Chattanooga, Tenn. (Jan. 5, 2026) – After a nationwide search, the Tennessee Aquarium has selected Mary Ann Beil as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Beil will assume the responsibilities previously held by Gordon Stalans, who has served as the Aquarium’s CFO for more than 30 years. Stalans will continue to serve as the institution’s Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Information Officer, as Beil begins her tenure as the Aquarium’s Chief Financial Officer.

A native of Jackson, Tennessee, Beil joins the Aquarium’s executive leadership after a six-year stint serving as CFO for the Memphis Zoo. Prior to taking on that role, she spent 20 years working in the banking and financial community in Memphis.

“I’m very excited to get to stay in the zoo and aquarium world,” Beil says. “The Tennessee Aquarium is much more mission-focused than many organizations, and I’m very excited to be able to directly affect that nonprofit mission.”

“You can do accounting anywhere, but when you can do it and see the results in things like conservation, education, and animal welfare, there’s nothing more rewarding than that.”

Beil will also assume Stalans’ duties as CFO for the Creative Discovery Museum and the Hunter Museum of American Art.

“Mary Ann has a proven track record of fueling growth through financial stewardship,” says Andy Wood, Tennessee Aquarium President and CEO. “I’m confident that her expertise and experience within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums will be a great asset as we grow and develop the next strategic vision for our organization.”

In addition to being a valuable educational resource and a leader in freshwater science in the Southeast, the Aquarium is a powerful economic driver for Chattanooga. According to a 2023 economic impact report, the Aquarium generates more than $187 million in economic impact annually, supporting more than 1,500 jobs through its operating and capital expenditures, as well as the spending of out-of-town visitors.

The Aquarium’s contributions to the growth of a city as vibrant as Chattanooga were a primary appeal of the CFO position, Beil says.

“Chattanooga is a very dynamic place, and the Aquarium obviously plays a central role in that,” she says. “One of the biggest draws of this role was the community’s support. I look forward to exciting things to come for the city and the Aquarium in the future.”