POWERGRAMS

PG_May_June

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40 He graduated from John Carroll Catholic High School, 10 miles east on the other side of town. "I have fond memories of the ride every morning," Prestwood recalled. "It was quite a crowd of cutups on the bus." He earned a UAB engineering degree in 1975. "I tell people I'm so old that when I graduated, UAB had only three buildings." Prestwood's first Alabama Power job in 1976 was in what then was called "System Protection." The next year, he took the same job in Mobile, with new wife Pam tagging along for the move across Mobile Bay to the village (then) of Daphne in Baldwin County. "We knew at that time someday we would like to move back to the Eastern Shore," Prestwood said. "We have owned property down there the last 20-plus years and are in our third, and hopefully last, house." They chose Fairhope, directly south of Daphne, because of "the coziness, walkability and beauty of the city," Prestwood said. Every trip from Birmingham turns into a Prestwood family reunion, with his brother, his sister and Smith all living there. Perhaps as much as his friendly demeanor, what personified Prestwood at Alabama Power was his voluminous art collection. "Pam and I have been avid art collectors for most of our 41 years of marriage," Prestwood said. "We try and attend local art shows and support several of the local nonprofit agencies by attending fundraisers and by donating pieces from our collection to their auctions." Visitors to Prestwood's former 8 North office at Corporate Headquarters recall pictures jammed in every nook and cranny. Some things never change. "I can honestly say there is no wall space left in either house, and we continue to collect," Prestwood said. His reason for delving into the art world is not to impress or hobnob with the silk-stocking crowd. "The primary reasons we will buy are because we like the work or we want to support the artist. Supporting local artists, especially early in their careers, is vitally important and cannot be understated. Some of my favorite pieces came from a student at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. We do not buy to match the furniture or wall color." Before getting back to his lengthy to-do list, Prestwood had one last reflection on the company he worked for most of his life. "The only thing better than working for Alabama Power is being retired from Alabama Power." Prestwood and his wife, Pam, are long-time supporters of the arts in Alabama, as evidenced in works by local artists throughout the home.

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