The Santa Elena Foundation Board of Directors named Andrew J. Beall as executive director. Beall assumes responsibility for operational leadership and administration of the foundation.
Organized by local business leaders, civic leaders, and scholars, the Santa Elena Foundation promotes the history of
European arrival on the North American coast. French construction of Charlesfort on Parris Island by Jean Ribault in 1562 drew a Spanish response. Spanish settlers established the community of Santa Elena in 1569, the first colonial capital in America. The story of European rivals struggling for dominance in North America involved French, Spanish, and English explorers and their interactions with nations of Native American peoples. The Santa Elena Foundation is dedicated to sharing the little known history of this “lost century” through archaeological research, a cultural interpretive center, and a living history museum.
Beall brings to this role extensive executive experience as a global corporate leader. His 30 years in the industrial equipment industry included responsibility for facilities in numerous countries. Living and working internationally, he led teams that established service and manufacturing operations to serve global customers. Beall received his doctorate in business administration from the School of Advanced Studies at University of Phoenix. Since settling in the Lowcountry in 2010, he has volunteered his time with a number of community organizations.
In accepting this position, Dr. Beall observed, “I am so very pleased with the support the Santa Elena Foundation has received from the community and the immediate interest people show when they hear European settlers first arrived here 450 years ago. For me this role is an opportunity to work with a remarkable team of people on a historic project significant for our community.”
The Santa Elena Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Beaufort County. The mission of the foundation is to expand the story of European colonization of North America through discovery, preservation, and promotion of Santa Elena, the first colonial capital in the present-day United States.
