Holiday Inn Sunspree Accepts Governor's Award

The Great Smokies Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort General Manager Mike Kryzanek received the 2002 Governor's Award for Excellence in Workforce Development Oct. 24 at the Governor's Awards banquet in Greensboro. The Holiday Inn was named this year's "Outstanding Employer" for its cooperative literacy efforts, training of special needs populations and employee-centered work programs. "We are incredibly honored we were chosen for such a prestigious award. It's something we never expected," Kryzanek said The program honors one employer, two adult participants and two youth participants each year. A banquet also served as the kickoff for the Workforce Development Partnership Conference Oct. 23-25.Return to top

Phi Theta Kappa Inducts Record Number Of Members

The Alpha Upsilon Eta Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society inducted a record number of over 90 members Nov. 14.

Over 250 people attended the event, which was moved from the Simpson Lecture Hall to the Ferguson Auditorium.

"Usually we have 100 or so; we had 250 people. That's the biggest crowd we've ever had," said co-advisor Tina Fountain, who works in accounts payable in the business office. "I have noticed that this group has a lot of potential. All the officer spots are already filled."

The A-B Tech chapter of Phi Theta Kappa counts among last year's achievements the cleanup of the largest slave cemetery in Asheville located behind St. John's AME Church. Buried there, among 3,000 graves, is George Avery, former slave of the McDowell family. After he was freed, Avery became the caretaker of the cemetery. "If they weren't slaves from the Smith-McDowell family, he would to charge a dollar to be buried there," Fountain said.

Many of the graves are unmarked or caved in and had been overgrown for decades, she added.

The honor society also worked with the Boy Scouts, acting as door-to-door chaperones and collecting 6,000 pounds of food in one 10-hour day as part of the annual Hearts with Hands Scouting for Food Drive.

The society's goals are scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship. This year's international service project is "Conquering Cancer." The chapter is preparing for a regional competition in February.

In order to be invited into the honor society, students must have a 3.5 GPA and have completed at least 12 hours of associate degree work. A-B Tech's Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa extends invitations to eligible students twice a year, in fall and spring.

2002 Phi Theta Kappa Inductees

James Austin | Zewde Bachore | Carrie Baker | Addison Bradley | Christi Britt-Hill | Marcia Brown | Chastity Bryan | Joshua Carden | Rebecca Carlson | Rosemary Carter | Susan Cathey | Robin Chandler | Sharon Childers-Fetters | Maria Cleveland | Eva Coates | Burt Cody | Adam Cole | Kevin Cole | Tammy Corzine | Carol Counts | Vivian Cunningham | Jessica Day | Jessica Decker | Jamie Delk | Steven Dotson | Kendra Edgerton | David Edwards | Brian Ferree | Carol Flesh | Jordan Fouts | Kimberly Freeman | David Giddens | Julia Gorman | Paula Grubbs | Patricia Henry | Kelly Hinz | June Ingle | William Johnson | April Jones | Christopher Jury | Kara Keller | Rhonda Klinge | Deborah LaFontaine | William Ledbetter | Heather Lewis | Shaomin Li | Gary Lodato | Jennifer Long | Leslie Lowe | Nichole Maddock | Brandon Mayberry | Ashley McRowan | Trivia Messer | Richard Miale | Melissa Millet | Kimberly Morrell | Karen Murdock | Rebecca Myers | Sarah Nunez | Thomas O'Brien Jr. | Julie Parker | Lindsey Patterson | Doyace Perrin III | Kelly Phillips | Jennifer Pope | Lori Reece | Felicia Reeves | Felice Reyes-King | Donna Robinson | Stanley Robinson | Diane Rousseau | Darlene Saccuzzo | Mary Louise Short | Marco Silva | Amy Singleton | Jennifer Smith | Kristy Smith | Teresa Sorbilli | Aaron Stewart | Edward Sweezy | Catherine Tefft | Russell Thomas, Jr.| Jo Ann Vondermuehll | Austin Wagner | JR Waldroup | Deanna Walsh | Ashley Ware | Michael Warner | Boyd Winchester | Ann Woffindin | Fonda Woods | Debbie Wooten | Kevin Yost | Jessica Zook.Return to top

Tech Talk is published for employees of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College by the College Relations Division.

Executive Editor:
Mona Cornwell Managing Editor:
Jodi Ford

Send submissions to Mona Cornwell, director of communications, at mcornwell@abtech.edu. Publication of the next issue is scheduled Jan.2. The deadline for submissions is Dec.9. This edition of Tech Talk was produced November 2002. Equal Opportunity Educational Institution.

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