SCF’s
First Gentleman
Like his wife, Bill Murphy is on a mission
to enhance education in Manatee County
WORDS: Amy Bell
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
As the husband of State College
of Florida (SCF) President Dr.
Carol Probstfeld, Bill Murphy is
often referred to as the “First Gentleman”
around the SCF campus. Although he
chuckles at the mention of it, it’s a title
that Bill takes seriously. Like his wife, he
is fully committed enhancing education in
Manatee County - and it shows through
his tireless work with the Kiwanis Club of
Bradenton and the SCF Foundation.
Former International
Man of Mystery
Dr. Carol Probstfeld rst joined SCF in
2003 as vice president of business and
administrative services, and she was
named SCF President in January 2013.
At the time, Bill says many people did not
even realize Dr. Probstfeld was married.
“For years, nobody knew who I was,” he
laughs. That’s because Bill was working
in the chemical warfare and explosives
detection industry, which required him to
travel to 27 countries across the globe.
“My deployments took me away from
home for long periods of time, so most
people did not know my wife even had
a husband.”
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