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

Steve Freeman Re-appointed to Risk Management Board

MONTGOMERY (June 28, 2006) – Cullman County school board member Steve Freeman has been re-appointed to the Board of Trustees of Alabama Risk Management for Schools (ARMS). He’ll serve his second three-year term on the seven-member board.

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.

ARMS also works with school boards to develop strategies to limit their liability exposure in order to reduce and prevent costly losses or litigation.

Freeman has served on the Cullman County Board of Education for ten years. He is vice president and a loan officer for Peoples Bank of North Alabama.  He also is a deacon, Sunday school teacher and minister of music at Bethlehem West Baptist Church in Cullman.

“Steve brings a strong blend of financial knowledge and experience with education management to the trust,” said Dr. Sandra Sims-deGraffenried, AASB executive director and ARMS secretary-treasurer. “That background has made him a tremendous asset as an ARMS trustee, and we’re pleased to have his insight for the next three years.”

Other ARMS trustees include school board members Linda Steed of Pike County, Steve Freeman of Cullman County, Chip Hibbett of Florence, Eddie Lowe of Phenix City and Willene Whatley of Conecuh County. Newly appointed trustees Donnie Breaseale, Midfield Board of Education superintendent, and Ron Glover, Montgomery Public Schools’ assistant superintendent for finance, begin serving July 1. Brewton Superintendent Lynn Smith, who is chairman, and Thomasville school system business manager Linda McGhee are both retiring from the board as of June 30.

Founded in 1949, the Alabama Association of School Boards represents all the state’s local school boards and promotes the interests of local lay control of public education. Headquartered in Montgomery, AASB provides members with a wide array of services, including boardmanship training seminars, information services and policy research.

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