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Brevard College,Brevard TV.C,
Vol. 56 Number 10
Tuesday, February28,1989
bv Andrea Henry
Editorial Editor
Behind every successful man is a sup
portive, loving woman, goes the old cliche,
and at Brevard College that woman for
President Billy Greer is his wife and
Brevard College’s first lady, Fann Greer.
Fann’s contributions to the college are
far reaching. A professional interior
designer who’s had her own business for
several years, Fann’s decor tastes can
been seen in Jones lobby which was re
decorated at the beginning of last year, in
the gym’s new Jones hospitality room and
the guest cottage.
A Valdosta, Ga., native, Fann came to
Brevard College three and half years ago
with President Billy Greer and their three
sons. Will, Robert and David.
Fann spent her childhood in Valdosta,
and it was there her variety of hobbies
kept her busy.
“I loved to dance,” says Fann. “I took
dancing, ballet, and water skiing..! also
enjoyed music. I sang and took voice or
piano lessons. I was involved with the
church too. I was in the choir and did some
solo work.”
She sang throughout high school and
Wesleyan College in Macon, Ga.
It was at church where Fann met the
man who would become her future hus
band.
“I came home for the summer, and I
was doing lots of church work.” Billy
Greer was youth director at the church,
and Fann started doing more work. They
met and began dating.
“We just did everything together and it
didn’t matter what we did. It was fun.”
Dr. Greer was then attending school at
Emory University. About two years later,
they married.
As newlyweds. Dr. Greer was in
seminary at Emory University. During
this time, Fann worked with speech-
impaired children at a special school in
Georgia called The Davidson School. The
children came from across the nation and
ranged from kindergarteners to fifth
graders. They boarded at the school.
“I taught kindergarten and music,” said
Fann. “Some of the children couldn’t hear.
The one thing they all had in common was
they all had trouble with their speech.”
Although reluctant to leave her students,
Dr. and Mrs. Greer moved to New Jersey
where Dr. Greer continued his work in the
Fann Greer is
BC’s First Lady
BC’s First Lady, Fann Greer, whose interior design style has touch
ed several places on campus, makes a flower arrangement for one of
her creations, the guest house. “What I do for the College, I do
because I want to, and I do it out of love,” says the professional in
terior designer who also doubles as the president’s wife.
seminary at Drew University, Fann again
taught. This time she taught kindergarten
in the New Jersey public school.
Later, when they moved to Scotland, it
was her turn to be taught. Fann attended a
Victorian Literature class at the Universi
ty of Glasgow and a class about the study
of the English language while Dr. Greer
worked with the famous Professor Wilham
Barkley. While in Scotland, Billy and Fann
feasted their eyes on the countryside.
“Before we went (to Scotland), we
decided to see as much as we could and
meet as many Scots as we could,” said
Fann.
And they did just that. They cut back on
unnecessary things to travel, and they took
the public transportation to tour the land.
“I think all young people should travel,”
says Fann. “I think then you don’t have
any ties.”
Following their experiences in Scotland,
Dr. and Mrs. Greer moved back to Georgia
where Fann was asked to host her own
30-minute children’s television program in
Columbus, Ga.
For three years she wrote and coor
dinated the program which was geared to
preschoolers and aired five days a week.
Every program had a different theme, and
sometimes she invited guests like Snoopy,
Goofy, and Snow White to come and talk to
the children.
"It was one of those very special times
you just don’t anticipate,” said Fann.
The end of the program and her hostess
ing came when she and Dr. Greer moved.
They spent the next several years in the
Methodist ministry and at Andrew College
where Dr. Greer became president. In the
summer of 1985 Dr. Greer became presi
dent of Brevard College. Fann says she
thoroughly enjoys working here.
“It’s very interesting to be working at a
college because you’re always having dif
ferent experiences,” says Fann. “Getting
to know the students and their families is
very rewarding.”
She says working at a college is “a
ministry but in a different setting.”
“Fun, exciting, challenging and rewar
ding” are the words she uses to describe
her three and a half years of experiences
at Brevard College.
With a smile, she adds, “1 love doing
what I do because I’m Billy Greer’s wife
and because 1 enjoy our relationship so
much.”
Collegesells land to Ingles fornew shopping center
from BC. INews Bureau
One of the largest Ingles shopping
centers ever built will break ground this
summer on some 16 acres bought from
Brevard College.
Ingles Markets Inc. announced plans to
build a 44,000 square foot “superstore”
behind the existing Brevard Ingles store in
Dogwood Plaza just off Highway 64, accor
ding to Gordon Myers, representing In
gles.
In making the announcement at a Feb.16
news conference in the Jones Hospitality
Room at Boshamer Gym, Brevard College
President Billy Greer said the BC Trustees
had voted on Feb. 7 in Charlotte to accept
Ingles’ high bid of $1.5 million for the pro
perty, which is located east of the current
Ingles, the track and the Ne>v Complex.
The College will use the funds, Greer
said “to assist faculty salaries, student
scholarships and ambitious new programs
the College will be undertaking.’
The BC President also hinted of other
positive developments in the works to
come this spring at the College. “Dynamic
things are happening on this campus, and
predict that press conferences like this one
will occur frequently here in 1989, he
sdid.
As for the 75,000-sguare-foot shoppmg
center, Myers said the $8 million project
would be a “flagship development” for In-
gles, larger even than the new store in
Hendersonville, and similar in archetec-
tural style to the store in Biltmore Forest.
Additionally, Brevard College officials
will have final approval on the appearance
of the shopping center, including land
scaping and buffer areas between stores
and campus.
The project will include a large depart
ment store (possibly Belks) and discount
store (possibly Roses) in addition to
several smaller shops and be built in two
phases.
In phase one, the new Ingles and depart
ment store will be built by next spring,
Myers said, the the existing Ingles shopp
ing center will be razed and phase two im-
plemenied. The tinal completion date is set
for fall 1990.
The center, which will provide upwards
to 200 jobs, will be “like a major new in
dustry in town,” said Jim Brannigan,
director of the Economic Development
Commission.
BC President Greer stressed the point
that the land sale was in no way forced
upon the College by economic factors.
“Brevard College is on very solid financial
footing,” he said, “we have not sold this
land to rescue the College from bad times.
Our vital signs are extremely strong. We
are enjoying a record enrollment and all of
the indications are that we will enjoy a
record enrollment again ne^t fall."