Kenneth Hart/The Independent
Ashland — The Boyd County chapter of the NAACP has a new president.
And she’s already quite familiar with the organization, seeing as how she’d previously served eight years at the helm of it.
Ann Newman recently was returned to the post of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People president after Bob Smith, who had served as branch president since January, opted to step down.
Newman was elevated to chapter president from her previous position of first vice president. She will serve the remainder of Smith’s term, which expires in 2011.
Newman, who is vice president of compliance at the Ashland Credit Union, said she was “very excited” to be leading the local chapter once again. She also said the break from the presidency helped her clear her mind and gave her renewed energy.
One change Newman has already made since reassuming the presidency is to move the date for the chapter’s annual Freedom Fund Banquet. Previously in October, the banquet now will be a spring event, she said.
The change was made for a couple of reasons, Newman said. One was the transition in leadership didn’t allow time to properly plan this year’s event for the fall. Another is the organization is hoping having the event during better weather will help boost attendance, she said.
A new date has not been set for the banquet, Newman said. It most likely will take place in April or May, she said. She also said the NAACP was hoping to still have the event at Fannin Motors, where it’s been for the past couple of years.
Other than the banquet, Newman said her main focus would be to continue to work on building the chapter’s “network of community and business relationships.”
KENNETH HART can be reached at khart@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2654.
