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MTCC gets news additions: dean and Webmaster

By Michael Lavender

MTCC

Published: November 22, 2009

Students and staff will soon find a familiar face wearing a new hat in the halls at McDowell Technical Community College.
Following a brief closed session last Thursday night, the college's board of trustees returned to open session and voted to hire Dr. James Benton of Morganton as the new Dean of Curriculum Programs at MTCC. Although Benton is currently an auditor with the N.C. Community College System Office (NCCCS) in Raleigh, his office has been physically located on the McDowell Tech campus for more than two years.
In addition, the board voted to hire Tab Anthony Adcock Jr. for the newly created position of Webmaster/IT technician. Adcock currently works for Turnkey Programming in Arden.
Benton, 56, will begin his new duties on Jan. 1, 2010. He replaces Heather Hollifield-Hoyle, who resigned in mid-2008 to follow her husband to a new job in Arkansas. Due to state budget issues, the position held by Hollifield-Hoyle had not been replaced until now.
"We are excited to have someone with Dr. Benton's experience and expertise joining our staff," said Bryan W. Wilson, president of McDowell Technical Community College. "Dr. Benton has worked directly and indirectly with both curriculum and continuing education classes during his professional career, first in industry training at neighboring Western Piedmont Community College, and then in program auditing with the N.C. Community College System."
Benton received his associate degree in industrial engineering technology from Western Piedmont Community College in 1981 and his Bachelor of Science in manufacturing engineering technology in 1986. In 1995, he completed a Master of Arts in Education and, in 1997, an education specialist degree, both in higher education administration. In 2001, Benton completed his Doctor of Education degree at East Tennessee State University, specializing in education leadership and policy analysis.
Prior to becoming an NCCCS auditor, Benton worked at Western Piedmont Community College from 1989 to 2007, first as coordinator of the Focused Industry Training Program, and then director of Industrial Services. In addition, from 1999-2000, he administered the "Education-To-Go" online computer and distance education classes in continuing education at WPCC, and from 2001 to 2006 he taught adjunct classes in the Business Technologies Division at Western Piedmont.
"We are particularly excited that Dr. Benton has experience on a SACS Self-Study Steering Committee," said Wilson, referring to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which accredits colleges, universities and school systems throughout the southeast. "We have an ongoing process of self-evaluation and improvement in which we hope to involve Dr. Benton. "
Benton served on Western Piedmont's SACS Self-Study Steering Committee from 2001-2002.
Benton has been an active member of various professional organizations and has served on state task force committees, which studied the need for lean manufacturing in the N.C. Community College System and developed distance education courses in continuing education for NCCCS. From 2004 to 2005, he chaired the Planning Committee for the N.C. Community College Adult Educators Association, and served on the Western North Carolina Training Alliance from 2002 to 2006. For over a decade, he was senior Phi Theta Kappa advisor at Western Piedmont Community College and is a member of Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society for educators.
Over the last two decades, Benton has served the public in various capacities, from basketball coach for peewee boys to PTO president at Glen Alpine Elementary School. He has worked with both United Way and Relay for Life and served for two years on the board of directors for the Burke County Chamber of Commerce before becoming vice chairman of that board for an additional two years. He has chaired Leadership Burke, Manpower Development Committee and the Health and Recreation Committee for Burke County Public Schools. Recently, he has co-chaired a Job Service Employer Committee for Burke Employment Security Commission and the School Health Advisory Council for Burke County Public Schools, where he also served on the Teacher of the Year Committee for several years.
"I am very excited to have this opportunity to serve McDowell Tech," said Benton. "I also look forward to developing and strengthening partnerships with people and organizations in this community."
Benton and his wife, Susan, are the parents of one child, Christopher Benton, 18, who is a student at Western Piedmont Community College. In his spare time, Benton enjoys running, fishing, spending time with this family, reading and researching. He and his wife are members of Mountain View Baptist Church No. 2 in Morganton.
Adcock, the new Webmaster and IT technician, holds an Associate of Arts Degree in computer programming from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (A-B Tech), where he graduated in 2006. He also holds certificates in database management and Java programming.
Adcock, 29, has worked for Turnkey Programming in Arden since August 2007. He manages the company's Web site, conducts Webinars, trains customers and repairs and builds computers for Turnkey's customers.
Prior to working for Turnkey Programming, Adcock worked for Sears in Marion from 2004 to 2007 and Mountain View Tire in Asheville from 1999 to 2004. He has also worked at Advance Auto Parts and Bi-Lo in Marion and Morganton, respectively.
Adcock is an active member of Providence United Methodist Church in Marion, where he has served at various times as lector, director of education, Sunday school teacher and technical director for visual.