The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has elected a new trustee.
Kendrick F. Ashton Jr., leader of The St. James Group — a large-scale sports and entertainment location developer — has been elected to the the foundation’s board.
“Colonial Williamsburg is so much more than many people realize. It is a living history museum, but more importantly it is a rare place where the most complex issues in our society are discussed civilly, face-to-face,” Ashton said in a news release. “I look forward to working with my fellow board members and the foundation’s leadership to welcome more people into that conversation.”
Ashton is a graduate from William & Mary, where he earned four varsity letters in football and was honored as an all-conference cornerback. From 2012-2016, he served as a board member on the college’s Board of Visitors.
Following his education in Williamsburg, Ashton earned his law degree and a master’s in business administration from the University of Chicago. He serves as an adjunct law professor at George Mason University in Arlington.
“Kendrick’s close ties to Williamsburg date to his time as an undergraduate at William and Mary,” said Henry C. Wolf, chairman of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation board of trustees. “And since then he’s emerged as a leader both in business and in service to the community,”
Ashton also has a background with finance as a founding member, chief operating officer and managing director of Perella Weinberg Partners, a financial services firm. Additionally, he has served as an associate for Goldman, Sachs & Co., an investment banking group of global financial services.
Ashton also serves on the boards for the National Urban League, the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Anacostia Waterfront Trust in Washington.
“Colonial Williamsburg and its mission to share America’s enduring story are as relevant and critical as ever,” said Mitchell B. Reiss, president and CEO of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. “Kendrick’s leadership and insight will be of enormous value as we strengthen the institution’s financial health and welcome the new generations of neighbors and guests.”
