Welcome New Employees
The College welcomes two full-time employees who have accepted staff and faculty positions over the past few months.
Angela R. Calhoun, library assistant, has an A.A.S. in Office Technology from A-B Tech, and is pursuing certification in Library Science from Central Carolina Community College. She has been with A-B Tech for several years in a variety of positions, including computer lab assistant, inventory clerk and clerical assistant for the LRC, as well as a bookstore clerk and peer tutor.
Charles R. deVries, instructor, Baking and Pastry Arts Program, received his A.O.S. from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y. He has been an adjunct instructor at A-B Tech, an executive pastry chef for the Aramark Corporation, a pastry chef for La Chaudiere Restaurant, a chef for Penelope's Restaurant and manager for Sampler's Restaurant, all in Winston-Salem.
Good-bye Retirees
A-B Tech says good-bye to employees who are retiring over the summer. We wish them the best in their well-deserved rest.
Robert Hixson, department chair of Civil Engineering, will be retiring August 1. He came to A-B Tech in November 1996.
Frances McDonald, secretary for Allied Health, retired at the end of May. She previously served as an adjunct P.E. instructor, and has been with us since November 1989.
Shirley McLaughlin, director of the Learning Resource Center, is officially retiring at the end of May. She was head librarian for A-B Tech starting in June 1969.
Clinton H. Smoke Jr., chair of the Fire Protection Technology program, will retire at the end of July. He joined our staff in June 2000.
PainterLewis Stevens retired at the end of May after coming to A-B Tech in December 1997.
Sherry Thompson, career counselor, will retire at the end of June. She first came to A-B Tech as a part-time counselor in March 1999.
A-B Tech Employees Honored for Public Service
Eleven A-B Tech employees were honored May 18 at the 15th annual Excellence In Public Service Awards breakfast at UNCA.
Hosted by the Greater Asheville Public Service Council, the breakfast recognizes public servants' contributions to the health, wellbeing, and overall quality of life for area residents. City, county, state, municipal, and federal government agencies are invited to nominate employees in 12 award categories.
Kay Manley, executive director of Adult Basic Skills and Human Resources Development, was recognized as a finalist for the Outstanding Manager Award. Pam Silvers, chair of Business Computer Technologies, was among the finalists honored in the Outstanding Professional Employee category.
The Information Systems Technology Department was recognized as a finalist for the Outstanding Team Award. The department is comprised of Director David McKinney, Computer Center Specialist Inez Alexander, Computer Center Specialist Laurie Manley, Technical Support Specialist II Brian McCall, Technical Support Specialist I Benson Metcalf, Network Administrator Eugene Pressley, Technical Support Specialist II John Tucker, and Elizabeth Williams, Software Support Specialist/Helpdesk.
Coordinator of Disability Services/Counselor Annie Clingenpeel was among the finalists for the Outstanding Contribution to Improving Diversity Award.
College Receives Biotechnology Grant for Lab Manager
A-B Tech, in collaboration with Advantage West, has received a $40,000 Regional Development Grant from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center to support a laboratory manager position in the incubator on the Enka Site.
The laboratory manager will be involved in laboratory design and renovation, selection of equipment and instrumentation for potential tenants, and the recruitment of bioscience businesses to the incubator.
"By bringing bioscience companies to this newly established incubator we will support our region's economic development and create more jobs in the bioscience sector in Western North Carolina," said President K. Ray Bailey.
The Biotechnology Center's Regional Development Grant Program assists early stage life science initiatives in communities statewide.
The Biotechnology Center is a private, non-profit corporation established by the State and supported by the General Assembly. Its mission is to provide long-term economic and societal benefits to North Carolina by supporting biotechnology research, business and education statewide.