Issue link: https://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/1323883
experience of my life, and that includes winning a lot of skiing tournaments," she said. "I saw a company where people worked together, where if they had differences they sat down and figured out the best way to move forward. I saw men and women who were willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, to do whatever it took to make the company the best it could be." "Developed for the Service of Alabama: The Centennial History of the Alabama Power Company 1906-2006" would win the Sulzby Award as the best history book in Alabama in 2007, the same year Atkins was elected to the Alabama Academy of Honor. She had won the Sulzby in 1995 for co- authoring "Alabama, The History of a Deep South State," which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Atkins later authored for the company in 2010 "Tasso: The Bower House at Molette's Bend" and "People of Power: Images from the Collection of the Alabama Power Archives" in 2011. Atkins' favorite books include the Bible and "Pickett's History of Alabama." Her favorite subject is Alabama history. A huge map of Alabama occupies a prominent place on the wall of her living room, surrounded by many framed photos of her four children, 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. A recent photo shows former Auburn football coach Gus Malzahn and basketball coach Bruce Pearl towering over her. Atkins has been all about Auburn since her teenage cousin took her to campus in the 1940s. Yet she often harks back to the three years she spent writing about Alabama Power, and the 15 years since as Atkins has continued working with company employees, as a hallmark in her career. Her landmark book about Alabama Power "is special in more ways because I was working with so many committed people who, immediately when they found out what I was doing, wanted to help me. Alabama Power was one of the first companies that saw how much women could contribute to a company's success, at a time when most men did not envision women as a contributing factor outside of the home." 11 PHOTO BY PHIL FREE Atkins visiting Martin Dam. Atkins holds an early "banana peel" style ski that was a surprise gift handmade for her in the 1950s by Emilio and Samuel Zamudio, competitive skiers from Mexico.