POWERGRAMS

CONTENTS PROFILE Miller Steam Plant Warehouseman F.G. Grady has been on the job for more than 50 years, surpassing the working longevity of his father and many relatives who were Alabama Power employees. Page 1 ENVIRONMENT Environmental Affairs' Water Field Services and Compliance Studies groups have been accredited as Field Sampling and Measurement Organizations by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation. Page 3 INNOVATION Five winners and five finalists were honored for their ideas that were chosen as the top ways to shape Alabama Power's future during the companywide Spark competition held this past year. Page 7 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT When Kamtek was in a bind at its new Birmingham plant, Alabama Power employees came to the rescue by powering a new aluminum casting line that allowed the automotive supplier to begin production early. Page 11 ENERGIZERS Retiree Claire Edwards and her golden retriever, Scout, bring a healing touch to children and seniors at special facilities in Montgomery and Elmore counties. Page 15 APSO Members of the Eastern Division Chapter of the Alabama Power Service Organization are helping open Little Free Libraries in Anniston and other cities as part of the statewide project. Page 17 EDUCATION The Alabama Power Foundation's support of the Gulf Coast Exploreum is bringing hands-on science and math training to students in Mobile and Baldwin County through a new program called Science to Go. Page 21 OUR TOWN Heflin is situated at the midpoint of Birmingham and Atlanta – just off the beaten path between Alabama's and Georgia's biggest cities – but experiencing steady growth and recognition as a Main Street and Communities of Excellence designee. Page 23 OUR TOWN SIDEBAR Cheaha State Park was Alabama's first officially designated recreational area and remains one of the most popular places for residents and visitors to the state. It is the highest point in Alabama, near the end of the Appalachian mountain chain that begins in Canada. Page 29 COMMUNITY A grant from the Alabama Business Charitable Trust Fund brought energy- efficiency upgrades at the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch that have made the families more comfortable and reduced their expenses. Page 33 EDUCATION McWane Science Center introduced two programs to bolster science, technology, engineering and math awareness (STEM) and understanding for about 20,000 children through support from the Alabama Power Foundation. Page 35 HISTORY The history of the Tuskegee Airmen is being told again through the renovation of a World War II B-25 bomber that is part of a special exhibit funded by Alabama Power's Birmingham Division. Page 37 HISTORY Esteemed Alabama historian Leah Rawls Atkins reflects on the United States entering World War I a century ago, and the role of Alabama Power and its president James Mitchell in assisting the efforts that brought victory to the Allied forces. Page 39 HAPPY TRAILS Dadeville Crew Headquarters/Warehouse Foreman Donald Macon is ready for retirement from Alabama Power, moving from Transmission and Distribution to a life of leisure on waterways running from one end to the other of Alabama. Page 41 RETIREES Page 46 IN MEMORIAM Page 47 THUMBS UP! Page 48 POSTCARDS TO POWERGRAMS Page 48 MARCH / APRIL • 2017 EDITOR Chuck Chandler 205-257-3651 cchandle@southernco.com ART DIRECTOR Jay Parker WRITERS Donna Cope Carla Davis Erin Harney Gilbert Nicholson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Leah Rawls Atkins Erin Searson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Billy Brown Wynter Byrd Meg McKinney Chuck St. John Karim Samshi-Basha Ted Tucker ON THE COVER The A-12 Blackbird stealth jet could fly coast to coast in about an hour. It is one of many airplanes displayed in the outdoor collection of the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham, which has more than 90 civilian, military and experimental aircraft. Photo by Chuck St. John Story on Page 37 POWERGRAMS © Alabama Power Company 2017 Dam gates open as Donald Macon makes his way down the Alabama Scenic River Trail. (Page 41)

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