A publication for employees and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Vol. 14 Issue 11November 2008
 

Headlines

K. Ray Bailey Student Services Center Dedicated to President Emeritus

Bailey Building Dedication

A-B Tech President Emeritus K. Ray Bailey and his wife, Glenda, laugh at a speaker's story during the dedication of the K. Ray Bailey Student Services Center.

K. Ray Bailey Student Services Center sign unveiled

A-B Tech President Betty Young and Trustees Chair and Buncombe County Commissioner Carol Peterson unveil the sign for the K. Ray Bailey Student Services Center.

A-B Tech dedicated its new Student Services Center in honor of President Emeritus K. Ray Bailey in an outdoor ceremony with a ribbon-cutting in front of the building Oct. 23 on the Asheville campus.

The K. Ray Bailey Student Services Center consolidates admissions, financial aid, student records, registration, the business office, the bookstore and the counseling center into a single location to provide more convenient access for students. The center was created by renovating the Azalea Building and adding 20,000 square feet to the existing space.

Bailey played a major role in the growth and success of A-B Tech and its impact on the community, as an employee, president and community leader for 41 years. His tenure as president from 1990 to 2007 was marked by record-breaking enrollment, the addition of more than 30 degree and diploma programs, and the creation of strategic partnerships with business and industry, schools, and other colleges and universities that helped meet workforce development needs. His leadership was responsible for the growth of A-B Tech into a three-campus institution enrolling more than 25,000 students.

A-B Tech Board of Trustees Chair and Buncombe County Commissioner Carol Peterson welcomed guests to the dedication. "This is an exciting day for everyone associated with A-B Tech because it marks the official completion of a project we've dreamed about for years - a place where we can bring together many of the services our students need in one convenient location," she said. "But this celebration is not only about the completion of a building; it's about my friend, K. Ray Bailey, and all he did for students during his 41 years here. " During the ceremony, Dr. Betty K. Young, A-B Tech President, thanked the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and the local delegation of state legislators for their support of the project. The building was designed by PBC+L architects. Construction Logic, Inc., was the contractor. Reece, Noland & McElrath, Inc., was the project consultant for the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection work, and Kloesel Engineering consulted on the structural work. The A-B Tech Culinary Arts and Hospitality students, faculty and staff prepared a reception following the event. Balsam Range provided musical entertainment.

Sharing reflections on Bailey and his dedication to student success were three A-B Tech employees who are also graduates of the College: Angela Calhoun, Sherry Davis, and Vera Williams. Also speaking were the first recipients of the K. Ray Bailey Endowed Scholarship for Student Success, Camellia Austin and Kelly Hogan.

Bailey spoke about the first time he drove onto the A-B Tech campus in 1966 and parked in front of the building that now bears his name. "It was called the 'A' building and was one of three buildings on the entire campus," he said. "But I knew something good was going to happen here."

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Tech Talk is published by the Communications Office for employees and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Editor: Mona Cornwell, Writer: Martha Ball, Designers: Justin Page, April Sides
Send submissions to: Mona Cornwell, Director of Communications, at mcornwell@abtech.edu
Publication of the next issue is scheduled for December 1. Deadline for submissions is November 14.