Headlines

• Celebrating 50 Years of Student Success
• A-B Tech awards 189 degrees and diplomas at Summer Commencement
• Alexander joins Board of Trustees
• Trustee Harper remembered after three decades of service to College
• Derek Davidson takes another big step
• Professional Development Opportunities for September
• Celebrating a New Semester
• A-B Tech to host Food Ventures Marketplace
• Invitational Education on Campus
• Instructor Rescues Two Great Pyrenees in Tennessee
• A-B Tech student elected vice president of TBI support group
• Welcome, New Employees
• Phi Theta Kappa Relay for Life Team Passes Fundraising Goal
• A-B Tech welcomes newest members of the Student Business Incubator
• Tech Notes

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Celebrating 50 Years of Student Success

Interim President Richard Mauney welcomes guests to the College's 50th anniversary celebration.

President Emeritus K. Ray Bailey reads a proclamation from the Buncombe County Commissioners designating Sept. 1, 2009 as A-B Tech Day.

Trustee Chair David Wyatt presents a proclamation from the Madison County Board of Commissions to Interim President Richard Mauney.

President Emeritus Dr. Harvey Haynes discusses the history of A-B Tech.

The A-B Tech "family" in front of the 50 years sculpture created by Welding students and Instructor Charlie Farmer. Enlarge Photo

Faculty, staff, students and members of the community gathered on the Simpson lawn Sept. 1 to celebrate A-B Tech's 50th anniversary.

The College was honored by proclamations from the City of Asheville and Buncombe and Madison counties, designating Sept. 1, 2009, as Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College day.

A-B Tech President Emeritus and Buncombe County Commissioner K. Ray Bailey recalled the first time he heard about A-B Tech in 1963. "I had come to Western North Carolina and was a coach at Erwin High. I had students go there (A-B Tech) and talk about how great the instruction was," he said.

Three years later, Bailey met with Tom Simpson, the College's first president, and was offered a job. Bailey spent 41 years at A-B Tech, 17 as the College's third president. "You are great people, doing a great job," Bailey said. He then presented a proclamation from Buncombe County Commissioners to Interim President Richard Mauney.

A-B Tech's President Emeritus and trustee Dr. Harvey Haynes presented the tribute from the City of Asheville. "It was 48 years and five months ago that I joined Tom Simpson (the College's first president) and Jane Smith (the College's first employee) on the eighth floor of City Hall," Haynes said. "One thing to remember that is important to know is our school was never segregated, six years before public schools became integrated."

"A-B Tech has been a calling for Harvey and Ray, both of whom dedicated nearly their entire careers to ensuring that this college provides quality educational opportunities to our citizens as well as a well-trained workforce for new and existing employers," Mauney said.

Trustee Chair David Wyatt presented a proclamation from the Madison County Board of Commissioners. "When my father was principal at Walnut School, A-B Tech offered classes to teach farmers how to grow tomatoes and other crops, realizing that one day they would need an alternative to tobacco," Wyatt said. "Today, it would be difficult to measure the impact those continuing education programs have had on our residents' quality of life and our community's economic development."

Members of the A-B Tech chorus, under the direction of Dr. Rene Ochoa, sang "Lean on Me" for the crowd.

Welding Instructor Charlie Farmer and Welding students unveiled a 50 years sculpture that will stand in front of the Simpson Building throughout the 2009-2010 school year. The program ended with a "family" photo of A-B Tech employees, students, Trustees, Foundation Board and community members in front of the 50.

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A-B Tech awards 189 degrees and diplomas at Summer Commencement

Dr. Sam Dosumu, Instructional Services vice president, presents the Continuing Education Faculty Member of the Year award to computer instructor Gary Crossey.

Interim President Richard Mauney presents the Staff Member of the Year award to Tamala Barnett, Arts and Sciences division secretary.

Graduates start to file into Thomas Wolfe Auditorium.

A-B Tech Student Services Vice President Dr. Dennis King urged graduates to share their newly attained knowledge with others, as part of the responsibility that comes with success, during Summer Commencement Aug. 7 at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium.

"Charge for it (the knowledge) fairly, if you are in a position of setting fees. Give it away to the less fortunate who nevertheless need your skills. And comfort those who come to you stressed by a problem that you can solve. That's being a professional, as well as being a good person," he said.

King also reminded the graduates to remain current and continue on a path of lifelong learning, to be open to change, to be humble and ethical, to mentor others as soon as they are able and to be a "round" person.

"E. M. Forster, the renowned 20th-century author, classified fictional characters as flat or round. Flat characters are predictable, simple, one dimensional, whereas round characters are unpredictable, complex, and multi-faceted," King said. "Forster went on to say that round characters are the truly interesting ones. That truth can be taken beyond fiction and into life itself. You want to be not only a health care professional, but one who volunteers at the local homeless shelter; not only an auto mechanic, but a mechanic with a political opinion; not only a chef, but one who loves baseball. Find the outside interest that makes you a round character."

