Brenda Aschliman Elected President Of Construction Writers Association
May, 2008
CWA's new officers: President Brenda Aschliman, Vice President Susan Garritano, Past President Mike Anderson, and 2nd Vice President Tracie Christie.
(Buffalo Grove, IL) Brenda Aschliman has been elected president of Construction Writers Association for the coming year. Susan Garritano has been elected vice president, and Tracie Christie has been elected 2nd vice president.
Aschliman is director of corporate communications for Walter P Moore, Houston, TX, and has previously served CWA as vice president, 2nd vice president, director and co-chair of the Publicity and Promotion Committee. Garritano is public relations manager for McCarthy Building Companies, St. Louis, MO, and previously served CWA as 2nd vice president, a director and on-site coordinator for association meetings. Christie is associate director of awards & marketing of National Asphalt Pavement Association, Lanham, MD, and previously served CWA as a director, annual meeting chair, journalism and photography awards chair, and on-site coordinator for association meetings.
Nominating committee chair Sharon Holling announced the officer nominations along with nominations for five open director slots. The following were elected to two-year terms: Carla Biggs, marketing communications–PR/trade media manager for Hilti North America, Tulsa, OK; Jeri Briegge, public relations manager at Ditch Witch, Perry, OK; Rolf Fuessler, principal of Fuessler Group, Inc., Boston, MA; Jim Parsons, independent writer, Bristow, VA; and Tudor Van Hampton, Midwest bureau chief of Engineering News-Record, Chicago, IL.
Five directors returning to the board include Johnny Campos, marketing services consultant at Caterpillar, Inc., Peoria, IL; Christina Fisher, editor of Construction, Charlotte, NC; Catherine Hader, vice president and director of marketing at DMJM Design, Arlington, VA; Marc Ramsey, communications manager for the Surety Information Office, Washington, DC; and Bill Wilson, editorial director of Roads & Bridges, Arlington Heights, IL. 2007-8 CWA President Mike Anderson, senior editor of Construction Equipment, will serve as immediate past president. Deborah Hodges of Golden Square LLC will be executive director and a non-voting member of the board.
The following are retiring from the Board but are expected to remain active in CWA: CWA Past President Sharon Holling, marketing administrator of trade public relations for Caterpillar, Inc., and directors Tina Grady Barbaccia, senior editor of Aggregates Manager, Des Plaines, IL; Karen Courtney, chief development director for Barton Malow Company, Southfield, MI; Judy Schriener, independent writer, Columbia, MD; and Jeff White, public relations, Two Rivers Marketing, Des Moines, IA.
The Construction Writers Association is a non-profit, non-partisan international organization for journalists, public relations and marketing communications professionals, and photographers. The organization celebrates its 50th anniversary during 2008. CWA provides opportunities for networking, education, recognition, and fellowship, and strives to continually raise the level of construction writing.
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