Lani Anderson, chief GED examiner, and his wife, Pegi O'Hagan, ran the Chicago Marathon Oct. 22 to raise money for the American Brain Tumor Association in honor of O'Hagan's sister, who has a brain tumor. Anderson completed the 26-mile race in four hours and 15 minutes, while his wife finished in four hours and 30 minutes. "It was a long day," Anderson said.
A-B Tech held a graduation ceremony for the 2006 Basic Law Enforcement Training class Dec. 14 in Ferguson Auditorium on the Asheville campus. The graduating class was named in honor of Maj. Scott J. Bissinger, who had served as director of the Law Enforcement Academy at the College until joining the Buncombe County Sheriff's Department in December.
Joyce Dover-Evans, accounting clerk/student accounts, and Jo Ann Crompton, executive administrative assistant, accepted the "Outstanding Service Organization" award at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Mid-Atlantic Chapter annual conference Oct. 28 in Charlotte on behalf of their sorority, Preceptor Alpha Kappa, Beta Sigma Phi. Dover-Evans also authored an article about the all the wonderful things the chapter has done in the December Beta Sigma Phi magazine "Torch."
Carol Hutchinson, Business Administration instructor, was selected by the Secretary of the Treasury to serve on the nationwide Taxpayer Advocacy Panel. Hutchinson is one of 33 volunteers selected as new panel members and will represent local taxpayers as well as work on national issues. Panel members listen to taxpayers, identify issues and make suggestions for improving IRS service and customer satisfaction. They also work with IRS executives on priority topics and serve as a conduit for grassroots issues between the public and the IRS.
Rock Doddridge, Social/Behavioral Sciences instructor, was named the November Invitational Award winner. Nominations for the Invitational Award may be dropped in any student suggestion box or sent in the campus mail to Elizabeth Scarbrough. The nominations are due by the last day of each month.
Forms are available online as well as by the student suggestion boxes, Records and Registration, the Business Office, the LRC, and the division offices. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to nominate individuals for the award.
Robin Keith, Surgical Technology chair, has written an article titled "Resolving Conflict in the OR," which was published as the cover story in the December 2006 edition of The Surgical Technologist: Official Journal of the Association of Surgical Technologists. Keith was a cardiothoracic and peripheral vascular nurse for 14 years and is vice president of the North Carolina Alliance of Surgical Technology Educators.
Celia Miles, former English chair who retired in 2000, has a new novel published, her fifth work of fiction. A historical novel, Sarranda is set in Western North Carolina in the mid-1800s. Quotes from the back cover include "In a time disrupted, a family fragmented, and a land almost destroyed, Sarranda reveals the strength, endurance, and spirit of the mountain woman." The book is available at Accent on Books, from InfinityPublishing.com, in Holly Library, and from the author at celiamiles@fastmail.fm.
Tech Talk is published by the Communications Office for employees and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Editor: Mona Cornwell, Writer: Martha Ball, Designer: April Sides
Send submissions to: Mona Cornwell, Director of Communications, at mcornwell@abtech.edu