Submitted photoThe Pentecostal Christian Academy students with poems published are Joe Spears, Coligel Carter, Taniyah Edwards, Nani Bryant, Indya Chambers, Katelyn Summerville, Christian Lacey, Ariyona Carlisle, Princess Bell, Larry Evins, Devin Clayton, Jakyra Collins and Micheal Davis.

Doug Marshall, a Meridian native, has been named one of the 2017 Top 50 Over 50 award winners by Positive Maturity Inc.

Since 2014, Positive Maturity in Birmingham, Ala., has recognized individuals 50 and older in central Alabama for their success and/or lifetime achievements in business, personal and civic engagements. The list celebrates members of the community who know how to dream, laugh, contribute, and achieve on many levels, which are all key elements of staying young while growing up, according to a news release. 

Marshall is CFO and director of community relations for the Alabama Family Trust, a nonprofit in Birmingham. He is also co-publisher of The Selma Sun and The Leeds Tribune, focusing on positive and uplifting news and stories about the people, businesses, and organizations in Selma, Dallas County, and Leeds. Additionally, he serves on staff as a career and life coach with Grace Ministries in Homewood. Marshall spent 25 years at Energen as tax director and VP/Controller of Alagasco with significant responsibilities over operations and played a key role in the overall success of both corporations. He has devoted his life to helping others soar and brought his financial leadership and overall heart as CFO for United Ability (formerly United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham) before moving to the Alabama Family Trust, a nonprofit administering special needs trusts for children and adults with disabilities, including the elderly in skilled nursing homes.

Marshall said he  was “humbled and overwhelmed, surrounded by an incredible team at the Alabama Family Trust.” He said he is thankful for “the investment of my family, my Liberty Church family, so many lifetime friends in the corporate world and government, and all my new friends with nonprofits, government agencies and health facilities across Alabama serving children and adults with disabilities, including the elderly in nursing homes.”

Marshall credits Meridian High School, Pensacola State College, and the University of West Florida for his education, E&Y Birmingham office for his first job out of college, Energen and Alagasco for 25 amazing years of opportunities to lead the Energen tax function and be VP/Controller of Alagasco with operational responsibilities, and United Ability for the beginning of his path to serve individuals with disabilities and their families.

PCA salutes poets

Pentecostal Christian Academy students will have poems published in the Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans, a national publication. Students include Michael Davis, Larry Evins, Joe Spears, Ariyona Carlisle, Devin Clayton, Princess Bell, Coligel Carter, Taniyah Edwards, Nani Bryant, Katelyn Summerville, Kayla Evins, Christian Lacey and Indya Chambers.

Thousands of students, from across the United States, send in poems each year to be published. This is the first year PCA has submitted poems.

The Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans is not a contest with a fixed number of winners. Instead, each entry is considered on its own merit and is selected for publication only if it meets our criteria and standards. Established in 1989, they are one of America’s oldest publishers of students’ poetry.

Suzanne Marshall writes the Neighbors column for The Meridian Star. Submit items to editor@themeridianstar.com.