11/09/06

Contact: Amanda Thomas, (334) 844-2889 (athomas@auburn.edu), or
Mike Clardy, (334) 844-9999 (clardch@auburn.edu)

JORDAN NAMED AUBURN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

AUBURN - The Auburn Alumni Association recently elected Ralph Jordan Jr. of Norris, Tenn., son of the late Auburn Tigers football and basketball coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan, as its president for the next two years. Jordan’s term runs through October 2008.

In the coming months, Jordan plans to further “cooperation and collaboration” between the association and the Auburn University administration, as well as build on the association’s existing programs and services, he said.

“The Auburn Alumni Association is the interface between the university and its alumni,” Jordan said. “Our role should be to focus the attention of the national alumni on this institution in a positive way. We have to make sure that they are plugged in to help Auburn be all that she can be.”

To that end, Jordan says he hopes to meet as many AU alumni as possible during his term in order to be an effective liaison between his constituents and the university administration and the AU Board of Trustees.

“The Alumni Association is honored to have someone with such a strong family legacy as our new president,” said Debbie Shaw, interim vice president for the AU Office of Alumni Affairs and the association’s executive director. “I know the organization will prosper under Ralph’s leadership.”

An environmental scientist for the Tennessee Valley Authority, Jordan majored in zoology and entomology at Auburn. He is a life member of the Auburn Alumni Association and has served on the organization’s board since 2001, most recently as vice president. Jordan also serves on the AU College of Sciences and Mathematics Advisory Council and AU’s National Campaign Committee.

Auburn University is a comprehensive research institution with more than 23,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff. Ranked among the top 50 public universities nationally, Auburn is Alabama's largest educational institution, offering more than 230 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs.

(Contributed by Amanda Thomas.)

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Assignment editors: Ralph Jordan Jr. will be in Auburn and available for interviews on Saturday, Nov. 11. To schedule interviews or photographs, contact Amanda Thomas at (334) 844-2889 or thomaap@auburn.edu by 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10.