In Memoriam.

ACTE mourns the recent passing of three longtime members of our family who devoted much of themselves to career and technical education, to students, and to career and technical organizations at the national, regional, state and local levels.

Jim Hannemann

Jim Hannemann was born in 1937. After receiving his BS degree in agricultural education from South Dakota State University in 1959, he taught agriculture in Creighton, Neb. He later taught agriculture in Ipswich, S.D., and earned an MS degree in 1965. He was awarded a Ph.D. in secondary curriculum from Michigan State University in 1968 and became a vocational education consultant for the Oakland Intermediate School District in Pontiac, Mich., a position he held until 2000.

Jim was an active member of several professional organizations, including FFA, SME, AIPC, VPAC and ACTE. In 1999, he received the ACTE President's Award for Outstanding Service. He also was involved in coordinating the annual Automotive Awards for Excellence presented each year at ACTE's convention by NATEF.

He is remembered by staff and members for his unselfish support of our programs, his commitment to all aspects of career and technical education, and his willingness to assume responsibility for association programs and see them through to a successful conclusion.

Paul Lentz

Paul Lentz, 66, earned his BS from Appalachian State University and his master's degree from N.C. State University. He was a high school teacher for six years and then joined the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction, where he was a regional vocational director for four years. He served as the first vocational director for Cabarrus County and retired last year after 26 years as assistant superintendent of the county's schools.

Paul was a life member of ACTE since joining in 1966. He provided invaluable leadership to the organization, both as a board member and vice president of the Administration Division from 1985-88, and through his involvement in securing funds for the construction of the national ACTE headquarters building. Paul was also a life member of the North Carolina ACTE and served as its president from 1971-72, and he was president of the North Carolina Council of Local Administrators.

Paul was an avid traveler and outdoorsman, and he brought that same passion to his work with young people. As a teacher, he believed it was not enough that students learn in the classroom, but that they should also learn how to work. Recognizing his significant contributions, the North Carolina ACTE passed a July resolution expressing the members' "appreciation and honor the memory of Paul Lentz for his time, talents, and personal sacrifices given in providing years of service to ACTE, NCACTE, and NCCLA."

Mary Ann Russell

In most organizations, there is usually one person who comes as close as you can get to being "indispensable" to the smooth operation of the business routine. Mary Ann Russell was that person at ACTE. She served on the headquarters staff for nearly 18 years, but it would be difficult to assign a specific job description to what she did.

Although officially a member of the Communications Department, Mary Ann was involved in a broad range of the association's day-to-day activities. Many members who didn't know her will remember her as the "bookstore lady" for her careful supervision of our store at the annual convention and National Policy Seminar. But she was also our staff "firefighter" ... always ready to step in and help solve the periodic crises that inevitably arise during normal business operations.

Mary Ann had a rare understanding of how all the pieces of our association fit together, and that understanding and her sense of ACTE's history will be sorely missed. More important, the staff and Board of ACTE will miss her friendship and her unselfish support of our work.