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Former WEAC President Terry Craney is being honored Saturday (May 17, 2008) with a Distinguished Achievement Award from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
The award recognizes UW-Eau Claire graduates for distinguished service to the community, state or nation that brings credit upon the recipient and the university. Craney is one of seven graduates receiving an award from the UW-Eau Claire Alumni Association.
Craney, who graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 1974 with a degree in education, had a major in physics and a minor in mathematics. He earned a master's degree in physics education in 1977. He began his career in 1974 as an instructor of applied physics and math at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay. He served 23 years in the Wisconsin Technical College System.
During that time, Craney became involved with WEAC and the NEA. From 1977 to 1983, he was elected to represent the Wisconsin Technical College System on the WEAC Board of Directors. From 1986 to 1991, he served the WEAC membership, representing Wisconsin on the NEA Board of Directors. In 1991, he was elected vice president of WEAC. Craney was elected president of WEAC in 1995, becoming a statewide leader of 90,000 teachers, WTCS instructors and education support professionals.
Major public policy initiatives that he helped develop during his presidency include: the largest increase in public sector retirement benefits in state history; major revisions in state K-12 teacher preparation and licensure procedures; and a nationally acclaimed class size reduction program for the elementary grades. He also initiated the Great Schools community relations program, promoting the quality of public schools in Wisconsin.
President Bill Clinton appointed Craney to the National Skill Standards Board in 1994. In 2003, Governor Doyle appointed Craney executive director of the Governor's Work-Based Learning Board. Under his leadership, the GWBLB administered two successful statewide technical education programs, Youth Apprenticeship and Tech Prep.
Since 2005, Craney has served as manager of the administrative services division of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, where he manages a $4.8 million budget and supervises 45 staff members and six managers in four bureaus.
Information about the other award recipients is available from the UW-Eau Claire Web site.
Posted May 12, 2008