For more information, contact:
                                                                                                  Denise L. Berkhalter
                                                                                  dberkhalter@alabamaschoolboards.org

Foster Appointed to Risk Management Board

MONTGOMERY (June 2007) – Steven T. Foster of the Lowndes County school board has been appointed to the Alabama Risk Management for Schools Board of Trustees.

ARMS is a self-funded risk management program that provides automobile, errors and omissions and general liability coverage for Alabama school boards. It operates under the auspices of the Alabama Association of School Boards and works with school boards to develop strategies to limit their liability exposure to reduce and prevent costly losses or litigation.

“Steve has a wealth of business experience and a solid knowledge of the workings of public schools that will be valuable in his role with ARMS,” said Dr. Sandra Sims-deGraffenried, AASB executive director and ARMS secretary-treasurer. “We look forward to having his insight.”
Foster, who is director of AASB District 2, has seven terms as president of the Lowndes County Board of Education under his belt. He is also a former vice president of the board that he has been a member of since 1992. An active member in AASB, Foster has reached the third level of the Academy and has served on several AASB committees, including budget and finance.

Foster’s civic duty is also fulfilled in his work with the governor’s Blackbelt Action Commission and as a member of the Lowndes County Democratic Executive Committee and of the Fort Deposit Chamber of Commerce, which he served as president. He is minister of New Providence Church of Christ and previously worked as senior vice president of First Lowndes Bank.

Foster is an agent at Norman Insurance Service in Greenville and an adjunct professor at Faulkner University. A graduate of the Alabama Banking School at the University of South Alabama, he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Auburn University Montgomery and an associate degree in accounting from Alabama Christian College. In addition, he has completed coursework toward a doctorate degree at the University of Alabama. 

He and his wife, Nancy, have two children, Rebecca, 16, and Travis, 13. They live in Fort Deposit and attend the Fort Deposit Church of Christ.

Foster joins ARMS trustees Linda Steed of Pike County, Steve Freeman of Cullman County, Eddie Lowe of Phenix City, Ron Glover of Montgomery County and Chip Hibbett of Florence. Foster replaces Willene Whatley of Conecuh County, who is retiring from the board as of June 30.

AASB represents all of the state’s local school boards. Since 1949, AASB has represented the interests of local lay control of public education. With headquarters in Montgomery, AASB provides members with a wide array of services, including boardmanship training seminars, information services and policy research.

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