Board officers, new members elected at Annual Meeting
From staff reports
Historic Beaufort Foundation’s 2025 Annual Meeting on June 7 served as a milestone moment as longtime executive director Cynthia Cole Jenkins retired and experienced preservationist Lise Sundrla took the lead at a critical time for the organization and City of Beaufort.
“We face challenges in Beaufort to protect the historic fabric that keeps this town authentic,” Jenkins said. “But those same challenges provide organizations such as HBF and the City of Beaufort with opportunities to do the right thing now and into the future,” Jenkins said.
“Working together, and with other organizations and citizens, I am confident that good and consistent planning will continue to protect our Historic District and other resources from over-development and from us becoming ‘Anytown, USA,’” she said.
During the course of two stints as HBF executive director, Jenkins served 14 years. She received the 2021 SC Governor’s Award for Excellence in Preservation, the highest honor given by South Carolina, for her efforts to preserve the architectural and cultural history of the Lowcountry and half a dozen other counties across the state.
Lise Sundrla, HBF assistant director the past several years, takes over as executive director. She brings more than 40 years of experience in the fields of non-profit management; neighborhood, downtown and community redevelopment with specific emphasis in preservation, community building, and hospitality. She’s also worked with local governments on urban corridor, neighborhood corridor, and main street redevelopment.
“HBF is fortunate to have a strong and experienced Board of Trustees and talented staff. We are ready to move forward,” Sundrla said.
The annual meeting was held at First African Baptist Church in Beaufort’s National Historic Landmark District Saturday afternoon. Rev. Alexander McBride, senior pastor of First African Baptist and a member of the HBF Board of Trustees, shared the rich history of the church and congregation along with the ongoing efforts to preserve the ca. 1863 structure. In 2007, the exterior of the church was restored to its Gothic Revival appearance and received the Historic Preservation Honor Award from the Palmetto Trust.
As part of the annual session, members elected new board members and officers. Re-elected as chair was Rob Montgomery. Donna Dehncke will serve as vice-chair with Marshall Bassett as treasurer. Larry Haskell rounds out the board officers as secretary with Wayne Vance as immediate past chair.
Re-appointed to three-year terms on the HBF Board of Trustees were John Troutman, Wayne Vance, Larry Haskell, Drew Scallan, Ivey Savage, Sarah Dyson and Marshall Bassett.
Stepping down from the board after serving four years is John Tashjian.
About the HBF Board Officers:
— Rob Montgomery, HBF’s chair elected for a third term, is a well-known local architect and planner. He has served on HBF’s Board of Trustees since 2015 and has been the chair of the Preservation Committee where he primarily was involved with the Revolving Fund projects, easement protection and management and site monitoring. He has been a long-time champion of the preservation, maintenance and protection of the John Mark Verdier House, from repairing stair rails to managing the 2021 renovation program.
— Donna Brooks Dehncke, vice-chair, is a graduate of Avery College, and holds a Master’s degree in government contracting from the University of Virginia; and advanced studies certificates from George Washington University. She is retired from DDL OMNI, an engineering and technical services company, as Vice President of program management services.
Donna has been actively volunteering with Historic Beaufort Foundation since 2015, serving as the Co-Chair and Chair of the Lafayette Soiree, and as Chair of HBF’s Development Committee and Events programs for the past six years. She is also a member of the Finance Committee.
— Marshall Bassett is the treasurer for Historic Beaufort Foundation, serving on the Finance Committee since 2020 and the Board of Trustees since 2022. He retired to Beaufort in 2016 from a career in investment management in New York and Philadelphia after earning degrees from Duke University.
— Larry Haskell, the board secretary, is a leader in the field of non-profit development, He has been instrumental in guiding and streamlining HBF’s membership and giving processes. He has served in many roles for HBF, including as a leader in board development efforts, a docent for the Fall Tour and Architects Tours, and a Verdier House greeter and volunteer.
Appointed to lead committees were:
· Rob Montgomery, Preservation Committee
· Marshall Bassett, Finance Committee
· Drew Scallan, Operations Committee
· Ivey Savage, Development Committee
· Sarah Dyson, Verdier House Committee.
