Incubated Company Wins Award

Asheville's AVL Technologies President Jim Oliver was presented an Export Achievement award in April by the U.S. Department of Commerce recognizing his "recent accomplishments in the global marketplace." Oliver's company, which was incubated in 1999 at A-B Tech for the first year of its life, has grown to over a million in sales of satellite antennas and mobile connectivity. Oliver said incubating at A-B Tech ensured his success. "We are eight to 10 times what we were when we moved in. A-B Tech's business incubator gives you a fighting chance. It allowed me for a whole year to focus completely on getting the business up and going."

A-B Tech's Education To Go Program Listed in Top Ten

A-B Tech's Education To Go program, continuing education online courses, was one of the top 10 performers in the months of January (#4) and February out of over 1,200 partners in the network, according to Diana LaSpada, project coordinator for online courses at A-B Tech.

"More and more partners are offering our entire course catalog and actively promoting our courses in their community," said Sue Allen, program specialist with Education To Go in California. "This makes getting onto the top 25 list quite an achievement!"

Over 1,200 of the world's largest and most respected colleges, universities, and other accredited institutions of higher education rely on Education To Go to develop, deliver and manage their online continuing education need. Their faculty is comprised of more than 350 instructors, teaching assistants and student support specialists.

According to LaSpada, Education To Go's online business courses such as project management principles, paralegal, accounting fundamentals, and start your own consulting practice are the most popular at A-B Tech.

"We were able to accommodate in January the fourth largest number of students," said LaSpada, who does the work in just 25 hours a week. "We came in two behind Forsyth (Community College) in January and they have a team working on their online courses while I fly solo."

A-B Tech Students Honored At Academic Excellence Awards Luncheon

Debra Anglin and Mary McLaren were honored at the 2003 Academic Excellence Awards Luncheon held in Raleigh.

A-B Tech students Debra Anglin and Mary McLaren were among 116 students from throughout the North Carolina Community College System honored in April at the Academic Excellence Awards Luncheon in Raleigh.

Two students from each of the state's 58 community colleges were chosen for the awards based on academic success and demonstration of leadership ability. "You are here today, not only because of your strong determination to succeed, but because you had the guidance of talented instructors and the support of loving family and friends," NCCCS President H. Martin Lancaster told the honorees. "You are here today because you have taken full advantage of the opportunities provided by your community college to give you a solid foundation on which to build. I hope you continue on your journey of lifelong learning."

Anglin, of Arden, is a radiography student who traveled to Peru last summer as part of an elite team of mummy excavators. McLaren, of Weaverville, is a college transfer student who serves as president of the Student Government Association.

Buy Me Some Hotdogs and Cracker Jacks

President Bailey, Hannah Seal and Vanessa Crouch,College Forum members, get ready for A-B Tech Day at the Asheville Tourists. Dean of Arts and Sciences Tom Dechant threw out the first pitch, while Vanessa's son, Jonathan, raced Ted E. Tourist and won! Sixty-nine A-B Tech employees and family members enjoyed the day.

Get To LRC ASAP

The LRC will be doing its annual inventory May 13-16. The front doors will be locked, but individuals who need to come into the library can call Ext. 301 and request that a staff member meet them and let them in. The LRC will resume its regular schedule May 19. Also, the LRC Art Exhibit will close on May 9, so don't forget to take a look. Associate in Arts student Kelly Aldridge went to see the exhibit and wrote, "I was so impressed! I was impressed because I had no idea we had such talent at A-B Tech."

Howard Awarded Scholarship

Accounting student Carrie Howard has been awarded one of two 2003-2004 Teachers of Accounting in Two-year Colleges (TAYTAC) Scholarships. She was awarded the scholarship based on her grades, faculty sponsorship, community activities, and an essay dealing with an ethical problem in accounting. This is the first time an A-B Tech student has been awarded the scholarship.