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Paper's new managing editor putting accent on local news

March 11, 2009 12:35 am

HOLLYWOOD has had a lot of fun over the years with Southern accents. From "Gone With the Wind" to "The Dukes of Hazzard," filmmakers have delighted in making Southerners sound like English is their second language.

But there's a quietly confident accent from down South that sends a quite different message--coolness and competence. That's the kind of accent Phil Jenkins has. Forget the Hazzard gang; think Gregory Peck in "To Kill a Mockingbird."

A born-and-bred Alabamian, Phil, 49, came to The Free Lance-Star a decade ago after a noteworthy career at United Press International in Birmingham and then as managing editor of the Anniston (Ala.) Star--a family-owned newspaper with an outstanding reputation.

Now, after years of heading our local news operation, Phil has stepped up to the job of managing editor of The Free Lance-Star. He succeeds Nancy Moore, who retired last month after 40 years with the newspaper.

Nancy is irreplaceable. But Phil already has put his mark on the job. He has provided us with as seamless a transition as we could have imagined. Universally respected among his colleagues, Phil is perfectly positioned to take over his new duties of overseeing the daily operations of the paper's newsroom.

But there's a lot more than experience and speaking style that make him a good fit for the job. Phil combines an openness to new ideas with a commitment to fundamental journalistic values. That's a key combination these days.

Working with our managing editor for online news, Brian Baer, Phil will help lead the charge on new and creative ways for connecting news and information to our readers and users. But he'll be guided by the timeless commitment to fair and accurate reporting that is key to our credibility in a world overflowing with information.

You'll be getting to know Phil over the coming months. But here are a few tidbits for starters.

It's safe to say that Phil is the first managing editor of The Free Lance-Star to keep a miniature Auburn football helmet in his office. A gifted cook, and something close to a fantasy baseball and football fanatic, Phil has a wide array of interests.

At the top of his list is his family. He and his wife, Elizabeth Pezzullo, our Food and special-sections editor, live in Stafford County. They have two daughters: Christina, 23, and Chloe, 4.

When it comes to community journalism, you need a managing editor who will aggressively go after the news, while staying attuned to reader sensitivities. As you will learn, Phil Jenkins is that kind of editor.

Ed Jones: 540/374-5401
Email: edjones@freelancestar.com