- Elected by the SSB membership
- Serves 3 years: one as President-Elect, one as President, one as Past-President.
- See detailed description of duties
| year | SSB president |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tracy Heath |
| 2025 | Jessica Ware |
| 2024 | Corrie Moreau |
| 2023 | David Baum |
| 2022 | Brian O'Meara |
| 2021 | Laura Kubatko |
| 2020 | Erika Edwards |
| 2019 | Cécile Ané |
| 2018 | Susana Magallón |
| 2017 | Luke Harmon |
| 2016 | Anne Yoder |
| 2015 | Paul Lewis |
| 2014 | Jack Sites |
| 2013 | Lacey Knowles |
| 2012 | Jack Sullivan |
| 2011 | David Mindell |
| 2010 | Keith Crandall |
| 2009 | John Huelsenbeck |
| 2008 | David Penny |
| 2007 | Chris Simon |
| 2006 | Scott Edwards |
| 2005 | Pamela Soltis |
| 2004 | David Cannatella |
| 2003 | Mike Sanderson |
| 2002 | Elizabeth Kellogg |
| 2001 | Kevin de Queiroz |
| 2000 | David Maddison |
| 1999 | Vicki Funk |
| 1998 | Michael Miyamoto |
| 1997 | Paula M. Mabee |
| 1996 | Jay Savage |
| 1995 | Michael Donoghue |
| 1994 | David Hillis |
| 1993 | Joel Cracraft |
| 1992 | Michael Novacek |
| 1991 | William Fink |
| 1990 | J. A. Powell |
| 1989 | Robert Hoffman |
| 1988 | Robert Hoffman |
| 1987 | E. O. Wiley, III |
| 1986 | Gareth Nelson |
| 1985 | D. L. Hull |
| 1984 | D. L. Hull |
| 1983 | J. A. Slater |
| 1982 | J. A. Slater |
| 1981 | E. C. Olson |
| 1980 | E. C. Olson |
| 1979 | R. F. Johnston |
| 1978 | R. F. Johnston |
| 1977 | D. E. Rosen |
| 1976 | D. E. Rosen |
| 1975 | Therodore Downs |
| 1974 | Theodore Downs |
| 1973 | H. H. Ross |
| 1972 | N. D. Newell |
| 1971 | R. F. Inger |
| 1970 | J. O. Corliss |
| 1969 | C. D. Michener |
| 1968 | P. L. Illg |
| 1967 | R. L. Usinger |
| 1966 | Ernst Mayr |
| 1965 | H. M. Smitch |
| 1964 | R. W. Pennak |
| 1963 | G. G. Simpson |
| 1962 | C. W. Sabrosky |
| 1961 | R. E. Blackwelder |
| 1960 | W. I. Follett |
| 1959 | L. H. Hyman |
| 1958 | A. E. Emerson |
| 1957 | R. C. Moore |
| 1956 | G. W. Wharton |
| 1955 | L. M. Klauber |
| 1954 | H. W. Stunkard |
| 1953 | H. B. Hungerford |
| 1952 | A. S. Romer |
| 1951 | C. L. Hubbs |
| 1950 | A. Petrunkevitch |
| 1949 | W. L. Schmidt |
| 1948 | W. L. Schmidt |