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Brent Teel A lifelong resi- dent of Mont- gomery, Brent Teel attended Faulkner University, gradu- ating with a bach- elor’s degree in 2011. He is a com- mercial insurance producer at the Starke Agency, a locally-owned insurance agency currently in its third-generation of family ownership. Teel has had several family members af- fected by cancer. His maternal grandfather was diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer, passing away after a 10-month fight at the age of 48, three months before he was born. “Pap” was one of those people who would light up a room any time he entered it, and cancer took him well before his time. Teel also had a cousin on his mom’s side diag- nosed with cancer in his late 30s, passing away at 38. Like most, Teel has had several friends and coworkers also fight cancer. In his three years at the Starke Agency, two coworkers were diagnosed with breast cancer and he has been inspired by the resilience they have shown in fighting the disease. Teel considers himself more fortunate than most, never having a parent, sibling, spouse or living grandparent diagnosed. But he also realizes that cancer doesn’t dis- criminate and at any second that could change. “I am honored to join the fight against cancer as part of Real Men Wear Pink campaign,” he said, “and I look for- ward to the day when cancer is a thing of the past.” Dr. Greg Sepanski Growing up in Kenosha, Wiscon- sin, Dr. Greg Sep- anski settled in Auburn, Alabama more than twenty years ago with pri- vate ophthalmol- ogy practice, Auburn Eye Physi- cians. Sepanski re- ceived his undergraduate degree at the Uni- versity of Wisconsin Parkside. He then followed that with attending and graduat- ing from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Brooke Army Medical Center in San An- tonio, Texas, and served eight years in the U.S. Army. Sepanski married the former Jane Lam- berth from Alexander City, Alabama, 28 years ago. They have two grown daughters. “Now that we are ‘empty nesters,’ my wife and I love to travel,” he said. “We try to make it to Europe once a year.” Sepanski’s participation in the Real Men Wear Pink campaign is due to the help he and his wife received while Jane was going through treatment for breast cancer. The disease claimed the life of her mother. “I am excited to be a part of a cause that is so near and dear to me,” Sepanski said. “With two adult daughters, I would like to see a cure for this disease in their lifetime.” Charles Herbert “Herb” Shivers Charles Herbert “Herb” Shivers, PhD, PE, CSP, al- though retired, is a professor and as- sociate graduate program director of the University of Alabama at B i r m i n g h a m (UAB) Master of Engineering track in advanced safety engi- neering and management, and is also a member of the UAB Graduate Faculty. Shivers retired in December 2011 from the Senior Executive Service position of Deputy Director of the Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate at NASA’s Marshal Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Before joining NASA in 1988, Shivers worked with the Tennessee Valley Authority (1977-1988) and the U.S. Army (1975- 1977) and served with the National Guard (1972-1977). Shivers and his wife, AlisaWalker Shivers, both from Alexander City, Alabama, grad- uated from Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City and live in Auburn, Ala- bama. Shivers earned a master’s degree in industrial and safety engineering fromTexas A&M University in Texarkana, and gradu- ated from the Army’s Graduate Safety En- gineering Intern program at Red River Army Depot, Texas, that same year. He earned a doctorate in industrial and systems engi- neering management in 1997 from the Uni- versity of Alabama in Huntsville. In 2007, he received the Auburn University Indus- trial and Systems Engineering Depart- ment’s Outstanding Alumnus Award as well as the UAH Alumni Association’s Alumni of Achievement Award. Shivers welcomes the opportunity to bring awareness in the fight against breast cancer. His mother’s sister died of breast cancer, as did a former boss. His father and grandmother both died of cancer. “I want to help in the fight against this terrible dis- ease that impacts everyone,” he said. Jason Walker Jason Walker is a U.S. Marine, a CrossFit junkie, a trail runner, and has hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim to rim. But having to watch his wife, M o n t g o m e r y County Commis- sioner Ronda Walker, battle stage 3 breast cancer was something this tough guy strug- gled with. Walker knows all too well how devastat- ing cancer is and that is why he wanted to participate in the Real MenWear Pink cam- paign. He wants to help bring education and awareness about the disease, so others can survive and thrive, like his wife did. Born and raised in Hueytown, Alabama, Walker graduated from Hueytown High School and Auburn University. Upon grad- uation from Auburn in 1994, he moved to Montgomery to begin work at Pate Land- scape Company. He is currently the presi- dent of Pate, and oversees all of the day-to- day operations of this successful commercial landscape firm. Very involved in his community, Walker is the past president of the Montgomery Lions Club, a graduate of LeadershipMont- gomery, and serves on the Montgomery Auburn Club Board of Directors. The Walkers have four children, attend First Baptist Church, and enjoy spending time at Lake Martin. n Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2019 37