Alum, Julian Green, is the New Chicago Cubs Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs

Alabama A&M Alum, Julian Green c/o '94 has been appointed Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs for the Chicago Cubs baseball team.

Press Release

09/12/2011 11:07 AM ET
Cubs Welcome Julian Green, New VP, Communications and Community Affairs

CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs today announced the appointment of Julian Green to the newly-created position of vice president, communications and community affairs. Green has more than 15 years of experience in communications and most recently served as director of media relations for MillerCoors, where he was chief spokesperson for the company's operations in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Peter Chase will continue to direct media relations for baseball operations, while Green will direct non-baseball communications. Green served as Illinois press secretary to then-United States Senator Barack Obama from 2005 to 2007 and as campaign press secretary from May to November 2004. He served as director of communications and marketing for the Chicago Park District from July 2003 to May 2004.

Prior to joining the Park District staff, Green was an assistant press secretary to then-Mayor Richard M. Daley. Green also served as deputy campaign manager and communications director for Mayor Daley's re-election effort in 2003. Green is an interim board member of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which oversees Navy Pier and McCormick Place.

Green received his bachelor's degree from Alabama A&M University's School of Mass Communication with a specialization in Radio and Television Broadcast. He and his wife Antris reside in Chicago with their three children.

Alabama A&M Alum, Dr. Marquita Furness Davis makes history as Alabama's First Female State Finance Director

MONTGOMERY -- Gov. Robert Bentley said he was looking for three things when it came time to pick a new Finance Director: Intelligence, character and tenaciousness.

Alabama A&M University Alum, Dr.Marquita Furness Davis, 44, fit the bill, he said.

"She'll make tough decisions, and that is what you need," Bentley said.

Dr. Davis takes the reins as state finance director next month, making history along the way as the first woman to serve in the position. Dr. Davis has served as commissioner of the Department of Children's Affairs since 2008.

And despite her rise in state government, she is a self-professed independent voter and political outsider who said she initially found the political waters of Montgomery tough to navigate.

"I found my fit in Birmingham, but I'm very much an outsider in Montgomery," Davis said.

Dr. Davis grew up in Peoria, Ill. Her mother was a teacher. Her father, a former paratrooper and semiprofessional football player, worked for Caterpillar Inc. and died at the age of 37.

Dr. Davis, who is fourth-generation college educated on her mother's side, said she was raised to focus on academics. When Davis headed to college, she assumed like many 18-year-olds in the 1980s that a career in business and a fancy BMW would be in her future. But plans changed when the Generation Xer was drawn to a future in public service.

"I always knew I was interested in public service, helping children and families," Davis said.

She earned a bachelor's degree in family social services from Northern Illinois University. She wanted to attended a historically black college for graduate school and picked Alabama A&M to complete her Masters degree. She then earned a Ph.D. in early childhood education and child development from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Dr. Davis was the Head Start director at the Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity in Birmingham when she was tapped by then-Gov. Bob Riley to be the director of the Office of School Readiness and Alabama's voluntary pre-kindergarten program. Riley, and later Bentley, appointed her commissioner of the Department of Children's Affairs, a cabinet level position.

'I believe in outcomes'

Efficient government has to be a priority, she said.

"I believe in data. I believe in outcomes," Dr. Davis said. "How do we make sure that the citizens of the state are getting what they need -- and need and want are two different things," Davis said.

A colleague praised Davis' managerial style, saying she is a collaborator who tries to keep people focused on the broad picture. "She's such a team player. She doesn't just make snap decisions. She gets everybody's opinion," said Susan McKim, deputy commissioner of Children's Affairs. McKim said Davis has been innovative at Children's Affairs. When the department's proposed budget was slashed, Davis spearheaded a federal grant writing effort to make up the difference.

Davis' degrees are not in finance. Her professional background is in academics and in the administration of children's programs. But Gov Robert Bentley said a major job of the finance director is to be a manager overseeing multiple state divisions. Currently, Dr. Davis manages more than 350 emplyees with a $20 million budget. Davis points out that recent finance directors have been lawyers.

Dr. Davis is the first female and the second African-American to hold the position of state finance director. This is Dr. Davis's second cabinet position appointed by the second Alabama Republican governor. Davis acknowledges she is an independent and doesn't vote any party line.

Dr. Davis is married to Michael A. Davis, the principal of W.J. Christian School in Birmingham. When she is not in her Montgomery office or driving back and forth to her home in Hoover, Davis said she simply likes spending time with her husband and friends.

Dr. Davis said she didn't intend to stay in the South when she came to Alabama for graduate school decades ago. But she is glad she did. "I'm a believer. I think you will be where God intends you to be," Davis said.

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Source: Edited from bhamnews.com via. al.com kchandler@bhamnews.com.

Washington Business Journal's Executive Profile on AAMU Alum, Henry Gilford, CEO of Gilford Corp.

The basics

Background: Gilford, 66, capped a childhood in civil rights-era Alabama with a 2007 contract to help construct D.C.’s first tribute to that era’s most famous face, Martin Luther King Jr. With that memorial to be unveiled in August, the Beltsville civil engineer is now vying for his fourth project on the National Mall. Gilford has faced plenty of life’s darkest moments — he lost daughter, Kesi, to fatal lupus complications — and yet says he still wakes up each day “tickled” to be alive.

Education: Bachelor’s in civil engineering, Alabama A&M University

First job: I worked all my life on my dad’s farm, starting from 6 years old.

Family: Wife Ollie, son Louis, in Silver Spring

Business strategy

Biggest current challenge: The same one I’ve had all along: access to working capital and surety bonding.

On client care: I’m a believer in customer satisfaction as the first step to customer loyalty. Do whatever it takes to keep them coming back. Satisfaction does not always equate to customer loyalty. There are certain clients, no matter how hard you work for them, they’ll turn around and make you bid the next job against the world. So there are certain clients we don’t do business with because of that. We look for clients that realize a good quality firm and take that into consideration when they have their next project.

