2004

Hanis leaves La-Z-Boy, joins East Central's work-based leaming team Trisha Niswander Tiu: Nt. •1to11 Record

Chris Harris sits 1n tlis new office at the Vocational Technical buildtng on the East Cen– tral Communi· ty College Campus Har– ns will be the Workbased Leamtng Coordinator.

Fo\U' or five ~·ears ago, I told I..a·Z·Boy that Uterc \'vfiS a good vossihility that l would 1~ movinJ; bacl\ into the education tirld," Harris bilid. "'J had decided that if UP· OJJporhmHy presented itself. 1 would look into it I Jm·r·is said he had many good experi· cnces at La·Z·Boy during his 151/2 years Utcre. nnd learned a 15reat deal from being part of the L.1·Z.Boy team. "I met some really neat and genuine people there,'' Harris said. "I believe they helped me grow as an individual." La·Z.Boy General Manager Dan Breed· ing said he was sad to see Harris go, but not at all sm·prised.

Chris Harris has always said his roots were in education. Now. after his lirr;t week as Work-Based £.earning Coordin tor at East Central Conuniinity Collegt>, his thoughts hav(' tx•en conlir'lilt~l: he has indeed retLu·ned to his roots. "I feel like l'w conw homo," Hm·r.is said. "My house ~~across the sti-ect and this new posrtion t!lirninntcs any major travelin~. so I e.tn II(! ;11 home just about every night " Acconhng tn Hnrds, the fk1;n tu his sur>etiors several yeat'S ago nbout tht! possibility of a cnn.~~~ · <]lt!.lnl.!f'

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~N· MARRIS. Plge 9A was a OIStmct posslOlllt); Breeding said. "It's disap pointing to me ... I can't say I was surprised though, Chris's herui was always in education." According toBreeding, La· Z.Boy is actively seeking to fill Harris' position. "Clu·is's shoes are going to be hard to fill ," 'Breeding said. According lo an ECCC press release. Harris' new dulil's will include placing and evaluating vocationali technical students in work s ite settings. Harris wili evaluate s tudents and employers throughout the college's five-county se1v.ice area, including Newton 1 Neshoba, Leake, Winston and Scott counties. "Chris has been involved with the Work-Based Learn· ing program since its begin· ning in 1994," Workforce Development Center direc- 1 tor Roger Whitlock said in ihn .n>:P$£.. relAase~.'.!lk nsVi

TRISHA NISWANDERITHE NEWTON RI!CORD

llt's the value of technically l'ducated workers and appre– ciates the College's potential for producing them. As East Central's Human Resources contact at La-Z.Boy, he hired a quantity of WBL students through the years and there– fore, has tremendous insight as to what directions our vocational-technical pro– grams should tal\e . . . this foundation along with his genuine interest in serving students, instructors and employers will certainly add value to the college." Harris graduated from Decatur High SchooL He then moved on to earn an associate in arts degree from East Central Junior College and a bachelor's degree in educational psy– chology at Mississippi State University. He holds a mas– tt~r's degree in counseling and administration from 1\ISl lMPruli:m.

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