By By Michele Gerlach
Adam Prestridge has been named president of Atmore Newspapers, Inc., and publisher of The Atmore Advance and The Escambia Advertiser.
He comes to Atmore from Luverne, where he has been the editor of The Luverne Journal. He previously has served as sports editor of The Greenville Advocate and sports editor of The North Jefferson News.
"We are pleased to have Adam in Atmore," Michele Gerlach, vice president of Boone Newspapers, Inc., The Advance's parent corporation, said. "He has proven himself to be a tireless worker both in the newspaper and in the community and will do well here."
Prestridge said he is excited about the opportunities here.
"I am impressed with what I have seen of Atmore and the efforts of local residents to rebuild the community following last fall's devastating storm," Prestridge said. "I look forward to being a part of that effort."
Prestridge, a native of Gardendale, began his newspaper career as a junior in high school as a freelance writer for The North Jefferson News, the same year he was named Alabama's state representative for the Washington Journalism Conference in Washington, D.C. Prestridge was hired as a staff reporter at The North Jefferson News in 1998 and was promoted to sports editor eight months later.
After six and a half years he left his hometown newspaper in 2003 to serve as sports editor of Greenville Newspapers, LLC, which publishes The Greenville Advocate, The Luverne Journal, The Butler County News and The Lowndes Signal.
A member of the Alabama Sports Writers Association, Prestridge was previously named Young Businessman of the Year by the Greater Gardendale Chamber of Commerce. Prestridge has won a number of Alabama Press Association awards for news and sports writing.
Prestridge, who is a current member of the Luverne Rotary Club, is a past member of the Greater Gardendale Chamber of Commerce and the Fultondale Chamber of Commerce, where he served as Secretary. In 2003, he was the recipient of the Tireless Worker Award presented by the Fultondale Chamber.
He and his wife, Jennifer, plan to relocate to Atmore in the near future.
Prestridge replaces Krichelle Halualani, who resigned to accept a position with Freedom Communications in Florida. He begins work in Atmore on Thursday.