Three VGCC stalwarts retire

More than 88 years of combined experience exited Vance-Granville Community College when three long-time college employees recently retired. Danny Guin (above, left) and Roxanne Fleming (above, center) retired in late 2006 and James Wheeler (above, right) followed suit in January 2007.Guin retired after 33 years working full-time at Vance-Granville. At a retirement celebration on Nov. 29, VGCC Director of Economic and Workforce Development Garland Elliott presented Guin with a gift that expressed the VGCC family’s “appreciation of Danny as a boss, co-worker, and friend.” Guin said that he was happy that his work at the college, particularly in the area of occupational extension, had “made a difference in the lives of many people.” After three years working part-time at what was then Vance County Technical Institute, Guin, who holds a bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University and a master’s in education from North Carolina State University, became assistant director of continuing education in 1973. Since then, he has held the titles of Director of Industry Services, Director of Community Services, Director of the Small Business Center, Dean of College Services, and finally Director of New Construction. Guin has also volunteered his time to continue working on several projects since his retirement.Fleming, who earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at North Carolina State University, started working at VGCC in 1981. After a few months as a part-time secretary for recruiting efforts, she became the full-time manager of the college bookstore. A year later, while continuing to manage the bookstore, Fleming became the college’s first personnel officer. Eventually, she was relieved of bookstore duties to focus solely on personnel. In the 1990s, her title changed to Director of Institutional Advancement, and then to Personnel Director, and then to Director of Personnel and Institutional Effectiveness. Finally, while continuing as Human Resources Director, Fleming was named to fill a new position, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, in September 2005. At a reception in her honor on Dec. 15, VGCC President Randy Parker described her as “an asset to the college” and “the ‘go-to gal’ for many years.”“I have enjoyed every minute of the last 25 years,” Fleming said. She witnessed dramatic growth in student enrollment, in the variety of programs offered, and in the number of employees during her quarter-century at Vance-Granville. Fleming also enjoyed working closely with three college presidents: Dr. Ben Currin, Robert Miller, and current president Randy Parker. In retirement, Fleming is enjoying spending time with her grandson and plans to volunteer in her community and church.James Wheeler is not only a longtime educator and leader at Vance-Granville, but is also a graduate of the college. After Wheeler finished three years of service in the United States Army in 1970, he started taking evening classes at Vance County Technical Institute while working full-time in Henderson. His employer then allowed him to take a year off from work to be a full-time student, and he earned an Associate in Applied Science degree. Wheeler continued his education at North Carolina Wesleyan College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree, and finally at North Carolina State University, where he completed a master’s degree in economics. In 1975, with his education complete, Wheeler was offered a job teaching business courses at Vance-Granville. Except for one year in which he took a leave of absence to work for the state legislature, Wheeler taught at VGCC through 1994, when he became the chairman of the college’s Public Service and Vocational Education division. Under President Randy Parker, that post was renamed and restructured as the Dean of Applied Technologies and Public Service. Wheeler served as Dean until July 1, 2006, when he returned to teaching full-time. “I enjoyed teaching very much and I will miss the people at Vance-Granville,” Wheeler said during a reception in his honor on Jan. 19. He had no firm plans for his retirement, but he would not close the door on the possibility of teaching part-time.