How do you keep a competitive edge? Once you get the job, give it everything you’ve got. As contractors, we allowed ourselves to become a commodity, and we’re not. We’re a service provider. Everyone’s not going to give you the same type of service. Oftentimes, we have clients who look for the lowest bidder, and you usually get what you pay for. We have a saying in the construction industry: You pay with peanuts, you get monkeys.

Judgment calls

Best business decision: Trying to accumulate as much working capital as I possibly could from the very beginning. The key was to accumulate it faster than our growth.

Hardest lesson learned: Putting people in responsible positions who were not 100 percent trustworthy. Sometimes you know in the back of your mind, but you’ve got so many things going on and you’ve gone through so many people that you finally say everybody has some flaws and you try to trust them. And I don’t know how you guard against that.

How do you recover from failure? A lot of prayer. If you focus on not turning bitter towards people and towards society, you come through it. By far the hardest thing I’ve ever had to contend with was the loss of my daughter. Anything else shy of that, I almost grin at it. Other things come and go.

True confessions

Most people don’t know about engineers: We are very precise people. We rarely see gray areas. Everything’s black and white.
Guilty pleasure: I’m really into photography lately, the restoration of older images.
Personality in high school: Very into sports. Basketball, baseball, football. I could play ball all day, every day.

Car: Ford Fusion hybrid. I am totally green. We recycle everything. I’ve even had energy audits and LEED improvements to my house.
Where were you when Martin Luther King Jr. was shot? I had just left work. I was working for IBM and hadn’t even graduated from college. That day, I had just bought a used MG from one of my co-workers. That night, we had a rally that led from the campus to downtown Huntsville, and a reporter was trying to get through the crowd to the person speaking. He sat on the front fender of my brand-new car, and I worked him all the way through to the front of the crowd.

Favorite book: John Henry Johnson, “Against All Odds”

Favorite restaurant: TJ’s in Beltsville

Favorite place outside of the office: Taking pictures in Ocean City. We have a place there that we go to at least once a month.
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Source: Washington Business Journal, Friday, July 8, 2011, Commercial Real Estate Section

Alabama A&M Alum, Michelle Gilliam Jordan is Huntsville's New Director of Economic Development

Mayor Tommy Battle announced Friday the appointment of Michelle Gilliam Jordan as the City's new Director of Economic Development and Legislative Affairs. Jordan has served as Huntsville's Director of Community Development since February 2009, and previously served for ten years as the Director of Planning and Development in Decatur.



Jordan will be responsible for promoting the City's economic development plan and will become Huntsville's chief federal strategist in Montgomery and Washington, D.C.
A native of Detroit, Mich., Jordan earned her Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree at Alabama A & M in 1992. She began her career in Washington, D.C., working for the Forest Service in environmental compliance, and later returned to Huntsville to serve as an environmental specialist for Earth Tech. The City of Madison hired Jordan away in 1995 to work as a planner and capital improvements program manager for their burgeoning community. She managed Madison's $30 million capital improvement program and implemented the city's award winning Comprehension Plan. From Madison, Jordan moved to Decatur where she assumed the role as Director of Planning and Development. In Decatur, Jordan coordinated city-wide development, managed block grants, code enforcement programs, Planning Commission, and the Decatur Business Incubator.

When Jordan assumed the role of Community Development Director in Huntsville, she managed multi-million dollar grants and urban development projects. Her negotiating, leadership and teambuilding skills quickly earned her recognition as a rising star. Jordan succeeds Joe Vallely, who joined UAHuntsville earlier this month.

Alum, Adrienne Pope-Kelly Washington was the First African-American Director of the Security Directorate at Army Aviation & Missile Command

Alabmaa A&M University's Motto, "Service is Sovereignty" is a legacy Alumnus Mrs. Adrienne Pope-Kelly Washington has displayed in her personal and professional life. Adrienne Pope-Kelly Washington spent 20 of her 36 years of a distinguished government service career in top leadership roles.

She is the first African-American woman to be promoted to the highest position possible at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, director of the Security Assistance Management Directorate (SAMD), U.S. Army and Missile Command (AMCOM).

Now retired, Washington attended public schools in Sylacauga and later received her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in economics and her master’s degree in business administration from Alabama A&M University. She is also a 1973 graduate of the U.S. Army Intern Training Center-Depot Operations Program, Industrial College of the Armed Forces and a 1987 graduate of the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, Calif.

During the years of 1990 through 2007, Washington attended more than 30 Department of Defense and Army Leadership courses.

Known to those close to her as “P K,” Washington has been highly recognized for her multi-tasking skills as she worked in high profile positions. She managed Weapon Systems (Missile Systems and Rotary Wing Aircrafts) programs for more than 70 foreign nations and organizations with inventory values of $25.2 billion.

During high peak times in her career, Washington supervised more than 1,000 government and contract personnel, both within and outside the United States.

Host nations she visited included Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates.

She currently serves as a part-time senior international program analyst at WYLE-CAS Company, supporting the U.S. Government in the development and execution of programs that transfer missile systems to foreign allies.

She has been active in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority since she was initiated into the Gamma Mu Chapter at Alabama A&M University in 1970.

Her very first position was vice president of the 1970 Ivy Leaf Pledge Club.

The last chapter position she held before being elected the 24th South Eastern Regional Director in March, 2010, was president of the 300-plus member Epsilon Gamma Omega Chapter in Huntsville.

Under Washington’s leadership, the chapter sponsored two undergraduate chapters.

During her 40-year membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha, she has held the offices of dean of pledges, president, vice president and treasurer.

She was twice elected Soror of the Year and is a certified graduate advisor.

She worked as logistics chairman for the 1996 South Eastern Regional Conference and served as chairman of the 72nd conference in 2002.

She is a member of the South Eastern Heritage Team and is a Life Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Washington is a founding member of the Alabama Sickle Cell Foundation and The Ivy Center of Huntsville/Madison County for which she served as the first treasurer.

