The University of South Alabama’s National Alumni Association elected its 2005-2006 officers and new board members recently at its annual meeting.

Regions Bank executive Pat Hicks, ’71, was elected president. Hicks, who has served on the National Alumni Association board of directors since 2000, is regional credit director for Regions Bank in Mobile.

“It is an honor to serve as the USA National Alumni Association president this year,” Hicks said. “One of our key goals this year is to continue to increase the number of active dues members of the association. The key to having a successful alumni association is to have a growing, active and vibrant membership.”

Hicks succeeds Mobile attorney Mike Windom, ’83, as leader of the organization. Diana Laier, ’84, will serve as Hicks’s vice president. Other newly elected officers are treasurer Tony Hughes, ’81, and secretary Andrew “Andy” Denny, ’72, ’73.

During the meeting at the Mitchell Center, the USA National Alumni Association also welcomed six new members to its board of directors. Returning board members are: Michele Bryant '88, Dr. Kit Outlaw '87, Gina Warner '90, Tommy Zoghby '76, Gigi Armbrecht '88, Bob Hardin '73, Allen Pearl '73, Jerome Carter '91, and Carol Mann '87.

New Board Members are:

Keith Ammons, ’95: A bachelor’s in psychology from USA became the perfect basis for a successful event management and production company. Ammons has worked on exciting projects for MTV, Rolling Stone magazine and NASCAR. His experiences in campus life at USA, particularly as vice president of the Student Government Association, helped start him on the path to entrepreneurial success.

George Davis, ’83: An unblemished 4.0 grade point average at USA was a sure sign of Davis’s future success as a certified public accountant and certified valuation analyst. After graduating with his accounting degree, Davis spent five years at Ernst & Whitney in Mobile. In 1988, he moved to Lawrence & Lawrence, where he now serves as a shareholder in the tax department. His duties also include client development and recruiting efforts.

Dr. Patricia Mark, ’82, ‘86: An international studies major at USA led Mark to study in France. She returned to her alma mater for a master’s in business administration before earning her doctoral degree in communication from the University of Southern Mississippi. After a 10-year career as an administrator and professor at Spring Hill College, she joined USA’s communication department faculty as assistant professor last year.

Michael Mitchell, ’94: After graduating with his bachelor’s in communication, Mitchell went on to receive a master’s in education from the University of Southern Mississippi. Over the last 10 years, he has made a career in higher education administration. Currently, he serves as assistant dean of students at USM and is working toward a doctorate in higher education administration.

David Rauch, ’71: With his bachelor’s in civil engineering as a foundation, Rauch founded a 40-person engineering and surveying firm in Baldwin County in 2000. Hutchinson, Moore & Rauch LLC has offices in Daphne and Foley. As president, Rauch handles business operations, business development, financial and human resources management for the firm.

Wayne Sirmon, ’75: After receiving his undergraduate degree from USA in science education, Sirmon went on to earn a master’s in physics education and study toward a doctorate in curriculum and instruction. An ROTC student, he served a two-year tour in the U.S. Army and another 12 years in the reserves. After an early career in teaching, Sirmon went on to start Commercial Printing Company in 1989.