Putting Up Walls

Students of Continuing Education's Masonry Certification class pose atop the entrancway stone wall they built for the Governor's Western Residence. (top l to r) Randy Edwards, Jim Yerkes, Jonathan Gilbert, Robert M. Wilson, Randy Nowak, Travis Shaver, John Guthrie, Scott Burchfield, David Messer, Chaunces Willis(bottom l to r) Mark Bloomfield (instructor), Gary L. Hensley, Mark Mathews, Jay Yerkes, Mitch Jones, William Bledsoe, Carroll K. Robinson The Masonry students have completed several projects at the Western Residence, including stairs leading to the house, a patio, the outside entryway, and the repair and restoration of walls that were built in the late 1930s that have suffered from deterioration. The students also reset pavers in the brick walkway leading to the Winery at the Biltmore Estate.

campusconnection

Security Officer Erik Gummesson, Assistant Director of Security Kara Keller, and Security Officer Barry Landsberg stand in front of one of A-B Tech's Campus Security vehicles.

(See also "Hot and Tired" Technote to read more about Officers Gummesson and Landsberg.)

Program: Campus Security

Director: Hoot Gibson

Location: Pines

Mission: The primary function of Campus Security is to provide an environment that allows students, staff, faculty and visitors to interact in safe and secure surroundings. As Director of Security/Safety, Hoot Gibson said he also must ensure that the campus complies with all OSHA standards.

Highlights:

A-B Tech employs 24 officers to ensure security 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A-B Tech is a "very safe campus,"according to Hoot. "We have less crime than you would find proportionately in Asheville."For more on A-B Tech crime statistics, visit security on the website. "We do everything the police department does except make arrests,"Hoot said.

The emergency phone number on campus is 125. Dial 0 if it is a non-emergency.

Other campus security services include:

• Offer escorts
• Respond to emergencies and non-emergencies
• Traffic control/enforcement

"We try to be proactive. We do it all."

Sidebar: The very first security guard on the A-B Tech campus was Charlie Wilson, promoted from custodian. An A-B Tech staff member relates the story of when her car windows had been vandalized and glass was everywhere on the driver's seat. It was too cold and dangerous to drive home with two windows busted. Security was called and a report was made. The officer drove the staff member home, returned to the damaged car and secured the windows with plastic sheeting so the interior would not be damaged by the snow and rain.

Excellence in Public Service

Director of Enrollment Management Martha McLean (left) stands with other nominees for the Outstanding Manager Award at the Excellence In Public Service Awards Breakfast Ceremony May 21. Secretary to the Director of Enrollment Management Catherine Noblitt shakes the hand of Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Chairman Nathan Ramsey while receiving her certificate as a nominee for Outstanding Administrative Support Employee. The awards breakfast is presented to honor outstanding men and women in city, county, state, and federal government agencies in the Asheville-Buncombe area.