During the ceremony, President Emeritus and Trustee Dr. Harvey Haynes called for a moment of silence for fellow trustee J. Herbert Coman, who died July 13. Coman's cap and gown were placed in an empty chair in his memory.

A-B Tech Interim President Richard Mauney presented the Staff Member of the Year Award to Tamala Barnett, Arts and Sciences division secretary. "I am especially pleased to present this award to Tamala because she is one of our very own graduates," Mauney said. "When the Arts and Sciences dean's secretary retired a few years ago, Tamala took on those responsibilities in addition to her other ones for several months, while we hired and trained a replacement for Tamala so she could move into the vacant position."

Dr. Sam Dosumu, Instructional Services vice president, awarded Continuing Education Faculty Member of the Year to Gary Crossey, a computer training instructor. One of Crossey's students who nominated him for the award wrote, "Gary not only has his finger constantly on the pulse of new technology, but more importantly, he knows how to explain it to the students and help us stay excited about the class subject matter. His teaching style is very personal and fun. He has patience and easily encourages creativity."

The College had 188 students complete the requirements to earn 189 degrees and diplomas for the August graduation including a posthumous Associate in Arts degree presented to the family of Reed Ignizio, who died in a drowning accident in June. Ignizio, who would have graduated with high honors, was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and had received a Carolina Covenant scholarship to attend UNC-Chapel Hill.

Graduate List  Photo Gallery  Academic Programs

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Alexander joins Board of Trustees

A-B Tech Interim President Richard Mauney swears in Tom Alexander as the newest member of A-B Tech's Board of Trustees while Trustee Carol Peterson holds the Bible.

Tom Alexander recently was sworn in as the newest member of A-B Tech's Board of Trustees after being appointed by Gov. Bev Perdue for a four-year term.

Alexander, a business development manager for Taylor & Murphy Construction, is a member of the Buncombe County Planning Board and treasurer of the AdvantageWest Board of Directors.

David Wyatt, retired superintendent of Madison County Schools, was elected chair of the board, while Mandy Stone, assistant county manager/DSS director, was elected as vice chair. Jan Scroggs, executive administrative assistant for A-B Tech, was elected secretary.

Three members of the board were also reappointed to four-year terms. Dr. Joe B. Roberson, trustee since 1972, was reappointed by the Asheville City and Buncombe County Boards of Education. Roberson is a retired Asheville dentist.

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners reappointed Commissioner Carol Peterson and the Madison County Commissioners reappointed Gordon Randolph, Madison County EM director and fire marshal.

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Trustee Harper remembered after three decades of service to College

Elizabeth "Lib" Harper

Elizabeth "Lib" Harper, 82, of Black Mountain, who served as an A-B Tech trustee for the past 34 years, died Aug. 12 at Highland Farms Retirement Center.

Harper, who was born in Marion, moved to Buncombe County at an early age, and was a resident here most of her life. She graduated from Stephens Lee High School. She received her A.A.S. degree as a public manager, certified executive housekeeper, and she completed numerous in-service trainings and continuing education courses.

Appointed by the Asheville City and Buncombe County boards of education in 1975, Harper was honored in 2005 at the International Executive Housekeepers Association convention in New Orleans for her many years of notable contributions to her profession and to her community.

In 1992, the mayor of Black Mountain declared a Lib Harper Day to honor her contributions to the community. She received numerous awards including: Woman of the Year presented by the Asheville Buncombe Community Relations Council in 1993, National Housekeeper of the Year as chosen by Executive Housekeeper Today magazine, the first community honoree of the Lacy T. Haith and James V. Miller Scholarship program, the George F. Hixson award by the Black Mountain and Swannanoa Valley Kiwanis club, outstanding volunteer for Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce in 1994, Citizen Volunteer of the Year by the Recreations and Parks Department of Black Mountain and the Grand Marshall of the Black Mountain Christmas Parade.

Harper spent much of her time volunteering as a member of the following boards and organizations, often as chair: International Executive Housekeepers Association, American Association of Retired Persons, State Employees Association of North Carolina Buncombe County Democratic Women, Buncombe County Department of Social Services, Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry, Swannanoa Valley Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Foundation, Town of Black Mountain Recreation Commission, Volunteer with Meals on Wheels, Black Mountain Community Endowment Fund, Black Mountain Correctional Center for Women, Gordon Greenwood Scholarship Foundation, Presbyterian Home for Children, Children and Friends, Church Women United, Committee of the Status of Children and Women and Community Relations Council.

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