I have been very fortunate to work with exceptional young people over the years. This week’s story that Clanton Advertiser Managing Editor Brent Maze has accepted an editor’s position with The Alexander City Outlook got me to thinking just how fortunate I have been.

We recruited Brent from The Leeds News to become our sports editor. He did an excellent job reporting local sporting news and frequently gave his insight into state and national sporting news through his personal columns.

When Jason Cannon left The Advertiser to become publisher of the Franklin County Times in Russellville, Brent was our choice to move up to lead our news-reporting team as managing editor. It certainly was a good decision on our part.

Brent has a good attitude for any news person. That attitude is “report it now.”

He works hard to obtain necessary information about breaking news stories with a dedication to put the news on www.clantonadvertiser.com and in our daily newspaper for you to read the next morning. Of course there are times we cannot obtain facts from proper sources and, for the benefit of our readers and those involved in the story, do not simply report what is on the rumor mill.

At The Outlook, Brent will have the opportunity to work with its publisher, Kenneth Boone, an award-winning writer and photographer who is, I believe, one of the best news people in Alabama. In addition to producing the daily newspaper there, Brent will lead a news team that publishes two Web sites, a weekly newspaper and a monthly news-features magazine about the Lake Martin area.

Brent will move to his new position Wednesday. I wish him well and appreciate all he has taught others as well as myself here the past couple of years.

Speaking about working with exceptional young people, Tim Reeves, former managing editor of The Clanton Advertiser, has been named general manager and editor here. Like Brent, Tim is an exceptional editor and, I am sure, will add much to our news report here.

Tim worked here from 2001 to 2003. He has experience in leading news operations in other communities including Selma, Alexander City, and four communities in the greater Dallas, Texas area.

Tim and his wife, Nikki, an accomplished journalist also, plan to move to Clanton soon. Nikki has accepted a position with The Shelby County Reporter in Columbiana.

– Mike Kelley is the publisher of The Clanton Advertiser. His column appears on Sundays. He can be reached at mike.kelley@clantonadvertiser.com.