Lou Kennedy is the chief operating officer, president and owner of Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation – a certified woman-owned business. She has held a variety of marketing and operational roles at Nephron and created the Nephron national sales force.

Under Kennedy’s leadership, Nephron has experienced unprecedented growth. The state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in West Columbia produces one billion doses of life-saving medication annually and is a nationwide leader in manufacturing opioid-free pain management drugs.

In 2022, Kennedy announced a historic, job-creating expansion with the opening of Nephron Nitrile, a medical-grade nitrile glove production facility established as part of the effort to shore up the domestic supply chain. Nephron Nitrile represents an investment of more than $100 million and will generate 250 jobs in the Midlands.

Kennedy has been widely recognized for her achievements in business and leadership. As a worldwide pandemic reached South Carolina, Governor Henry McMaster appointed Kennedy to #acceleratesc – the state’s coordinated COVID-19 advisory and recovery team. Kennedy is past chair of S.C. BIO, a statewide association promoting the life sciences industry, which has also given Kennedy its Pinnacle Award for significant contributions to the advancement of life sciences in the state.

Kennedy received South Carolina’s highest civilian honor – the Order of the Palmetto – from Governor Nikki Haley in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding service. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in public relations from the University of South Carolina.