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

Suzanne Freeman Appointed to Risk Management Board

MONTGOMERY (June 2007) – Trussville Board of Education Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Freeman has been appointed to the Alabama Risk Management for Schools Board of Trustees effective Aug. 1.

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.

“Dr. Freeman has a wealth of management experience and a solid knowledge of the workings of public schools that will be valuable in her role with ARMS,” said Dr. Sandra Sims-deGraffenried, AASB executive director and ARMS secretary-treasurer. “We look forward to having her insight.”

Freeman’s schools management experience includes three years as Trussville’s superintendent, four years as Cullman city board’s superintendent as well as an assistant superintendency and principalship in Auburn schools.

She is a member of the A+ Education Foundation Board of Directors, the United Way Committee, the AT&T/Center for Leadership and School Reform, the Superintendents’ Leadership Network and the Trussville Chamber of Commerce. Freeman is also a School Superintendents of Alabama Board Member (District V President).

Freeman earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Asbury College, a master’s degree and administrative certification from Auburn University and a Ph.D. from Auburn University.

She and her husband, real estate appraiser Neal Freeman, have two children: Ryan, a rising 10th-grader at Hewitt-Trussville High School, and Emily, a rising eighth-grader at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School. The Freeman family attends Trussville First United Methodist Church. 

The other ARMS trustees include school board members Linda Steed of Pike County, Steve Freeman of Cullman County, Eddie Lowe of Phenix City, Ron Glover of Montgomery County, Chip Hibbett of Florence and Steve Foster of Lowndes County. Freeman replaces Donnie Breaseale of Midfield, who is retiring from the board as of July 31.

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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