POWERGRAMS

2 and will be critical to sustaining Alabama Power's success, it is equally important that the workplace culture evolves as well. The establishment of the Council on Culture and Inclusion (CCI) in 2018 represented a significant commitment by Alabama Power to address in a focused way this crucial aspect of employees' daily lives. A core component of CCI's mission is to create an environment of inclusion, respect and fairness among all employees. "Culture provides the bedrock of what Alabama Power is," Crosswhite said. "Every one of us has ownership in making our culture beer." Beyond the company's operations, the past five years have seen Alabama Power extend its long- established role as an integral part of community life and a positive force for the beerment of the entire state, particularly as a partner in economic development. "Elevating Alabama" are more than mere words. "What sets Alabama Power apart is our people and our shared commitment to help elevate our state," Crosswhite said. "Of course, we provide clean, safe, reliable, affordable electricity to our customers – and we do it as well as anyone. But we are also deeply invested and involved in the communities where we live and serve. "We have a real stake in our communities' well- being, as well as in the growth and economic development of our state." That includes both working to bring in new industry and helping existing industry prosper. "Our business is naturally aligned with the economic prosperity of Alabama," he said. "We thrive only if the state thrives." From its earliest days, Alabama Power's success has been intertwined with the economic health of the state. The company has historically been at the forefront of efforts to aract industry and jobs to Alabama, and that has remained a top priority. As the competition among states to land big industrial prizes has heated up, Alabama Power's economic development organization has continued to expand and modernize to fit the times, adding, for example, a business development/business intelligence group that proactively generates leads for new businesses. The company continues to play a leadership role within the business community as the state has aracted large numbers of new jobs and bolstered its reputation as an aractive site for companies looking to invest. Moving forward, Alabama Power must be focused not only on continuing to help bring more jobs to Alabama but also on providing leadership that ensures the state's economic development strategy aligns with the realities of the 21st century global economy, Crosswhite said. At its core, the company continues to be sustained by positive relationships, within the Alabama Power family and externally as well. For a highly regulated company such as an electric utility, among the most important relationships are with public officials. The objective is public policy that benefits customers, such as the decision by the Alabama Public Service Commission in 2018 that enabled the company to reduce customers' bills as a result of changes in federal tax laws. Crosswhite maintains a keen interest in the shared legacy of his home state and the company he leads, but he is more excited about the potential to shape the future. "For our company and our state, great things are on the horizon," he said. "This is a wonderful time to be doing what we do at Alabama Power – contributing in so many ways to make our state grow and become a beer place for everyone to live and work." "We are focused on the right things for the days ahead." CEO Crosswhite Council on Culture and Inclusion began in 2018.

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