2023 Elections for Area 6 Board
Elections run from
August 1 – August 30
Chair-Elect (2 year term)
Les Beaver has been ringing handbells since 1991 while in college where he also marched drums in the band and participated in the theatre department. Since that time, he has rung with choirs in Nashville and Knoxville. For thirteen years he directed The Rings of the Lord at Bearden United Methodist, and now sings and rings regularly with Concord United Methodist Church while subbing at many other churches. He and his wife Neri serve on the board for Smoky Mountain Ring (Knox Area Handbell Festival) and are presently organizing a new auditioned community choir in the Knoxville area which they hope to have up and running in late 2023. Les has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Mississippi State University and is currently a Senior Electrical Engineer for Knoxville Utilities Board. In his free time, he enjoys reading, hiking, and working with the local Boy Scout council.
Treasurer (2 year term)
Becky Price has 37 years of experience in accounting. She has been ringing handbells for 25 years, and has been with The Metropolitan Bells in Chattanooga since 2008. While not the current treasurer of The Mets, she served as their treasurer for several years. When she’s not ringing, she enjoys traveling, sewing, quilting, and painting. She is married and has two adult children.
Treasurer (2 year term)
Ruth Howald is a retired actuary, who has been involved with handbells for over 35 years. She has rung with church choirs in Minnesota, Maryland, California, and Alabama, occasionally directing as well. She has also rung with community choirs in Maryland and Alabama, and is currently treasurer of Embellishments in Birmingham. She works part-time as the database administrator at Riverchase UMC and enjoys the additional challenges of being the “special projects” person. She, her husband Scott, and their two cats, live in the Birmingham area.
Secretary (2 year term)
Elizabeth Orrel (Beth) Wilson is, first and foremost, a self-proclaimed “bell hog”. Beth was born and raised in Central Arkansas, where she is an active member of several handbell choirs and ensembles along with serving on both the Arkansas State and the Area IV Handbell Boards. Beth grew up in a family dominated by music, where her grandmother taught piano and organ to many of the accompanists now playing in several of the local churches. With these influences, she was able to read music before she could read books. She is classically trained to play the piano, flute, and handbells. Beth has been active in musical performances for almost her entire life and was motivated by many great directors. After graduating from Hendrix College with a BA in Psychology, she returned to play, teach and direct handbells in her home church, Searcy First United Methodist Church. Inspired by Beth’s love of handbells, her husband, daughter, and son-in-law all have become handbell enthusiasts. She oversees the legal research department for a well-established financial institution in her hometown. She lives with her husband of 11 years and enjoys her grandbabies, her fur babies, and lake days.
Secretary (2 year term)
Neri Beaver grew up in Northwest Pennsylvania. Attending the Area 2 North Hills Handbell Festival was a childhood highlight! (She attended her first festival at 3 weeks old and hung out under the table while her mom rang in rehearsals!) Neri’s mom was a handbell director and Neri learned to ring at a very young age along with her older siblings. In fact, it has been a family joke that none of them were allowed out of the womb unless they agreed to ring bells! In adulthood, Neri worked closely with soloist and composer/arranger Sue Garton to learn solo ringing. When Neri moved to Knoxville and searched for a handbell choir, this led her to meeting her now-husband Les. Currently Les and Neri serve on the committee for Smoky Mountain Ring (Knox Area Handbell Festival), ring together with the Concord United handbell choir, and Neri teaches the children’s handbell choir. Neri is eager to become even more involved with the Area 6 community. Outside the handbell world, Neri has earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology/Infant Mental Health Counseling. Currently she is working towards licensure in Tennessee for Marriage and Family Therapy.