She is a 30-year member of St. John A.M.E. Church in Huntsville and was the first woman appointed there to serve on the board of stewards.

She has also chaired numerous committees, including Women’s Day for two consecutive years. Additional affiliations include the Alabama A&M University Alumni Association and the National Society of Security Professionals.

Commendations and awards made to Washington have been from American government sources as well as from foreign governments, including Saudi Arabia, Japan, Israel and Kuwait.

These include a 1991 U.S. Army Material Command Service Medal for Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, a 1992 Presidential Citation from the National Association for Equal opportunity in Higher Education and a 2007 Department of Defense Superior Civilian Service Award.

Washington is married to U.S. Army Lt. Col. (Ret.) Darwin O. Washington of Hampton, Va. The couple married in June 2010. The Washingtons reside in Huntsville.

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Source:
The Daily Home - Returning ‘home’ for A M

Alabama A&M Physics Alum, Professor & RDECOM’ Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Ruffin Received Presidential Meritorious Rank Award

Huntsville, Ala. ---- A noted and much-honored physicist at the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) received an even greater distinction at the Pentagon on June 29, 2011.

Dr. Paul B. Ruffin, an Alabama A&M University alumnus who serves as RDECOM’s senior research scientist for micro-sensors and systems, received the coveted Presidential Meritorious Rank Award,symbolic of the very best in service to the federal government and worthy of recognition by the President of the United States.

A senior executive, Ruffin joins the select one percent of the government’s incomparable leaders, scientists, and other professionals known for their ability to bring about results and to consistently exude integrity and commitment to public service. There are two categories of rank awards: Distinguished and Meritorious. Award winners are chosen through a rigorous selection process.

Of the U.S. Government's 1.8 million civilian employees, only 6,800 have risen to be career Senior Executives. Of that elite pool, fewer than 50 are typically selected to be Distinguished Executives annually. Army employees who receive the Presidential Rank Award save the Service billions of dollars with efficiencies and advanced technologies.

As the Army’s senior research scientist (ST) for micro sensors and systems, Dr. Ruffin provides technical leadership and direction for research and development programs in the micro- and nano-scale technology area; interacts with international scientists, industry, academia, and with scientists in the Army and other government agencies; successfully leads notable research and development programs; and pioneers major technical breakthroughs to overcome the size and cost obstacle common to high performance navigation systems.

In July 2003, Dr. Ruffin was promoted to the highest rank for a research scientist – senior research scientist (ST) – that anyone could achieve in Government service, making him the first African-American to ever attain such status in the Army. He received the B. S. degree in physics from Alabama A&M University in 1977. He was the first African American to receive advanced degrees in physics from any school of higher learning in the state of Alabama, when he earned his M.S. (1982) and later his Ph.D. (1986) degrees in Physics from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Dr. Ruffin’s research in Fiber Optics, MEMS, and Nanotechnology has resulted in seven (7) patents, four book chapters, and numerous peer-reviewed journal articles. His latest patent, “Nano Smart Needle for Precision Sensing and Treatment that Promotes Healing in Living Tissue,” revealed a noninvasive technique for treating cancer patients. He is the co-editor of a textbook on “Fiber Optics Sensors: Second Edition,” CRC Press, 2007.

Moreover, Ruffin is an Adjunct Professor in the Physics Department at Alabama A&M University. Dr. Ruffin, who is an SPIE Fellow (2005), has received numerous prestigious awards, including the 2011 Black Engineer of the Year STEM Minorities in Research Science's (MiRS) Professional Achievement Emerald Award, the Army Research and Development Achievement Award from the Secretary of the Army in 2003, Black Engineer of the Year: Special Recognition, Technologist of the Year Award, Top Ten Army Materiel Command Personnel of the Year Award, Material Acquisition/Technology Award from the American Defense Preparedness Association, Recognition for a Canadian Patent, and many other awards.

Dr. Ruffin is a resident of Harvest, Ala., and pastors Forge Temple Church of God in Christ in Birmingham, Ala. He is married to Vetrea Slack Ruffin, National Gospel Recording Artist and employee at Alabama A&M University. They have two daughters, Lacretia (Kellen) Conaway and Angelica Ruffin (both are graduates of AAMU); and two grand children, Victoria Conaway (daughter of Lacretia and Kellen Conaway) and Jared Armand Smith, son of Angelica.
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Source: AAMU

AAMU Chemistry student, Taylor C..Hood is the July 2011 Thurgood Marshall College Fund Distinguished Scholar of the Month

Alabama A&M Student Taylor C. Hood, is published in Journal of Applied Crystallography Volume 44, Issue 2, pages 327–336, April 2011. The subject matter is "Building and refining complete nanoparticle structures with total scattering data". Miss Hood has more than promise, but the making of a notable Scientist of the future. She is the recipient of several awards. Miss Hood recently won first place in AAMU’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Day competition. In addition, Taylor was honored by the American Chemistry Society with the Student Leadership Award, the OCC Award, and is a finalist in the American Chemistry Society Scholars Program where she is conducting research this summer at Washington State University. For Taylors scholarly research, Talor C. Hood has been chosen by the Thurgood Marshall Scholars Program as the July 2011 Distiguished Scholar of the month.




"A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste." Thank you Taylor C. Hood for being another shining example of the AAMU Family. I am sure, I will be reporting your innovative discoveries in the future.

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Source: www.thurgoodmarshallfund.net

Alabama A&M Graduate Amanda Whatley was Chosen as one of the State Department's Critical Language Scholarship Recipient to Study in Turkey

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Amanda Whatley leaves June 15 to spend the summer studying in Turkey under a U.S. State Department scholarship. Ms. Whatley is a Dothan Alabama native is May 2011 Alabama A&M graduate with a political science degree.

