By Staff
In our office, we like to tease that Marilyn Raines is a walking phone book. If you need to call just about any business in town, Marilyn can rattle off the phone number and the person you need to talk to much more quickly than you can look it up yourself.
That skill speaks to Marilyn's knowledge not only of our community but of our customers, and her retirement this month leaves a void at our office.
For 22 years, Marilyn has been a true newspaperwoman, and from someone who has aspired to be just that since before I can remember, that is a compliment of the highest order.
Marilyn has become the sort of person that customers can rely on to get things right, and to get them done on time.
Our customers know Marilyn as a consummate professional, helping them market their businesses to our readers.
But what they may not know is that she has done even more work behind the scenes at the newspaper, finding news tips, taking photos, making sure that the little things get done - and keeping all of us organized.
Marilyn has been a friend to so many of her customers, but she has also been a friend to those of us at The Brewton Standard. We have shared more than just an office - we have shared lunch hours, funny stories and the milestones of life from births to weddings. No retirement can change the depth of that friendship; we just won't be able to enjoy Marilyn's company every day.
With Marilyn's departure, we welcome a new member of our staff, Amy Booker, our new advertising sales representative. Amy has already met many of our customers, and I know that you will come to rely on her for the kind of professional attitude and friendship you have found in Marilyn.
Marilyn's retirement is bittersweet for us. While we will miss her every day, we are happy for her because she will be able to spend more time with her “other” family, her husband, children, granddaughter and parents.
We're happy to share her, but we hope they will let her come back to visit every now and then.
Kerry Whipple Bean is publisher of The Brewton Standard. She can be reached at 867-4876 or by e-mail at kerry.bean@brewtonstandard.com.