Carol Farnalls

This year's recipient of a CCNA Silver Quill is Carol Farnalls, publisher of the Barrhead Leader, presented by Brian Bachynski.

Carol began working at the Barrhead Leader in November 1983, and has worked continuously for the Leader since that time.

Carol began her newspaper career as a typesetter and graphic artist using Compugraphic equipment and the cut and paste design system. She quickly embraced new technology and the change that came with it when in 1986 the Leader became one of the first newspapers to switch to desktop publishing.

In 1989, when then-publisher of the Barrhead Leader, Al Blackmere, became president of the Alberta Weekly Newspaper Association, Carol was named associate publisher and assumed much of Al’s responsibilities while he was away attending to AWNA matters. As the Barrhead group of newspapers expanded, Carol continued to accept more responsibility, not only for the Leader, but also for the complete operation. In 1991 Carol was named publisher of the Barrhead Leader and has remained in that position to this day. The newspaper has been part of Great West Newspapers since 1999.

I worked for Carol in the early 1990s and I can honestly say that Carol wasn’t only my boss, she was also a mentor and she became a very good friend. Carol is not a top-down manager. She engages her staff and works with them. She believes in the team concept, and that has always been the strength of the Barrhead Leader. In fact, you could say the staff at the Leader are more like family than colleagues, and that’s in large part due to Carol’s leadership abilities. And, as you can see here tonight, the family has turned out to honour Carol and her 25 years in the newspaper industry.

Carol excels at working on community projects in a behind-the-scenes support role. Her strengths definitely lend themselves to competently seeing projects accomplished without her being out front in the spotlight. Barrhead is a much better community because of her involvement in the Agricultural Society, the Blue Heron Street Festival, and the Homesteaders Walking Trail and Boardwalk along the Paddle River.

Carol is married to Dr. Richard Farnalls and they’ve raised two children in Barrhead. Carol has been active in recreation activities, including curling, golfing and playing some rec. baseball with members of the Leader staff.

Please join me in congratulating Carol Farnalls on her 25 years of service in the Alberta weekly newspaper industry.