She is among 575 college students to receive the U.S. State Department's Critical Language Scholarship. Students will spend seven to 10 weeks in intensive language institutes. And the students are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply these critical skills in their professional careers. More than 5,200 students across the country applied for the scholarship.

Whatley asserted, she chose to study in Turkey after consulting with Dr. Ronald Slaughter, chair of the Department of Behavior Sciences and associate political science professor at A&M, and other advisers. Amanda's interest in Turkey grew from Turkey's evolving socioeconomic and political role in the developing middle east.

Whatley plans to pursue a graduate degree in global sustainability at the University of South Florida when she returns from Turkey. A focus of her study will be on the use of water. Whatley hopes to return to Turkey as part of a graduate study project, looking at the application of water in dynamic country in the middle east.
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Source: Turkey News and AL.com

Urban League Honors A&M Alum & Business Professor, Dr. Larry McDaniel

Huntsville, Ala. ---- An Alabama A&M University department head in the School of Business was recently recognized for his longstanding work on behalf of the pivotal Black Executive Exchange Program (BEEP).

Dr. Larry McDaniel, AAMU alumnus and chair of the Department of Management and Marketing, was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the National Urban League Black Executive Exchange Program during the League’s recent and nearly 500-person conference in Orlando, Fla.

More than 100 students representing historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) also attended the jobs-themed conference to observe the National Urban League’s 42nd annual Black Executive Exchange Program Leadership Conference. BEEP is the National Urban League’s longest running direct service program. It is a partnership involving the business community, government and non-profit institutions that places African American executives in classrooms at more than 80 HBCUs as visiting professors and role models.

The program’s premise is that by exposing Black college students to African American executive role models and their real-world experiences, students can become better prepared for effective corporate leadership. The program also provides a unique opportunity for professionals and corporations to give back to their communities while helping African American college students achieve their goals. The National Urban League is led by Marc H. Morial, president & CEO, and former mayor of New Orleans.

Dr. McDaniel says he is proud to become one of only 16 individuals inducted into the Hall of Fame in the program’s 42-year history. Inductees are selected based on theirs years of work and level of commitment to the success of the program.
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Source: AAMU

AAMU Alum's second Presidential Appointment to USDA Leadership position

Daniel Robinson was appointed to serve as State Executive Director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Alabama by President Barack Obama in October 2009. He served in the same capacity from 1998 to 2001 under the Clinton Administration.

Agriculture is Alabama's largest industry, contributing nearly $5 billion to the State's economy each year. With over 48,000 farms covering nine million acres, wherever you look in Alabama, you see agriculture. Some of the best agricultural products in the world are grown in Alabama, from poultry and peanuts to sweet potatoes and catfish. At least fifty different commercial crops and livestock are produced in Alabama.

USDA FSA's primary mission is to assist Alabama’s farmers and ranchers to secure the greatest possible benefit from programs administered by FSA, such as farm loans, commodity price support, disaster relief, conservation, and other available resources. The hard working men and women of Alabama’s 45 county offices are at the forefront of our efforts, and they remain the primary contact for program participation and related questions.

As Alabama began to dig out from deadly tornadoes that ripped through the Southeast, the state’s agricultural leaders met with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack about programs to help farmers whose lives and livelihoods were impacted by the storms. Vilsack joined Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills on a tour of tornado-ravaged Pratt City near Birmingham where USDA FSA was at the forefront helping farmers obtain federal aid for removal, fence repair and livestock and crop losses.

Mr. Robinson brings a lifetime of agriculture experience to USDA.Mr. Robinson began his career with Alabama Farm Service Agency in 1970 and has served in various positions, including County Program Operations Specialist Trainee, County Operations Program Specialist, Agricultural Program Specialist, Chief Agricultural Program Specialist, State Civil Rights and Appeals Coordinator and State Executive Director.

During a brief period of retirement from USDA, between 2001 and 2009, Robinson
served as Assistant Marketing Director for the Alabama Department of Agriculture &
Industries, where he was responsible for within-house day-to-day operations of the
Agriculture Promotions Division. Robinson was also the Program Coordinator for the
Department’s Farmland Protection Program, whereby Federal matching dollars from
USDA/FSA were used to purchase from landowners the development rights of prime
farm land as conservation easements in perpetuity.

Robinson was born and reared on a small family farm in Coosa County, Alabama, where his family grew the traditional row crops (cotton and corn), including vegetable crops the latter years, which were marketed by way of U-Pick and “peddling.” He attended Alabama A&M University where he earned a B.S. Degree in Agriculture Education with a minor in General Science. Robinson taught junior high Science and Aerospace prior to his career with USDA.

Robinson lives in Montgomery with his wife. They have one daughter, two sons, and
three grandchildren.
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Source:USDA FSA website

Alabama A&M Alum, Odysseus Lanier's opening statement during the Size Standards Hearing

On Thursday, May 5, 2011 the House Small Business Committee Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access held a hearing entitled Professional Services: Proposed Changes to the Small Business Size Standards. Alabama A&M Alum, Odysseus Lanier testified before congress on behalf of Institute of Certified public Accountants (AICPA) for small businesses. Mr. Lanier made his argument to raise the standard for small businesses limits to $25M in federal government procurement policy.




Odysseus M. Lanier is one of four founding partners with McConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy LLP (MJLM). MJLM is the third largest African American-owned accounting and consulting firm in the United States, the largest African American-owned accounting and consulting firm south of Virginia's southern border, and the 17th largest public accounting firm in Houston, Texas, with satellite offices in Huntsville, Alabama, Dallas, Texas, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Washington, DC. He leads the firm's Federal Services Group and specializes in working with federal, state and local government agencies by providing strategic planning, financial management, and operations review and support services.

With more than 33 years of experience in strategic planning, governance, financial management, project management, control, and cost analysis, Odysseus has sharpened his skill of reviewing and evaluating governance; creating team-building systems; organizing and directing management; establishing strategic outsourcing alternatives; and analyzing general business operations. He has extensive knowledge of federal, state, and local procurement policy, procurement strategies, contracting processes, and process improvement strategies.

Odysseus is a certified public accountant (CPA) and a graduate of Alabama A&M University where he received a B.S. in Accounting in 1977 and now serves on the University's Board of Trustees. He is the former chairperson of the Board of Commissioners for the Harris County Housing Authority. He currently serves on the board of directors of Mental Health America of Greater Houston; the board of directors of the Joe Sample Youth Organization; and the corporate board for the Youth Motivation Task Force sponsored by the Alabama A&M University Career Development Services Office.

A&M Alum, Dr. Barry Carroll took the hot seat this morning as the Huntsville school board's second candidate for the job of superintendent.

Dr. Barry Carroll cites his love for Huntsville, public education during interview for superintendent slot


HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Dr. Barry Carroll took the hot seat this morning as the Huntsville school board's second candidate for the job of superintendent.

Carroll, who has served as Limestone County's superintendent since 2001, began his career in Tuscaloosa as an assistant principal and principal. From Tuscaloosa, he came to Huntsville and served four years as principal of Ed White Middle School.

Carroll also served as director of secondary education and staff for Huntsville's system before leaving for Limestone County.

His college career can also be traced back to Huntsville, where he earned a bachelor's degree from Alabama A&M University. He earned two master's degrees and his doctorate from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

As Limestone County superintendent, Carroll oversees a system of 8,900 students and 1,100 employees. He earns about $150,000.

When asked about his hiring practices, Carroll said he tries to determine the characteristics of the person the system needs and then sets out to find that person.

"You want to not only get the right person on the bus, but you want to get them in the right seat on the bus," Carroll said.

He said he has seen cases in which a teacher has not fit in one part of the community but fit well in another. He also allows the principals flexibility when it comes to hiring teachers.

Achieving the right person in the right position takes communication, he said.

"I believe in progressive discipline," Carroll said. "Work with them, write them up, help them improve. Every employee deserves to be told their strengths and their weaknesses."

The board also asked how Carroll addresses lagging student achievement and improves students' test scores. He responded that, like Huntsville, Limestone County has had issues with achievement. He said he sat down with principals and administrators and came up with plans that helped students improve their reading scores. When other issues pop up, those then become the focus. He used an analogy he said he learned from a fellow educator.

"Education is like (the arcade game) Whack-a-Mole," Carroll said with a chuckle. "You solve one problem and another one pops up over here."

Despite the achievement issues, the school system has consistently met Adequate Yearly Progress, he said. The graduation rate of students is also on the rise.

Financially, Limestone County has had some of the same issues other systems have had. Nevertheless, the system currently has a operations fund balance of about a month and a half of expenses, Carroll said.

"We're just like everybody in Alabama, we've been through some tough times," Carroll said.

Carroll said his administration met in December with every school's faculty to give a presentation on the financial crisis in education. At the end of the presentation, the faculty members were asked for their input on how the system could save money.

Administrators received more than 400 suggestions.

"Some of the things (they suggested) were absolutely phenomenal," Carroll said.

Carroll pointed out that his staff goes through these steps every year, not just when there is financial crisis in the schools.

When board Vice President Laurie McCaulley asked him about his handling of diverse student bodies, Carroll said he doesn't see differences in his students.

"I just don't see color. I don't see socio-economic difference. It's about caring about the kids," he said. "If you raise standards, you don't raise your standards for just one group. You raise the standards for everyone."

Communication also was a topic that Carroll focused on. He said that all of Limestone's principals have his email address and cell phone number and that he communicates with them all regularly. There is also the system's rapid notification system that notifies teachers and parents when students will not have school due to weather or some other issue.

He said he also uses the system to let the school community know about other topics of interest, such as U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks' visit to Tanner regarding the damage from last week's tornadoes. The information went out to about 32,000 people, he said.

"That really has nothing to do with our school system, other than we've had some parents who have lost their homes," Carroll said. "But I thought they should know."

McCaulley also asked him about his experience dealing with the U.S. Department of Justice and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund regarding his system's status as an integrated school. Like Huntsville, Limestone County was under a court order ending the county's race-based dual education system when Carroll arrived there in 2001.

Under his leadership, the school retained unitary status in 2007. He said the status of being racially equitable hasn't changed much in the system, however.

"We've not done anything dramatic to our system," Carroll said. "It just gives us flexibility."

When allowed to ask his own questions, Carroll told the board he is not afraid to talk about race. He asked McCaulley, the sole black member of the board, what she thinks needs to be done about the racial divide in the community.

"We don't have time to address that issue," McCaulley said, pointing to the 12:30 p.m. end of Carroll's interview.

She did say, however, that she thinks community members are "talking at each other" rather than talking to each other.

"So a start would be coming to the table with an open mind and an open heart," Carroll said.

When asked why he would be the right candidate for Huntsville's superintendent, Carroll said that public education is the "thread that binds us together."

"I believe in it. I'm passionate about it," Carroll said. "I love public education. I love Huntsville. I would give it 110 percent. I would give it all I have to bring it in the right direction."
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Source: By Crystal Bonvillian, The Huntsville Times

William Hooper Councill's vision realized in Alabama A&M's Legacy

William Hooper Councill

Alabama A&M University: An educational institution founded in 1875 as the Colored Normal School at Huntsville by former slave William Hooper Councill. With 61 students, two teachers, and $1,000 a year from the Alabama State Legislature, Councill built his school into a training center for teachers. Legend has it that the university's bell tower is situated on the precise spot where Councill was sold into slavery and where he vowed to return to make the land a productive place for his people. In 1891, Councill's school received Land Grant funds and expanded its training to include agriculture and mechanics. It became Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University in 1969 and now boasts Alabama's oldest Bachelor of Science program in computer science, along with liberal arts, city planning, business, and several graduate programs.
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William Hooper Councill's vision realized in Alabama A&M's Legacy: Innovation, Research and accomplished Alumni.


Alabama A&M Unversity

 Alabama A&M University (AAMU)
Since its founding in 1875 by an ex-slave in Normal, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University or Alabama A&M University (AAMU) has become known throughout the world for encouraging academic excellence among its diverse student body. The school is a member of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges and is on the register of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The university is under the control of a board of trustees appointed by the governor, who serves as ex-officio chairman. Also sitting on its board are the president of the student government association and the president of the faculty senate.

1st Graduating  Class   

AAMU came into being as the result of an 1873 bill passed in the Alabama State Legislature that established "a State Normal School and University for the Education of the Colored Teachers First Graduating Class of Huntsville Normal Schooland Students," provided that the president and trustees of the school placed it at the disposal of the state. The school also arose in large part due to the continued efforts of its first principal and president, William Hooper Councill, who had founded its predecessor, the Lincoln Normal School, in 1869. The school opened its doors to 61 students on May 1, 1875, as the Huntsville Normal School with a state appropriation of $1,000 per year. Councill introduced industrial education to the curriculum around 1878 to provide students with practical skills that would earn them employment. It attracted wide attention, and as a result the school was assisted financially by the Slater Fund and Peabody Education Fund, as well as by private individual contributors. Efforts to teach industrial education were so successful that the state legislature authorized the school to change its name to the State Normal and Industrial School at Huntsville. The school also received an increased appropriation of $4,000 per year. In 1891, the school received additional funds under the Morrill Act of 1890, which provided monies to schools for instruction in practical and mechanical subjects such as engineering and agriculture.




William Hooper Councill

 William H. Councill The name of the school was also changed to the State Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes in 1891 and moved to Normal, just outside of Huntsville. There the school had ample room to develop its trades and agricultural programs. In 1919, the institution became a junior college and was renamed the State Agricultural and Mechanical Institute for Negroes.

In 1939, the state board of education permitted the institute to offer coursework at the senior college level. On January 14, 1948, the school was renamed the Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College. The university received a "Class A" rating by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools in August 1946 and became a fully accredited member of the association in December 1963. On June 26, 1969, the state board of education adopted a resolution changing the name of the institution to its current one, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) University.

Having always opened its doors to all, the nearly 6,500-student university continues to offer students who need more initial help with academics the opportunity to excel beside students who come in as internationally recognized scholars. For four consecutive years, the university placed students on coveted academic teams of USA Today. AAMU has been named one of the top 50 schools nationwide for African Americans by Black Enterprise magazine. It now boasts four Ph.D. programs: food science, physics, plant and soil science, and reading and literacy.



William Hooper Councill
Domestic Science Building 

 Many companies have turned to the school and benefitted from work by campus scientists and researchers from the Schools of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, and Engineering and Technology. AAMU faculty members also are involved in various aspects of research for numerous governmental agencies and subcontractors. AAMU scientists have worked on projects as varied as the development of an allergen-free peanut, Caribbean volcanoes, and plants that may prove effective for treating diabetes. The volume of research grants and contracts awarded to the university and its research faculty required the administration to develop the Alabama A&M University Research Institute (AAMURI) in 1999 to provide professional staff for pursuing, negotiating, and entering into contracts by university entities. 


 Dr. Aurthor J. Bond Engineering Building

  In 2002, a new School of Engineering and Technology facility was spearheaded and first led by Edward Barnette, the first president of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) during his faculty days at Purdue University. In addition to programs in civil engineering and electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering technology, the accredited engineering school confers graduate degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering.

The early years of the twenty-first century have been a period of significant renovations and construction on the AAMU campus. Additions to the campus have included the aforementioned 90,000-square-foot engineering school, along with major renovations to the learning resources center and the campus's historic district. Other resources include a lab facility for programs in food and animal sciences, plant and soil science, and forestry. The recent multi-use Agribition Center in Huntsville serves as a venue for livestock shows and rodeos, as well as more formal activities.

To ensure its future success and to create long-term scholarships, the university coordinates the annual Councill Challenge Campaign to raise funds. The effort developed to help the school overcome historic state funding inequities and has contributed some $45 million to its endowment. The campaign is supported by AAMU faculty, staff, and retirees, corporations, foundations, churches, community organizations, the AAMU board of trustees, and alumni.



W.C.Handy, ca 1940's

 In 2006, the AAMU Marching Maroon and White Band led the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. The band's distinguished history, however, extends back to the late 1890s and early 1900s when it was conducted by Alabama native W. C. Handy, later known as "The Father of the Blues." The University Choir has made numerous regional and national appearances, and AAMU's athletic programs have gained the national spotlight many times. The school's student athletes have enjoyed success in volleyball as well as men's soccer.



AAMU Graduation

 AAMU boasts generations of outstanding alumni. Among them are William Cox, president of Cox Matthews & Associates, publishers of the nationally Alabama A&M Graduation distributed Diverse Issues in Higher Education Magazine; Henry Gilford, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Gilford Corporation; Marcus Price, CEO of the Dynamix Corporation; former American Idol winner Ruben Studdard; John Stallworth, corporate CEO, former Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver, and inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame; D. E. Wilcoxon, publisher of the Renaissance Observer; and many others.

The school continues to carry on the legacy of its founder. The commitment to the education of all who enter its gates—where they are welcomed by statue of William Councill by noted sculptor Branko Medenica—has made AAMU an institution with one of the most diverse faculties in the state. Such diversity has spurred numerous collaborations and research opportunities.

Morrison, Richard D. History of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. Huntsville: Liberal Arts Press, 1994.

Elizabeth Sloan-Ragland
Alabama A&M University

Jerome Saintjones
Alabama A&M University

Published March 17, 2009
Last updated November 22, 2010
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Source: Alabama Encyclopedia (Alabama A&M Archives)

First Graduating Class of Huntsville Normal School

First Graduating Class of Huntsville Normal School
The first graduating class of Huntsville Normal School (now Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University) in the late 1870s.

Back row, from left: R. A. Thompson, J. E. Walker, R. B. Stamps, R. L. Houston, J. C. Barne.

Front row, from left: L. V. Brownlow, A. L. Gray, Sarah F. Adams, Miss Duncan, A. H. Halfarce, D. W. McCall, and H. K. Patrick.
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Source: Encyclopia of Alabama (courtesy of Alabama A&M University Archives)

A&M Alumnus Dr. Barry Carroll has been selected as one of the Candidates for Superintendant for Huntsville County School System

Here is another Alabama A&M University Alumnus on the Move, from the renowned school of education. On April 26, 2011 A search firm presented seven superintendent candidates Monday night to the Huntsville City Schools board,from the 50 applicants, including two from outside the traditional school leadership paths. A class of 1979 A&M Alumnus Dr. Barry Carroll is one of the candidates. Below is Normalite Barry Carroll's distinguished resume published by the Huntsville Times.
Barry L. Carroll, Ed. D.
14717 Friend Road
Athens, AL 35611
Office Phone: 256-233-6494
E-Mail: barry.carroll@lcsk12.org


MISSION: To lead and work in a collaborative manner with students, parents, teachers, principals, central office, support staff, board members, business leaders and community leaders in the pursuit of excellence by serving as a visionary, competent instructional leader and caring superintendent.

EDUCATION:
Graduate School: The University of Alabama
1993 Doctor of Education in Administration and Planning, The University of Alabama Dissertation: Perceptions of Selected Alabama Educators Regarding Alabama High School Athletic Association Academic Eligibility Standards

1988 AA Certification in Administration and Planning, The University of Alabama
1986 Master of Arts in Administration and Planning, The University of Alabama
1980 Master of Arts in Health and Physical Education, The University of Alabama

Undergraduate: Alabama A&M University
1979 Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education, Alabama A&M University

Undergraduate Honors and Awards:
SIAC Academic All-Conference Football Team in 1978
SIAC Academic All-Conference Football Team in 1977
SIAC “Offensive Football Player of the Week” October 20, 1976
Alabama A&M Football Academic Award in 1975


EMPLOYMENT:2010 - 2011 Adjunct Professor, Orlean Bulard Beeson School of Education & Professional Studies Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama
Summer, 2010 – EDUC 520 – Foundations for Instructional Leadership
Spring, 2011 – EDUC 521: Issues in School Finance

2001-present Superintendent of Education, Limestone County Schools, Athens, Alabama (8900 students)
The Educational Leader for a school district that consists of over 8900 students, 1100 employees, and 16 sites; work cooperatively with and report to the Board of Education consisting of seven members elected by districts

1997-2001 Director of Secondary Education and Staff Development,
Huntsville City Schools, Huntsville, Alabama (23,000 students)
Responsibilities include supervising/evaluating all secondary principals (18 principals); coordinated secondary curriculum development and instructional practices; planned staff development activities for all Huntsville City Schools (48 schools)

1993-1997 Principal, Ed White Middle School, Huntsville, Alabama (725 students)
Responsible for all administrative functions of the school of 725 students in grades six through eight and 72 faculty/staff members; worked with the students, parents, teachers and staff in becoming a highly functional and highly acclaimed middle school

1992-1993 Principal, Eastwood Middle School, Tuscaloosa, Alabama (850 students)
Responsible for all administrative functions for a middle school consisting of 850 students (all 8th grade students) and 67 faculty/staff members

1987-1992 Assistant Principal and Coordinator of Athletic; Boys Tennis Coach, 1988,
1989, Central High School, Tuscaloosa, Alabama (2700 students in grades 9-12)
Duties included faculty and staff supervision; discipline; financial obligations; attendance; textbook distribution and inventory; student academic and disciplinary reports; safety and security; business and industry partnerships; athletic eligibility; and served as the Boys Tennis Coach in 1988 and 1989
Awards: 1988 AHSAA 6A Boys State Tennis Champions
1988 AHSAA 6A Boys Tennis Team Sportsmanship Award
1988 AHSAA Coach of the Year

1987 Assistant Superintendent, Educational Consultant to Superintendent, Choctaw County Schools, Butler, Alabama
Responsibilities included developing the first written policies and policy manual for the system; public relations; staff development; personnel; facilities; Adopt-A-School Partnerships; and athletic reorganization

1986 Graduate Assistant Football Coach for Coach Ray Perkins,
The University of Alabama
Assisted with the Offensive Line; coordinated the offensive scout team; analysis of opponent films; responsible for offensive computer data; and recruited five states

1985-1993 High School Health Education Instructor,
The University of Alabama, College of Continuing Studies
Developed the Health Education Correspondence Course for The University of Alabama Continuing Education Department and assessed student progress

1981-1986 Health Education Teacher, Assistant Football Coach, Boys Tennis Coach, Central High School, Tuscaloosa, AL (2700 students in grades 9-12)

Duties included teaching health classes, coaching football and tennis
Awards: 1985 AHSAA Boys Tennis 6A State Runner-Up
1982-1986 AHSAA Boys Tennis 6A Section V Champions
1982-1985 AHSAA 6A Area Football Champions

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:Member, Horace Mann League
Member, American Association of School Administrators (AASA)
Member, School Superintendent of Alabama (SSA)
Member, Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS)
Member, Alabama Association of School Boards (AASB)
Member, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
Member, Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association (AHSAA)
Member, Capstone College of Education Society at The University of Alabama

SELECTED ACTIVITIES AND COMMITTEES:Alabama Council for Leadership Development Committee (2010-2011)
Education Research and Development Institute (ERDI) (2008-2011, By Invitation Only)
President, North Alabama Superintendents Association (2009-2011)
School Superintendents of Alabama (SSA) Board of Directors (2009-2011)
CLAS Board of Directors, Superintendent Representative (2009-2011)
Alabama Superintendent Leaders Network of Alabama (2008-2011)

AASA Focus on Leadership for Learning Committee (2008-2012)
AASA Environmental Analysis Committee (2006-2008)
SSA Executive Coach (Mentor) for New Superintendents (2007-2011)
AASA Center for System Leadership: Superintendents Research Roundtable (2008-2011)
Member, First Baptist Church – Athens, Alabama (2003-2011)
Member, First Baptist Church – Huntsville, Alabama (1993-2003)
Member, National Institute of Educational Leadership - Inaugural Class of Alabama Superintendent Preparation Program (2001-2002)
Member, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program - Class 14 (2000-2001)
Member, Alabama A&M University Council Challenge Steering Committee (1997-1998)
Member, Alabama Learning Styles Center Board Member (1997-1998)
Member, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce BEST Committee (1997-1998)
Board Member, Tuscaloosa PRIDE - Parent Resources in Drug Education (1991-1993)
Committee Member, Tuscaloosa Summit on Education (1991)

SELECTED HONORS AND AWARDS:2008 Recipient, Superintendent Spotlight Award presented by Athens State University in Recognition for Commitment to Excellence in “Building Success Stories” for ASU students.
2006 Recipient, Outstanding Contribution to Education Award in the Category of
“Educator Other Than Classroom Teacher.” Presented by the Capstone College of Education Society for The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

2005 Recipient, Superintendent of the Year Award presented by the Alabama School Communicators Assoc.

2002 Distinguished Community Service Award presented by the Community Action Agency
for Huntsville/Madison and Limestone Counties

2001 Inducted into the Alabama A&M Athletic Hall of Fame for Football

1997 Recipient, National Congress of Parents and Teachers (PTA) Honorary Life Membership

1996 Recipient, Alabama Most Outstanding Secondary Principal Award, Alabama PTA

1996 and 1997 Recipient, Most Outstanding Principal Award, Huntsville Council of PTA’s

1996 Recipient, Alabama PTA Certificate of Honorary Life Membership

1992 Recipient, Most Outstanding Student Award in the Area of Administration and

Educational Leadership, The University of Alabama

1989 Representative for the Tuscaloosa, AL/Narashino, Japan Sister City Program

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS/PUBLICATIONS: 2011 (February) Education and Research Development Institute, Inc. (Denver, CO)

2011 (February) AASA Superintendents Roundtable in Denver, CO (Superintendents by Invitation Only)

2011 (February) “Real Results Real Fast: How a District Increased the Graduation Rate by 5% in One Year”

17th National Conference on Alternatives to Expulsion, Suspension, & Dropping Out of School, Orlando

2010 (July) Education and Research Development Institute, Inc. (Nashville)

2009 (October) School Superintendent of Alabama Fall Conference: “Decreasing the Dropout Rate: The

Limestone County Schools”; Education Services of America Ombudsman Program (First in Alabama)

2009 (July) Education and Research Development Institute, Inc. (Washington DC)

2009 (February) AASA, Superintendent Research Roundtable (Superintendents by Invitation Only)

2009 (February) Education Research and Development Institute, Inc. (San Francisco)

2008 (July) Education Research and Development Institute, Inc. (Chicago)

2008 (May) Prayer for Education on the Courthouse Lawn for the National Day of Prayer

2008 (April) Guest Speaker for the Athens/Limestone County Youth Leadership Program

2008 (February) AASA, Superintendent Research Roundtable (Superintendents by Invitation Only)

2008 (February) Education Research and Development Institute (San Diego)

2008 (January) “The Impact of BRAC on Education” – A Presentation to Business/Community Leaders

2008 (January) Guest Speaker for the Athens/Limestone County Chamber of Commerce

Ambassadors Program
2008 (January) Guest Speaker for the Athens State University Student Teachers Seminar

2007 (July) Panelists for “Crises and Controversial Issues in Schools” for the Alabama Association of School Boards (Summer Conference)

2007 (June) “A Look to the Future” Presentation for the NAACP of Limestone County

2007 (June) “A Look to the Future” Presentation for the VFW and Disabled Veterans

2007 (May) Keynote Speaker for the Alabama A&M University 132nd Founders Day Ceremony

2007 (May) Prayer for Education on the Courthouse Lawn for the National Day of Prayer

2007 (April) “A Look to the Future” Presentation for the Athens/Limestone County Rotary Club

2007 (March) “A Look to the Future” Presentation for the Athens/Limestone County Chamber of Commerce

2007 (March) “A Look to the Future” Presentation for the Limestone County Commission

2006 (June) Guest Speaker for the Athens/Limestone County Homebuilders Association

2005 (April) Keynote Speaker for the Alabama A&M University Education Majors

2004 (February) Presentation for The University of Alabama Superintendents’ Academy: “Using the Results of Student Assessment to Design Intervention Measures”

2002 (August) Guest Speaker for the Athens/Limestone County Board of Realtors

2002 (April) Guest Speaker for the Athens/Limestone County Rotary Club

2001 Indicators of Student Success: A Descriptive Study of the

Characteristics of National Honor Society Students, Southeastern Regional Journal of

Teacher Education, February, 2001

2000 (December Presentation) Indicators of Student Success: A Descriptive Study of the Characteristics of National Honor Society Students, Annual Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Conference (SACS), Atlanta, GA

1999 Team Building: Working with African American Students, National African American

Male Conference, Charlotte, North Carolina

1996 The Principal: The Key to Classroom Improvement, Alabama State Department

1996 Overcoming Obstacles to Successful Learning, Ed White Middle School Parent Seminar

1994 School Law, Motivating Students and Teachers, Madison County High School

1994 Motivating Students Through Team Work, Central Elementary School (Madison County Schools)

1993 Team Building, ACSAS New Principals Retreat, Columbiana, AL

1993 High School Athletics: The Responsibilities of a Principal, The University of Alabama

Principal Training Program
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Source: By Paul Gattis, The Huntsville Times
http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/04/retired_military_leaders_among.html