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A publication for employees, students, and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Vol. 15 Issue 11November 2009
 
"Mistakes are the portals of discovery."
James Joyce, 1882-1941

Headlines

Grove Park Inn donates $20,000 to hospitality education scholarships

J. Graig Madison, Sheila Tillman

J. Craig Madison, president and CEO of The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, presents a $20,000 check for scholarships to Sheila Tillman, associate dean of Hospitality Education at A-B Tech. Joining them in the presentation are (l-r) Anita Metcalf, A-B Tech's Vice President of College Relations and Executive Director of the A-B Tech Foundation; A-B Tech Interim President Richard Mauney; and Grove Park's Executive Director of Operations, Ron Morin.

The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa and its owner, Sammons Enterprises, recently donated $20,000 to a scholarship fund for Hospitality Education students at A-B Tech, bringing its total contribution to $60,000 since establishing the fund two years ago.

The scholarships were created in 2007 in honor of Elaine Sammons, who died earlier this year. Mrs. Sammons had an extensive background in the hotel and hospitality industry. Her husband, Charles, was a self-made billionaire who gave generously from the profits of Sammons Enterprises Inc., a conglomerate of insurance, cable television, travel, industrial supply and bottled-water companies.

Mrs. Sammons became chairwoman of the company after her husband's death in 1988. As a company executive, she had a special interest in the restoration and expansion of the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa.

"The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa is proud to make this donation in honor of Mrs. Sammons," said J. Craig Madison, President and Chief Executive Officer of the resort. "Grove Park has a long history with A-B Tech and many of our employees have gotten a wonderful education there. We are pleased to continue this important relationship."

The scholarship endowment was established through a contribution from Sammons Enterprises' charitable partnering program, which financially supports its companies' local involvement with worthy causes. GPI management asked Sammons to consider establishing the scholarships because several of its Asheville executives are associated with A-B Tech, including Madison, who serves on the A-B Tech Foundation Board of Directors.

"We appreciate the generosity of Grove Park Inn and Sammons Enterprises and their commitment to our college," A-B Tech Interim President Richard Mauney said. "Grove Park has been a valuable partner in helping us create world-class hospitality education programs. These scholarships not only will strengthen our ability to provide opportunities for students but will help us meet the workforce development needs of one of our region's primary industries."

Criteria for the scholarships include full-time enrollment, a B average, financial need, and North Carolina residency. Recipients can use the money to pay for tuition, fees and books, and the awards are renewable if students continue to meet the criteria. Students who are chosen for the awards will participate in internships at The Grove Park Inn.

For additional information on the scholarships, contact Anita Metcalf, executive director of the A-B Tech Foundation, at 254-1921, Ext.176 or ametcalf@abtech.edu.

A-B Tech Foundation  Hospitality Education

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RENCI at UNC Asheville and A-B Tech Celebrate GIS Day Nov. 12

RENCI at UNC Asheville and A-B Tech announce the third annual celebration of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day in Western North Carolina. The community drop-in event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 12, at the RENCI at UNC Asheville Community Engagement Site, located in the Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville. The event is free and open to the public.

GIS Day provides an opportunity to see how geographic information systems work and how they are being used in local initiatives. Visitors will see a 16-foot visualization wall, an immersive GeoDome and 3-D visualizations in action as they learn about GIS projects such as mapAsheville's Priority Places, the newly released Urban Growth Model for the Asheville region, a multi-hazard risk analysis tool, GIS-based analysis of threats to eastern forests, flooding impacts and mitigation, and geospatial climate information viewers.

GIS professionals from local and regional organizations, including the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, the Land of Sky Regional Council of Governments, the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County, the National Climatic Data Center, the North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, Resource Data, Inc., and the USDA's Forest Service's Southern Research Station, as well as UNC Asheville and A-B Tech, will be on hand to highlight and discuss current GIS activities and initiatives.

GIS is a computer-based mapping tool that takes information from a database about a location, such as streets, buildings, water features, and terrain, and turns it into visual layers. The ability to see geographic and land use features on a map gives users a better understanding of a location, enabling planners, analysts, other decision makers and the general public to make informed decisions about their communities.

"GIS is a powerful tool for turning basic information into useful and meaningful products that can assist a variety of local, regional, and national decision makers and the general public," said Greg Dobson, GIS research coordinator for RENCI at UNC Asheville and UNC Asheville's National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center. "It gives us the ability to assess layers of information, all within a spatial context. This is certainly the focus of our research center. GIS Day is an excellent opportunity to share with the community the power of GIS and how it has impacted our local community."

GIS is used throughout the world to solve problems related to the environment, health care, land use, business efficiency, education and public safety. The power supply directed to homes, the patrol cars and fire trucks that keep neighborhoods safe, and the delivery trucks on the roads all function more efficiently because of GIS. This technology can also help businesses place ATMs and restaurants at more convenient locations, allow people to pull maps off the Internet, and help farmers grow more crops with fewer chemicals.

For further information on GIS Day in Western North Carolina, please contact Greg Dobson, GIS research associate at UNC Asheville, at 828-251-6973 or gdobson@unca.edu, or Pete Kennedy, GIS instructor at A-B Tech, at 828-254-1921, ext. 289, or pkennedy@abtech.edu.

The UNC Asheville Community Engagement Site is located in Suite 116 of the Grove Arcade, on the O. Henry Avenue side of the building, at One Page Avenue, Asheville, North Carolina, 28801.

Geospatial Technology Certificate

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Craggy Correctional Institute graduates students in four programs

Dr. Barbara Keaton

Dr. Barbara Keaton, vice president of Economic and Workforce Development/Continuing Education, speaks during the graduation ceremony at Craggy Correctional Center.

Dr. Barbara Keaton, vice president of Economic and Workforce Development/Continuing Education, was the keynote speaker at the 2009 graduation ceremony Oct. 28 at Craggy Correctional Center, where inmates received diplomas and certificates in Facility Maintenance, Microcomputer Applications, Food Service Technology and General Education Development (GED).

Keaton reflected on the 50 years A-B Tech has served the community and the 20-year partnership the College has had with Craggy Correctional Center starting with GED classes in 1989. "The partnership creates trained individuals to go out and earn a living," she said.

Keaton also recognized Bruce Cravener, coordinator of Education at Craggy, for his years of working with A-B Tech. Cravener retired at the end of October.

Students graduation with a Food Service Technology diploma completed 70 tests, 80 labs, a dozen pop quizzes, five projects and a capstone, according to Chef Gregory Spencer. Out of 21 students, eight were qualified to be named to the College's President's List and five to the Dean's List.

Cliff Johnson, Craggy Correctional Center Superintendent, told the graduates the ceremony was special this year. "You are being recognized for completing what you started. This event almost didn't happen this year until an anonymous donor funded the ceremony. There are people who care about you," he said.

Instructors teaching the recent graduates were Charles "Doc" Shanor and George Woodruff in Computer Training; Steven Wright in Facility Maintenance; Andy Weatherly, Chris Franklin and Maura Lohman in GED; and Spencer in Food Service Technology. Spencer was recognized as the Instructor of the Year for the facility.

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From Uzbekistan to North Carolina, Medical Laboratory Technology graduate makes his dream happen »

 

Tech Talk is published by the Communications Office for employees, students, and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Editor: Mona Cornwell, Writer: Martha Ball, Designers: Justin Page, April Sides
Send submissions to: Mona Cornwell, Director of Communications, at mcornwell@abtech.edu
Publication of the next issue is scheduled for December 1. Deadline for submissions is November 16.