Home ›
About ›
Communications ›
NCBA News ›
2006 News Articles › CLE Director Assumes ACLEA Leadership
CLE Director Assumes ACLEA Leadership
Article Date: Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Written By: Russell Rawlings
Ray Ruppert |
Ray Ruppert, director of continuing legal education for the North Carolina Bar Association Foundation, was installed as president of the Association of Continuing Legal Education on Aug. 1.
Ruppert took office at the 42nd ACLEA Annual Meeting, held on the Kohala Coast region of Hawaii’s Big Island. He previously served ACLEA as secretary, treasurer and, most recently, president-elect.
“I am deeply honored to be able to serve as president of ACLEA,” Ruppert said. “ACLEA is a wonderful organization. In many ways, it is similar to the NCBA – committed volunteers giving back to the profession.
“My hope is that as president, I can contribute in some small way to the many significant contributions of those who have made the organization what it is today. My goal, like the volunteers in our bar association, is to leave both the organization and the profession just a little bit better than when I started.”
Membership in ACLEA is comprised of more than 600 CLE professionals from the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe. Ruppert is only the second CLE director from the NCBA to hold this position.
“Under Ray Ruppert’s leadership, North Carolina has returned to being one of the premier CLE providers in the nation,” said NCBA Executive Director Allan Head. “The NCBA is well-served by an experienced leader who is committed to the improvement of the legal profession in this state.
“Members join and retain their membership in the North Carolina Bar Association because of valuable member services, one of the best of which is the Association’s quality CLE program. I am very proud of Ray and the leadership he provides to the hard-working CLE staff here at the N.C. Bar Center.”
Ruppert came to the NCBA in 1998 following a distinguished military career. A native of New York City, he received his undergraduate degree from Fordham University in 1968 and his law degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1976.
An active member of the N.C. State Bar, where he serves on the Legal Assistance to Military Personnel Committee, Ruppert is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Claims, and has written for the Oklahoma Law Review, Military Review and The Army Lawyer.
“Ray’s administrative and organizational skills have been a tremendous asset to the NCBA Foundation,” said Gray Styers, immediate past chair of the NCBA CLE Committee. “Much of our success over the past several years is directly attributable to his tireless efforts and vision. It is not surprising that, on a national level, ACLEA would recognize these talents and tap Ray as their president.
“The CLE Committee is extremely proud of and supports and congratulates Ray on this well-deserved recognition.”
Ruppert and his wife, Kathy, reside in Cary. They have two grown sons, Everett and Christopher.