Past Presidents
| 1969-70 | Robert J. Scholes (UF) | 1992-93 | Guy Bailey (U Tx San Antonio) |
| 1970-71 | John Algeo (UF) | 1993-94 | George Dorrill (SLU) |
| 1971-72 | María Tsiapera (UNC-Ch) | 1994-95 | Barbara Johnstone (Texas A&M) |
| 1972-73 | Richard A. Long (Atl. U) | 1995-96 | Don R. McCreary (U Georgia) |
| 1973-74 | James Gough, Jr. (Geo. Tech.) | 1996-97 | Bruce Pearson (USC) |
| 1974-75 | Jean Casagrande (UF) | 1997-98 | Carole Hines (ODU) |
| 1975-76 | Bohan Saciuk (UF) | 1998-99 | Thomas Nunnally (Auburn U) |
| 1976-77 | Robert Trammell (FAU) | 1999-00 | Walt Wolfram (NCSU) |
| 1977-78 | John Broderick (ODU) | 2000-01 | Natalie Maynor (Mississippi SU) |
| 1978-79 | Connie Eble (UNC-Ch) | 2001-02 | Cynthia Bernstein (U Memphis) |
| 1979-80 | Jeutonne Brewer (UNC-G) | 2002-03 | Steve Nagle (Coastal Carolina) |
| 1980-81 | Chauncey Chu (UF) | 2003-04 | Catherine Davies (U Alabama) |
| 1981-82 | Charles Ruhl (ODU) | 2004-06 | Don Dyer (U Mississippi) |
| 1982-83 | Ronald Butters (Duke U) | 2006-07 | Michael Picone (U Alabama) |
| 1983-84 | Marvin Ching (MSU) | 2008-09 | Allison Burkette (U Mississippi) |
| 1984-85 | Mary R. Miller (U Maryland) | 2009-11 | Lisa Abney (NSU) |
| 1985-86 | Greta Little (USC) | 2011-13 | Clai Rice (U Louisiana, Lafayette) |
| 1986-87 | Carole Hines (ODU) | 2013-17 | Jennifer Cramer (U Kentucky) |
| 1987-88 | Karl Nicholas (WCU) | 2017-21 | Ralf Thiede (U North Carolina, Charlotte) |
| 1988-89 | William H. Smith | 2021-23 | Tamara Lindner (U Louisiana, Lafayette) |
| 1989-90 | Boyd Davis (UNC-C) | ||
| 1990-91 | Joan Weatherly (U Memphis) | ||
| 1991-92 | Michael Montgomery (USC) |
Executive Secretaries*
| 1969-71 | Anthony L. Vanek (FSU) |
| 1971-74 | Sarita Schotta (Tech. Associates, Inc.) |
| 1974-89 | Reza Ordoubadian (MTSU) |
| 1990-95 | Greta Little and Michael Montgomery (USC) |
| 1995-99 | Marvin Ching and Joan Weatherly (U Memphis) |
| 2000-2004 | Ralf Thiede (UNC, Charlotte) |
| 2016-2021 | Catherine Evans Davies (U Alabama) |
*The office was changed to “Executive Secretary” after the second year of Reza Ordoubadian’s term. Prior to that, the official title was “Secretary/Treasurer.” As the organization grew, two persons were elected to the position–one who was primarily responsible for conference abstracts and the SECOL Review, the other who was responsible mainly for records, finances, and SECOL Newsletter. In that case, the editors-in-chief are listed first. In 2006, the duties were again divided into Editor of Southern Journal of Linguistics, Treasurer, Secretary, and Web Master.