BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Jennifer Davis Rash has been named editor-elect of The Alabama Baptist newspaper in a succession plan for editor Bob Terry.

Terry, a 50-year veteran in Christian journalism, told the newspaper’s board of directors during an Oct. 7-8 meeting in Birmingham, “At some point I will finalize my plans for retirement, and as I do so, it will be with great appreciation for the action of this board of directors and with great confidence in the future of this ministry.

Rash has served as executive editor of The Alabama Baptist (TAB) for the past six years, overseeing the weekly production of one of the nation’s most widely circulated state Baptist papers in all its formats—-with 66,000-plus print and 1,000 digital subscribers as well as social media. She also has been directing the launch of a new website for www.thealabamabaptist.org, to go live by Nov. 1.

She joined the paper’s staff as a news writer on Jan. 1, 1996, five months after Terry became editor, now having served with him nearly 21 years. They have helped lead the staff to more than 200 national and state awards in news writing, feature writing, editorial writing, layout, design, investigative reporting and broadcast.

“Jennifer Rash is an exceptional writer and has demonstrated tremendous capacity as the executive editor,” TAB board chairwoman Amelia Pearson said. “We are very fortunate to have someone with Jennifer’s skills and talents to name as editor-elect for The Alabama Baptist.”

Along with her responsibilities with TAB, Rash currently serves as vice president for Associated Church Press and is a past president of the Baptist Communicators Association.

An honors graduate from the University of Alabama with a bachelor of arts in journalism, Rash earned a master’s degree in theological studies from Samford’s Beeson Divinity School. She served two years on the mission field with the International Mission Board after college. She and her husband Jason have been married 19 years and are members of NorthPark Baptist Church in Trussville. (BP)