Issue link: http://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/574240
Innovation Donation Alabama Power's new Innovation Team is exploring opportunities for the company to better serve customers and the state. The Innovation Team is a multidisciplinary group of experienced employees from the Marketing, Finance, Information Technology, Regulatory and Communications groups. The team will examine new products, services and business lines, both inside and outside the company's traditional, energy-related focus. It will seek ideas from customers on new products and services they would like the company to consider. "Our state, our industry and our world are changing dramatically. It is both a challenge and an opportunity for us," said Chairman, President and CEO Mark Crosswhite. "The founders of Alabama Power were courageous innovators, building the state's electric infrastructure before many Alabamians knew they wanted electric service," Crosswhite said. "Our new Innovation Team is working in that same spirit – exploring ways we can better serve our customers and our state in the decades ahead." Team members are Financial Manager Kevin Kaye, Venture for America fellow Landon Acriche, Technology Manager Rick Greene, Resource Planning & Operations Project Manager Shiloh Lay, consultant Dennis Leonard, Communications Specialist Whitney Massey, Corporate Relations Project Manager Alex McCrary and Rate Specialist George Stegall. The company has already taken innovative steps this year to better meet the evolving needs of customers, including: • Proposed adding up to 500 megawatts of renewable energy. Approved by the Alabama Public Service Commission on Sept. 1, the plan provides the company with the flexibility to work directly with commercial and industrial customers and the military to meet their needs in connection with renewable energy projects, including solar. • Launched a pilot program in Mobile and Birmingham for customers to sign up for home automation. The program lets customers operate lights and thermostats in their homes from anywhere, using their smartphones. • Worked to install infrastructure to support zero-emission, plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). The company has installed more than 75 charging stations at locations statewide for its growing electric-vehicle fleet. The company offers rebates to customers purchasing or leasing PEVs and a discount on their electricity during overnight hours, when electric vehicles are typically charged. Commercial customers that install electric- vehicle charging stations can receive a partial rebate on station installation costs. • Launched Alabama NewsCenter to better engage customers by providing them compelling digital content about the company and the state at www.alabamanewscenter.com. By Michael Sznajderman POWER TO ALABAMA Stegall, Lay, Greene, Acriche, McCrary, Massey, Kaye 5 T E A M S E E K S N E W WAY S T O S E R V E S T A T E , C U S T O M E R S