Staff Members

	Mary Lou Surgi (Staff) Executive Director,
Mary Lou Surgi holds a B.S. in Health Education from Appalachian State University, and Masters Degrees in Public Health and Food Systems Administration from the University of Tennessee. She is also a graduate of the A-B Tech Culinary Program, and combines this culinary knowledge with over 15 years experience working with farmers in Africa and Asia. She is FDA-certified to supervise acidified food processing operations as well as Juice Production under HACCP Guidelines. She regularly teaches at the John C. Campbell Folk School and is a member of the American Culinary Foundation. Mary Lou lives in Asheville.

Board Members

Tom Elmore (Board) Farmer/Land of Sky Council

Betty Huskins (Board) AdvantageWest Economic Development Group

Bill Lelekacs (Board) NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

Brian O'Laughlin (Board) Sodexho Food Services & Warren Wilson College

Peter Marks (Board) Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

Danny McConnell (Board) Henderson County Apple Grower

Smithson Mills (Board) Mars Hill College

Kaye Myers (Board) NC Department of Commerce

Max Queen (Board) Dean, Continuing Education, A-B Technical Community College

Aubrey Raper (Board) Madison County Farmer

John Swann (Board) GreenLife Market Co-Owner

Russ Yelton (Board) Director, A-B Tech Small Business Center

"AdvantageWest is always an excellent resource for information about the changing economic landscape of western North Carolina."
Sarah Smith
Weichert Realtors

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