POWERGRAMS

18 18 ENERGIZERS N either snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night – not even a wayward deer – can keep Alex Leonard from making his appointed rounds to ensure Alabama Power's mail is delivered. In the past several years, Leonard has handled more than 100,000 letters and more than 50,000 fliers for Energizers, Alabama Power's retiree organization. He mails most of the documents for Energizers' Gaston, Corporate and Birmingham Division chapters. To Leonard, taking care of customers is all in a day's work. Co-workers and customers say the Mail Center coordinator truly provides the "gold standard" of service. Leonard's wholehearted dedication to his job and years of hard work for the Energizers are the reasons why the Birmingham and Corporate chapters bestowed Leonard with the prestigious Sam Booker Award on Dec. 14. Leonard was shocked when 2019 Corporate Energizers President Van Horne called his name from an audience of about 150 people in the Corporate Headquarters Auditorium. "I consider what I do for Energizers as being a part of my job," said Leonard, who started his career with the company in January 1985. "It was completely unexpected. I've been blessed to work at Alabama Power. We've got good people here." Leonard: 'My mission is to serve' Mail Services Supervisor John Bass said Leonard is a self-starter who is willing to work after-hours and on weekends to ensure customers' expectations are met. "Alex requires absolutely no supervision," Bass said. "He self-directs his workload and adjusts his schedule to meet customers' needs. Because of his knowledge and longevity in the Mail Center, we consider Alex our subject matter expert on mass mailings and associated postal regulations." Starting in 2020, all 11 Energizers chapters will use email whenever possible, which will significantly cut the group's mailings and postage costs. "Now's the perfect time to acknowledge Alex for his years of service to Alabama Power and specifically our Energizers organization," Horne said. Serving customers is job 1 Energizers Coordinator Don Franklin never worries when Leonard tackles a mailing, big or small. Indeed, Franklin appreciates Leonard's efforts to provide the most cost-effective mailing. He gives Leonard a spreadsheet of addresses and documents and tells Leonard to "run with it." "Alex always gets the meeting letters out in a timely manner," said Franklin, communications specialist in Community Initiatives. "It's not unusual for Alex to tell me that if he can wait to mail our documents the following afternoon, we'll save significant postage." Leonard enjoys serving the Energizers and his other customers: that includes handling the company's postal permit accounts and keeping up with accounting and distribution numbers. He said that his position allows him the chance to meet a wide range of people across the company. "I know that people respond quicker when they get their mail quicker," Leonard said. "If you don't get something out on time, it becomes worthless." All in a day's work Leonard feels fortunate to be in a job that he loves. He started his career as a night mail courier. Early on, his route included delivering mail to Martin Hydro Dam, and stints for the Eastern and Southern divisions. One of his more unusual "deliveries" occurred in the 1980s. Driving his mail truck one evening from Martin Dam, Leonard spied a herd of deer in the road – not an uncommon sight on winding, country roads around the plant. "I laid on the horn, and all the deer ran to the side of the road, except for one," Leonard said. "Instead, he decided to run across the road in front of me." Leonard couldn't avoid hitting the animal. He exited the truck to inspect the deer, which had its eyes closed. In the low light, Leonard worried that another driver may hit the carcass and have an accident. Recalling a friend asking him to bring back a deer if he ever hit one, Leonard pulled the motionless animal into the back of the van. Leonard started the vehicle and continued on his way. Again, he came upon a herd of deer in the middle of the road and honked to force them to move. The sound roused the deer in the van. "He was kicking, and I didn't know what to do,'" Leonard recalled, chuckling. "I thought, 'He's going to break through the van.'" Leonard was safe because a metal cage separated him from the deer. Eventually, the deer died and Leonard got back to Birmingham. "Later on, we put deer whistles on the front of our trucks to keep the deer away," Leonard said. Giving his best, every day From a very young age, Leonard's parents discussed with him the importance of a job well done. "They always told me, do things to the best of your ability, then you can't go wrong," he said. "That's what I try to do." Leonard appreciates being selected for the Sam Booker Award but insists that the Energizers are the real heroes. "There should be an award for everyone in the Energizers," he said. "They provide the light for the community and the goodness. There's always something negative going on in the news. "When you have the opportunity to see people out there still doing good and helping people, that means a lot," Leonard said. "The Energizers work to help schools with supplies and computers; they help the communities clean the rivers and pick up trash; and they do fundraising to be able to support groups that do good for people. The Energizers do these things because they choose to give back to the community. They're the ones who deserve the praises."

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