Maria E. Walls, CPA was elected Beaufort County Treasurer in November 2014. Before assuming the office of Treasurer she served four years as Deputy Treasurer. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and graduated Cum Laude with a Masters of Accounting, with a specialization in International Business from Rider University in New Jersey. Prior to joining the Treasurer’s office, she worked in public accounting as an Auditor for a multinational CPA firm and, upon her arrival in Beaufort County, a local CPA firm.
In 2010, Maria was selected to join the South Carolina Association of CPA’s Young CPA Cabinet, a program exclusive to 20 individuals in the state geared towards the development of leadership and management skills within the CPA profession. As part of the Continuing Education Committee, Maria was instrumental in planning and coordinating the Emerging Leadership Conference in its inaugural and second year.
In 2015 Ms. Walls was named Office Holder of the Year by Thomson Reuters for having achieved excellence in planning, leadership and service as Beaufort County Treasurer. And in 2016 she was awarded the Local Government Award by the South Carolina Republican Party for outstanding service to Beaufort County through the exemplification of conservative principles in public office.
Since joining the Treasurer’s Office, through leadership and training, Ms. Walls brought fiscal responsibility to the forefront of the Treasurer’s Office operations, and created and implemented the first ever internal control policies for the Beaufort County Treasurer’s Office. This resulted in a significant increase in efficiency and accountability, proven by:
Ms. Walls is active in the community and professional organizations as well as CEO of a youthful and lively household.