Albany Herald

ALBANY, Ga. -- Albany Technical College held its annual awards banquet for nominees selected for the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) and the Rick Perkins Award (Instructor of the Year) for 2013 Thursday evening

Albany Tech's Rick Perkins' winner was Robert Permenter, Industrial Systems Technology chair and instructor. Permenter boasts 30 years in the field of electrical/mechanical maintenance, troubleshooting and management.

The Instructor of the Year nominees included Chase Mumford (Electromechanical Engineering Technology); Permenter Frederia Sampson (General Studies); and Kaven Williams. (Telecommunications Engineering Technology).

The final four GOAL nominees included Michael Carroll (Firefighter/EMSP); Brooke Geissler (Design and Media Production Technology); Aamir Greene (Telecommunications Engineering Technology); and Cayla Osteen (Dental Assisting).

The original pool of 10 nominees for GOAL included: Michelle Campbell (Computer Information Systems); Carroll; Geissler; Aamir Greene (Telecommunications Engineering Technology); Emily Kratschman (Design and Media Production Technology); Nature Malone (Business Logistics Management); Osteen; Kierria Slaughter (Early Childhood Care and Education); Valerie Watson (Early Childhood Care and Education); and Stephanie Zakrzewski (Business Logistics Management).

The final four nominees will be interviewed next Tuesday by an Albany Area Chamber of Commerce panel and one will be selected and announced next Thursday.

The winner will compete at the State GOAL competition to be held April 24-26 in Atlanta.

The state winner is the official spokesperson for technical education in Georgia for 2012. The Albany Tech winner will also have an opportunity to compete at the Regional Competition for GOAL, which will be held for the South Region Georgia consortium Feb. 28 at Moultrie Technical College's satellite campus in Tifton.

Prior to coming to Albany Tech in 2009, Permenter taught for six years in the U.S. Navy technical schools and for the Technical College System of Georgia. He also has 10 years management experience in automated electrical/mechanical control systems maintenance.

A Six Sigma Master Black Belt graduate of Villanova University, Permenter has also worked with Georgia Electric Company, TNS Mills, Columbia Forest Products, Walt Disney World Company, Cummins Southeastern Power, Inc., and the U.S. Navy.