founding member of Wachesaw Plantation. As his parents were instrumental in the formation of First United Methodist Church in Myrtle Beach, he was a lifelong member, serving faithfully on numerous committees and boards over the years.