Mineau Steps Down as President, Massachusetts Family Institute
Beckwith Elected Successor
Woburn, MA – The Board of Directors of Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) announced today in a planned succession that MFI President Kris Mineau will become the Institute’s president emeritus and Andrew Beckwith, executive vice president, will assume the role of president.
“After 10 years as president, we are deeply grateful to Kris for his outstanding leadership and very fortunate that he will continue to serve with MFI as president emeritus,” said Walter Weld, Chairman of the Board of Directors.
As MFI’s president and a recognized leader of the pro-family movement both statewide and nationally, Kris was an outstanding spokesman, articulating clearly and winsomely the Judeo-Christian values for which MFI stands. He testified frequently at the Massachusetts State House in public hearings on legislation affecting the family. He participated in hundreds of television, radio, and newspaper interviews and debates on local and national media outlets. In addition, he devoted significant energy to educating voters on issues affecting the family.
During the decade in which Kris served as president of Massachusetts Family Institute, same-sex marriage became a major national issue, and Massachusetts was the main battleground in the early part of Kris’ tenure. In fact, on Kris’ first day as president, May 17, 2004, same-sex marriage began in the Commonwealth through judicial fiat by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in the controversial Goodridge case. For the next three years, Kris was one of the key public policy figures, leading the campaign to reverse this regrettable decision and pass a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union between one man and one woman.
The hallmark of this campaign was a citizen petition with 170,000 signers—the largest ballot question signature drive in the history of the Commonwealth. During this multi-year campaign, Massachusetts Family Institute, with Kris at the helm, helped to bring about a coalition to restore traditional marriage that brought together citizens from every economic, social, ethnic, and religious group. Despite finally losing this battle at the hands of the Massachusetts Legislature, Kris continued his strong principled defense of traditional marriage while devoting increased attention to other issues affecting the health of Massachusetts families, including the great moral issues of fatherless families, abortion, physician-assisted suicide, casino gambling, and the further deconstruction of human sexuality.
“Massachusetts Family Institute’s Board and stakeholders could not have had a better pro-family champion than Kris during these 10 tumultuous years. His intellect, discipline, insight, optimism, and faith allowed MFI to rise to a new level of policy leadership statewide,” Mr. Weld added.
The MFI Board unanimously elected Andrew Beckwith as president, effective February 1, 2014. Andrew served on the MFI Board before being named executive vice president two years ago. The Board is confident that under Andrew’s leadership, Massachusetts Family Institute will continue to be a strong voice for the family in Massachusetts.
A native of West Newbury, Massachusetts, Andrew graduated summa cum laude from Gordon College and cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School. From 2004 to 2007, he served as a judge advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps in Japan. He continues to serve our country in the Marine Reserves with the rank of major. From 2007 to 2012, he served as assistant chief counsel in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Robert H. Bradley, Co-Founder and currently Vice-Chairman of MFI, commented on Beckwith’s appointment: “We are very fortunate, indeed, to have such a fine leader step into Kris’s shoes. Andrew was born and bred in the Commonwealth; is a practicing lawyer; an officer in the U.S. Marines; and a man dedicated to family, marriage and faith.”
