Get to know the Beaufort County EDC

John A. O’Toole is the Executive Director of the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation. John is responsible for business, retention, expansion and attraction to Beaufort County which includes Bluffton, Beaufort, Port Royal and Hilton Head Island. In addition to these functions John facilitates public policy discussion in the areas of best practices in land use and workforce development. Prior to joining the BCEDC John worked for Eversource Energy in Connecticut for 18 years. In that function John supported the Eversource’s efforts in the community, economic policy, business and community development and served as the company’s chief liaison to key state and regional economic development organizations.

John served three terms as the chief elected official of Seymour, Connecticut. In that function John lead revitalization efforts in downtown, aggressive efforts to market and fill the town’s industrial park, as well as regional efforts to address brownfields and stimulate economic development. John received his bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, his master’s in business administration from the University of New Haven and has been designated a Certified Economic Developer by the International Economic Development Council.

Kelli Brunson serves as Senior Project Manager for the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation, where she supports business recruitment, investment attraction, and job creation across Beaufort County.

A Manning, South Carolina native, Kelli earned a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from the University of South Carolina Beaufort. She spent seven years with the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, holding roles in research, digital marketing, and programs and events. Kelli also holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Georgia in Learning, Leadership, and Organization Development.

Kelli is a graduate of the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton Chamber Leadership Program (class of 2018) and completed both the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Organization Management and the South Carolina Economic Developer’s Institute in 2024.