Florestano

Tomorrow, Anne Arundel Community College will name its new Allied Health and Public Services Building after outgoing college President Tom Florestano. It is an honor he has earned many times -- not just for his tireless efforts to expand the health program from a single nursing class, but for all he has done to make AACC a thriving school and a real part of the community.To measure Dr. Florestano's contributions, compare what the college was like when he became president 15 years ago with what it is now. In 1979, AACC was a two-year preparatory school with little respect.

Thomas E. Florestano, a long-serving president of Anne Arundel Community College, died March 31 of Parkinson's disease complications at Ginger Cove Health Center. He was 79 and had lived in Annapolis. "Tom did a great deal to bring our community college into national prominence," said former Anne Arundel County Executive Robert Neall. "He was local. He knew the county and he knew our needs. He was a mentor and a friend. " Born in Annapolis and raised on Monticello Avenue, he was the son of Ernest Florestano and Lena Lorea.

Anne Arundel County Executive Robert R. Neall has nominated Thomas Florestano, the retiring president of Anne Arundel Community College, to fill in for five months on the county Board of Education.More than 30 applicants have been scrambling for the seat, vacated abruptly earlier this month by Jo Ann Tollenger for what she called "personal reasons."The choice of who will complete her term, which expires June 30, is up to Gov. William Donald Schaefer. In past years, the governor has always chosen the county executive's preferred candidate to fill vacant board seats.

Classes offered on conflict resolution The Anne Arundel Conflict Resolution Center is offering two 15-hour courses on getting along with coworkers and family members and communications skills for partners and parents. Participants will learn to reach good decisions, influence others and communicate effectively. Part One will deal with conflict, listening and hearing others, and confronting and handling unacceptable behavior. Part Two will deal with exploring needs, wants and relationships, goal setting and helping other meet their needs.

The unfortunate thing about Tom Florestano's appointment to fill a five-month vacancy on the Anne Arundel County Board of Education is that he is still president of Anne Arundel Community College. The good thing is that he is a proven, effective leader who knows what he's doing when it comes to education, and heaven knows, this bumbling school board can use someone like that.Weighing the negatives against the positives, we think Dr. Florestano's appointment comes out on the plus side. (He was County Executive Robert R. Neall's choice to fill in for board member Jo Tollenger, who resigned.

Anne Arundel Community College yesterday named its new Allied Health and Public Services Building after retiring college President Thomas E. Florestano, who developed the health curriculum from a lone nursing program into a range of studies so successful they needed their own building.Dr. Florestano will retire June 30, just three weeks shy of 15 years at the Arnold campus.A man with a reputation for doing his homework, Dr. Florestano convinced the Neall administration and the County Council at the height of the recession to put up $6.2 million for the building.

The search for a replacement for retiring Anne Arundel Community College President Thomas Florestano has been narrowed to eight candidates, a member of the school's board of trustees said last night.More than 90 people applied, said Walter Hall, who chairs the 13-member presidential search committee. He briefed members of the college committee Wednesday on the status of the search."We've developed a statement of leadership characteristics in terms of replacing the irreplaceable Tom Florestano," Mr. Hall said.

Anne Arundel Community College President Thomas E. Florestano is Gov. William Donald Schaefer's choice to fill a five-month vacancy on the county Board of Education.Robert Pascal, the governor's appointments secretary, confirmed late yesterday that the appointment would be announced today.The school board vacancy was created by the abrupt resignation of Jo Ann Tollenger, who had five months left to serve in her five-year term.County Executive Robert R. Neall nominated Dr. Florestano for the post last week, but the nomination immediately drew criticism when the college president made it known that the AACC budget would remain his top priority.

The man credited with putting the "community" into Anne Arundel Community College announced he will retire from the school's presidency at the close of the academic year."

Anne Arundel Community College President Tom Florestano was getting ready to introduce a representative of the Salvation Army to an audience of some 200 at the staff Christmas party when something leaped into his head. And being Tom Florestano, he just said it."His off-hand remark was 'This is a nice gathering, but later on, when we get the women out of here and get the Grateful Dead in, we'll have a much better time,' " math professor John Wisthoff recalled. "One woman said to me 'What was that?

Patricia S. Florestano, the state's secretary of higher education for the past five years, will retire on July 1, she announced yesterday. "It's been a great job, but I'm tired, and I think they need some fresh blood," said Florestano, 64. "I planned to stay in the job for two years when I took it, and I made it five." She said if she didn't leave now, she would feel obliged to stay until the end of Gov. Parris N. Glendening's term in 2003, because it would have been difficult to find a quality replacement for a job that could end in less than two years.

The nomination of Anne Arundel Community College President Thomas Florestano to fill in for five months on the county public school board is being questioned by the County Council of PTAs and the former board member whose resignation created the vacancy.Criticism grew last weekend, as news spread that Dr. Florestano had been nominated to the post by County Executive Robert R. Neall. The appointment, however, is up to the governor."Of course, I'm in no position to tell the governor what to do, but just because I resigned doesn't mean I don't care what happens," said Jo Ann Tollenger, who quit Jan. 7, citing personal reasons.