POWERGRAMS

CONTENTS HONORS Three Alabama Power employees recently joined the ranks of nearly 200 others who have been singled out since 1985 for taking extraordinary measures to save or sustain the life of another person. Page 1 ENVIRONMENT The Renew Our Rivers cleanup campaign has entered its 20th year, with thousands of volunteers having removed 15.5 million pounds of trash from waterways across the Southeast since 2000. Page 3 APSO Members of the Alabama Power Service Organization's 10 chapters volunteered for more than 40,000 hours across the state in 2018, helping 245 nonprofit organizations. The 6,200 members continue boosting their communities in 2019. Page 7 ENERGIZERS Tom and Lorea Cronier have played a major role in the revival of the Alabama Theatre, stemming from Tom's longtime interest in the Wurlitzer pipe organ known as "Big Bertha." Page 11 PROFILE Barry Steam Plant Manager Michael Burroughs began his career at the plant in Bucks in 1990 and has returned to lead Alabama Power's second-largest generating facility. Page 15 SAFETY The Crane Services Crew working out of the General Services Complex traverses the South to climb high into the sky repairing and maintaining cranes and other large equipment for Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Mississippi Power and Southern Company. Page 18 COMMUNITY An iconic Wetumpka church building was demolished by a Jan. 19 EF2 tornado that wreaked havoc across the central Alabama town. Power was quickly restored as the community rallies to recover. Page 21 HEALTH Two years ago, Telecommunications Specialist Ferrell Jones reached a tipping point as his weight reached 430 pounds. Today he is a much thinner, new man. Page 23 OUR TOWN Talladega is famous worldwide for its big NASCAR racetrack but the namesake town has long been known for breaking barriers for the disabled and African-Americans. Like the track, the historic downtown is undergoing a Reformation. Page 25 OUR TOWN SIDEBAR The Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind for 160 years has broken ground in teaching people across the state and nation how to excel in a world dominated by hearing and sighted people. Page 33 EDUCATION An Alabama Power Elevate grant of $17,500 provided the Tuscaloosa Police Athletic League's aer-school program with computers, wireless printers and desks to give youths additional learning opportunities at the facility. Page 36 COMMUNITY The buildings of Camp ASCCA on Lake Martin were among many destroyed by the deadly outbreak of tornadoes that raced across the South on April 27, 2011. Through persistence and volunteer assistance, New Water Farms has risen from those ruins. Page 37 FINANCIAL The APCO Employees Credit Union has opened another branch to join 14 others statewide. The new state-of-the-art location is in the Energy Center at the Colonnade in Birmingham. Page 39 HAPPY TRAILS Document Services Coordinator Roger Sanderson has worked nearly half a century at Alabama Power, following in the footsteps of his father, Ray Sanderson, who worked 43 years at the company. Page 41 INNOVATION STATION Alabama Power has partnered with Holland Homes, Harris Doyle Homes and Curtis White Companies to build Smart Neighborhoods in Auburn, Birmingham and Leeds. The Reynolds Landing flagship project has received national acclaim. Page 44 RETIREES Page 46 POSTCARDS TO POWERGRAMS Page 46 IN MEMORIAM Page 47 THUMBS UP! Page 48 MARCH-APRIL • 2019 EDITOR Chuck Chandler 205-257-3651 cchandle@southernco.com ART DIRECTOR Jay Parker CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Phil Free WRITERS Donna Cope Carla Davis Gilbert Nicholson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Justin Averee Katie Bolton Mitchell Kilpatrick Whitney Massey CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Dan Anderson Justin Averee Billy Brown Christopher Jones Jason McDade Jay Parker Meg McKinney ON THE COVER Crane Specialist Kenny Lee is one of seven employees who travel the South going to great heights to repair and maintain crucial company equipment. Photo by Phil Free. See the story on Page 11. POWERGRAMS © Alabama Power Company 2019 For nearly a century, the Alabama Theatre has been one of the nation's most spectacular venues for entertainment. See story on Page 11.

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