Four BRCC employees recognized for excellence, leadership and service to students and the Capital Region
October 2, 2026
BATON ROUGE, La. – Baton Rouge Community College celebrated the accomplishments of four outstanding faculty and staff members who were recognized during the 2026 Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges Annual Conference in New Orleans.
Held Sept. 22-25, the annual conference brought together colleges from across Louisiana to recognize employees whose leadership, service and dedication make a difference for students, their institutions and the communities they serve.
BRCC’s Gery Frie, Program Manager and Assistant Professor of Construction Management, was selected as the 2026 President’s Award for Teaching Excellence. The award is presented annually to a faculty member in the LCTC system for exceptional teaching and dedication to students, while providing support for classroom materials, continuing education and professional development.
This year, 47 faculty and staff members from across the Louisiana Community and Technical College System were honored in four categories: Outstanding Faculty, Outstanding Professional Staff, Outstanding Professional Support Staff and Distinguished Retiree.
BRCC’s 2026 honorees include:
Gery Frie – Outstanding Faculty
Assistant Professor of Construction Management
Frie has been a member of the BRCC faculty since 2006 and brings decades of experience in construction, workforce training and education to the classroom. He played a key role in the development of BRCC’s Construction Management program and continues to teach both academic and workforce courses.
As the Construction Management Program Manager, Frie has helped grow the program through innovative recruitment and outreach efforts, including the use of professional networking and digital media. He also works to connect workforce students with opportunities to pursue academic credentials while encouraging Construction Management students to earn industry-recognized workforce certifications.
Armondo Frank – Outstanding Professional Staff
Assistant Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Frank was recognized for his work in marketing, public relations and strategic communications. With more than 20 years of experience in communications and media, he brings expertise in writing, content development, media production, videography and post-production editing to his role at BRCC.
Throughout his career, Frank has served in a variety of communications and media positions and has demonstrated a commitment to storytelling, strategic communication and mentoring aspiring media professionals.
Duc Nguyen – Outstanding Professional Support Staff
Director of IT Infrastructure and Security
Nguyen was recognized for his leadership in information technology infrastructure and cybersecurity at BRCC. With more than 25 years of experience in information technology, Nguyen leads initiatives focused on providing secure, reliable and resilient technology services for students, faculty and staff.
His work supports BRCC’s continued efforts to modernize technology, strengthen cybersecurity and use technology to advance the college’s mission and better serve its community.
Rosemary Mack – Distinguished Retiree
Professor Emeritus, English
Mack was honored as a Distinguished Retiree following a 24-year career at BRCC. She joined the college in 2002 as an assistant professor and retired in May 2026.
Before joining BRCC, Mack served as a department chair at the Community College of Indiana. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University College of North Wales and a master’s degree in Late Victorian and Early Edwardian Literature from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.
BRCC partner St. James Place was recognized as a 2026 Impact Award Honoree by receiving the Curt Eysink Excellence in Workforce Development Award. They received the award as an industry partner whose contributions advance workforce development, higher education and economic opportunity in Louisiana.
The recognition of BRCC employees at the LCTC Annual Conference highlights the important role faculty and staff play in helping students achieve their educational and career goals while strengthening the workforce and communities throughout Louisiana.