Shown standing in front of the simulator, from left, are Mitch Sanford, First Bank of Dalton executive vice president; Jason Gamel, GNTC director of Recruiting; Becky Redd, Mohawk Industries Learning director; Damon Raines, Walker County Schools superintendent; Carolyn Walker, Walker County Tax commissioner; Scott Tucker, United Community Bank president; Linda Case, Dade County executive; Pete McDonald, GNTC president; Doris White, Blood Assurance Community and Public Relations; Jay LeGrande, Silver Comet Furniture; Jay Still, Grainger manager; Michelle Beatson, GNTC Institutional Advancement liaison; Sherrie Patterson, Sutter Family Practice manager; and Valerie Brown, Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy instructor. Sitting in the simulator are, from left, Steve Tarvin, Pierce Foundation; Betts Berry, Jewell Memorial Foundation; and Claudio Leyssens, GNTC EMS instructor and clinical coordinator.
With the population closing in on one million people in Northwest Georgia, combined with the more than 300 EMT openings currently available in the Peach State, it was an easy decision for two regional foundations to team up to make a gift to Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC).
Betts Berry with the Jewell Foundation and Steve Tarvin with the Pierce Foundation stopped by the college’s Catoosa County Campus in Ringgold, over the holidays to see the end result of a $35,000 joint gift to the Paramedic Technology program.
Ms. Berry and Mr. Tarvin not only represent these foundations, they were also both students in the very same academic program in the 1980’s.
With more than 25 years of experience in Emergency Medical care and instruction, GNTC Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Program Director Claudio Leyssens will be using their brand new ambulatory simulator to help educate students enrolled in the college’s certificate and diploma programs. Classes are offered on both the Catoosa County Campus (Ringgold) and Floyd County Campus (Rome) throughout the year.