Mary Celeste Beall of Blackberry Farm to speak at Maryville College’s 2022 commencement
Mary Celeste Beall, proprietor of the celebrated Blackberry Farm, will deliver the commencement address to Maryville College’s Class of 2022 during a ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, May 7, on the lawn of Anderson Hall.
During the ceremony, Beall will receive the honorary doctor of humane letters degree from the 203-year-old liberal arts college.
“We have always appreciated Maryville College and how it contributes to our region,” Beall said. “We are fortunate that so many Maryville College alumni have made such an impact at Blackberry and our community. I am truly honored to have the opportunity to address the Class of 2022.”
Beall earned degrees in business and accounting from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and worked as an associate with PricewaterhouseCoopers in San Francisco before she and her husband, Sam, returned to East Tennessee in 2001, where he assumed management of Blackberry Farm, which was first opened as an inn in 1976 and became a Relais & Châteaux property in 1994. Under his leadership, Blackberry Farm, located in Walland, Tennessee, earned a worldwide reputation for hospitality and cuisine. It was named to Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List, was regularly ranked among the best hotels and resorts by Travel + Leisure magazine and earned three awards from the James Beard Foundation. Bon Appetit ranked it as the No.1 Hotel for Food Lovers in 2013.
In 2016, alongside her father-in-law, Sandy Beall, she and the Blackberry team assumed responsibility for the Blackberry brand after the unexpected death of her husband in a tragic skiing accident. Under their guidance, it has grown and continued to garner worldwide acclaim.
In 2019, the Blackberry team expanded to include the creation and opening of Blackberry Mountain, a resort on 5,200 acres designed as “a destination for preservation and personal exploration in relaxation, wellness, and adventure.” Beall also led the creative direction for Blackberry Magazine, which shares original stories, art and interviews inspired by life at Blackberry, and she continues to carefully cultivate the brand’s reputation for comfort, relaxation, food and drink.
Through the Blackberry Farm Foundation, Blackberry has been instrumental in supporting charitable organizations that provide services, education and support for children and foodways-related causes. Locally, the foundation has awarded generous grants to schools, the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, New Hope Children’s Advocacy Center, Pellissippi State Community College, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, Boys & Girls Club of Blount County, Harmony Family Center, and Special Opps, Inc.
“Mary Celeste Beall’s“Mary Celeste Beall’s story of success and resilience following a life-changing personal tragedy should be a powerful one for this year’s graduating class, whose college experience has largely been characterized by the COVID pandemic,” said Maryville College President Bryan F. Coker. “Following the loss of her spouse, Mary Celeste — alongside the Blackberry Farm leadership team — assured that the brand remained the global hospitality phenomenon that we know today. She accomplished all of this while raising her five children, and she has continued to promote the food and culture of this region, as well as personal health and wellness. We are pleased to recognize her with an honorary degree and look forward to hearing her message to graduates who soon will begin new chapters of their lives.”