Editorial: Carl Stephens - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: Carl Stephens

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By Mark Wilder - email

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MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

In every industry, in every business, in each of our professional lives, there are people who came before us to whom we owe a great debt.  Giants on whose shoulders we stand.  Former  WSFA Sports Director and Program Manager  Carl Stephens passed away this week.   Carl was such a person.

He came to WSFA when television was in its childhood.  He and others like him built local TV into what it is,  and to what we today still try to make it; a service to our community.

Carl saw great changes in his 40 years at WSFA and he mastered them all.  He hired and mentored many of us, including me.  When Carl retired I took over as Operations and Program Manager, and can't tell you how many times, when faced with a tough decision, I would ask myself, "what would Carl do?"

He was smart, hard working, and passionate about his work.  As a boss Carl was firm and fair.  As a co-worker he set an example to be followed.  His standard of quality was high for himself and for others, and it remains our standard at WSFA 12 News.

Carl's influence here is still felt today as evidenced by the number of young employees who may have never met him, seen him on TV, or heard him call an Auburn game, yet they know his reputation and his legacy.  And he was just a strong an influence on the Auburn University family.

Carl had such a professional impact on WSFA and the community because of the person he was.   He was caring, generous, just, supportive, tolerant, loyal and humble… qualities we should all strive for.  

Carl Stephens was a giant, we owe him a lot, and he will be missed.

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