Miller Brewing Company Awards Tools For Success

President Bailey congratulates Chairperson of Machining Technology Larry Boyd and Dean of Engineering and Applied Technology Robert Anderson along with Tools For Success recipients Henry Martinez, Rusty Nye, and Rachel Tipton.

A-B Tech students Henry Martinez, Rachel Tipton and Rusty Nye have been awarded Tools for Success awards through an innovative partnership program in which Miller Brewing Company provides graduates of technical degree programs with the actual tools they need to transition directly into the workforce.

"In today's challenging economic times, it's more important than ever before that graduates not only have the training, but the tools they need to transition directly into the work force," explained Cathy Wright, regional public affairs manager for Miller Brewing Company. "By providing these students with actual tool sets, we help assure they have everything they need to make a smooth transition from school to work. Being a Tools for Success awardee makes these graduates even more appealing to prospective employers."

These students are among only 23 in the state who were selected to receive tools this year. The awardees were selected from a pool of applicants based on academic performance, quality of work, enthusiasm, preparedness and potential for success in their chosen field, involvement in community or campus life, leadership, ability to overcome obstacles, responsibility and dependability.

"We are very proud to have three students selected for this important recognition," explained Department Chair Larry Boyd. "We usually have two but this year we had three."

A-B Tech is one of nine community colleges in the state selected by Miller as TOOLS FOR SUCCESS partners.

A-B Tech Graduate Now Senior Vice President of Hampton Inn Brand Management

Phil Cordell, Senior Vice President of Hampton Inn Brand Management, keeps two reminders on his desk he gleaned from his A-B Tech instructor in the early '80s: attitude is everything and always expect the best.

"Rick Johnson was the director of the program. He talked a lot about the basics, expecting the best, helping your people learn and grow and challenging yourself. I remember being in class learning to fold laundry and cook and the time we spent in the dish room. I remember him talking a lot about focus, focusing on the basics and people and attitude. I keep two reminders on my desk because what he taught me has proven to be true and it has stayed with me," Cordell said.

It stayed with Cordell through the past 20 years of working in the hotel industry as he climbed the ladder from general manager of one hotel to regional Vice President of Operations, regional Vice President of Franchise Operations and now Senior Vice President of Brand Management for Hampton Inn (1,300 hotels) at corporate headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee.

The 1983 A-B Tech graduate said the hands-on learning he accumulated through A-B Tech's Hotel and Restaurant Management program served as a solid foundation for management within the industry. "If I think about how I started ... I went to work with the Holiday Inn. A-B had this very hands-on approach in the kitchen and at the Mountain Tech Lodge - this combination of theory and practical application gave me the ability to jump into management," Cordell said. He added he never sought to further his education. "I didn't need to. It's common to find individuals who have associate's degrees but extensive experience in this industry. "

Cordell said the skills he learned at A-B Tech and through his past 20 years in the service industry have proven beneficial in volunteer consulting to Lifeblood, a competitor of Red Cross. "It is interesting how the basic tenets of the service industry transfer in helping them think about how they segment their customer/donor base, how they think about attaching value to each of those customers, how much they have given, how much potential they have to give, programs for special recognition, etc."

As a leader in the service industry, Cordell said he believes in proactive customer service. "It's about making people feel good and helping every team member understand why this focus is so important and how flexibility is key in our industry today."

His advice to young grads? Master the basics and "never lose sight of how a decision can impact people."

Hampton is one of six brands owned by industry-leader Hilton Hotels Corporation.

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

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 June2. The deadline for submissions is May16.

This edition of Tech Talk was printed May 2003. A-B Tech is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution.