Alabama State Report
Chip Quisenberry, AASFAA President

Summer 2005

Dear Colleagues:

The 2005 AASFAA Spring Conference was a resounding success! Held at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, this conference was memorable for all the right reasons. The conference theme was “Structurally Sound and Ready for New Challenges”, which reflected the physical status of the conference facility after Orange Beach was severely battered by Hurricane Ivan last October. Repairs were completed on time and the conference facility reopened a few weeks before the conference began.

Three tracks (New Aid Officer, Mid-Level, and Senior) were offered for all the concurrent sessions, and all sessions were well attended throughout the conference. The majority of the concurrent sessions were taught by individuals from outside the AASFAA membership; this allowed AASFAA members to more fully participate in the conference. Our “fed” was Deborah Tarpley from Denver, CO. She presented in general sessions on all three days of the conference and did a great job.

President Chip Quisenberry presented AASFAA Certificates of Appreciation to the following members who are retiring from student aid positions this year: Cindy Massey (SouthTrust Bank/Wachovia); Pat Reedy (University of West Alabama), Dot Wilkinson (Southern Union State Community College), Mae Glosson (University of Montevallo), and Cornelia Miller (Jefferson Davis State Community College). Cindy Massey, Dot Wilkinson, and Pat Reedy were also presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Association Banquet on Thursday night.

The following members were elected to serve the AASFAA membership for 2005-2006:

President	Buddy Jackson, Faulkner University
President-Elect	Jonna Moses, Regions Student Loan Center
Vice President	Ben Baker, University of North Alabama
Treasurer	Charles Markle, Auburn University
Treasurer-Elect	Lissa Burleson, Samford University
Secretary	Donna Bass, Lurleen B. Wallace State Community College

AASFAA’s Legacy Scholarships (valued at $1,000 each) were presented to the following schools:

The Shirley Speer Legacy Scholarship

Linda Calvanese, Remington College

The Bill Gentry Legacy Scholarship

Suzanne Bush, Bevill State Community College

The Floyd Johnston Legacy Scholarship

Wanda Bass, Lurleen B. Wallace Community College

The Theresa Duke Legacy Scholarship

Tracy Adams, Jefferson State Community College

The AASFAA Legacy Scholarship

Joan Waters, Chattahoochee Valley Community College

The highlight of the conference was the appearance of the Honorable John H. Buchanan, Jr. AASFAA named its Distinguished Service Award after Mr. Buchanan in 1980 due to his many contributions to education as the Birmingham district representative in the U.S. Congress. Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan were invited to attend the 25th Spring Conference since he received that first award and he delivered a rousing, inspiring message to the membership at the Thursday evening banquet, telling the membership that AASFAA is in the “business of giving hope to those who lack it”. In a time when we tend to get bogged down in the minutiae of delivering aid to students, Mr. Buchanan reminded us of our higher purpose.

Respectfully submitted,

Chip Quisenberry
2004-05 AASFAA President