Contact: Steven Elmore, Director of Communications, C.S. Lewis Foundation, 909-793-0949, selmore@cslewis.org

REDLANDS, Calif., May 19, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Charles Olcott, former CEO of Burger King and VP of Pillsbury, has joined the C.S. Lewis Foundation as Executive Vice President. He will lead administration and development efforts for C.S. Lewis College, a private Christian college to be founded in Northfield, Massachusetts.

Olcott's career has included positions as President and CEO of Burger King Corporation (Miami, FL), Treasurer and VP of Investor Relations with The Pillsbury Company (Minneapolis, MN), and Senior Investment Officer in the Financial Division of Aetna Life and Casualty (Hartford, CT). He has also held numerous leadership positions in small entrepreneurial businesses, in conjunction with consulting assignments centered on business assessment and fundraising throughout the U.S. For the past six years he served as Administrator for Bethany Church, a large congregation in southern New Hampshire.

C.S. Lewis College will be a four-year Christian college of the Great Books, with a school of visual and performing arts to be launched at a later date. The college is named for famed British author and scholar C.S. Lewis, best known for writing "The Chronicles of Narnia," "The Screwtape Letters," and "Mere Christianity." An opening date to begin classes will be set when the fundraising campaign is completed and approval has been secured from the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education.

Olcott will bring his considerable experience and expertise to bear on founding the new college. "It is a privilege," he said, "to join the intrepid C.S. Lewis team of experienced professionals in the timely launch of this robustly Christian liberal arts institution."

Dr. Stan Mattson, President and Founder of the C.S. Lewis Foundation, welcomes Olcott on board the project. "The arrival of Charles Olcott," he said, "could not be more providential, both with respect to its timing and the proven quality of his gifts. C.S. Lewis College will benefit greatly from his shared commitment to our Great Books program, our broader Foundation vision, and a vital Christian faith."

For full information, visit www.cslewis.org/college or call (909)793-0949. To schedule an interview with Dr. Mattson or Mr. Olcott, contact Steven Elmore, Director of Communications, at selmore@cslewis.org or (909)793-0949.