POWERGRAMS

28 hour shis at Gate's 57-acre complex in Monroeville can produce over 1 million square feet of the tall, thick panels annually. Each panel is fashioned inside an 86,400-square-foot open metal building connected to the business offices, where employees pour concrete and job-specific ingredients into molds. Workers in one area weld rebar while carpenters in another area cut and nail together new molds. A huge overhead crane running the length of the 725-foot-long building lis and moves each section to the vast storage and shipping yard outside. "Gate Precast offers flexibility and freedom in architectural design by having the ability to produce multiple finishes, including sandblast, acid wash, paerns, embedded brick, natural stone, and polished and faux finishes with various engineered design types," said Mark Ledkins, vice president of operations and a plant employee for more than 35 years. The offices running much of the length of the facility along South Alabama Avenue are the hub of the business segment of Gate, with drasmen and engineers drawing up plans for each order. There are other adjacent offices for human resources, payroll, contracts and administration functions in Monroeville. Gate, with home offices in Jacksonville, Florida, bought homegrown Lazenby Precast in 1989 and has since broadened the size and scope of the business that began in 1972. "Eighty percent of our work is from repeat customers who are confident that our design assistance- collaboration approach will help maximize the performance, value and the quality of their projects from schematics to occupancy," said Jane Martin, MIS director/Corporate Marketing associate. APC Office and Crew HQ provide local service Monroeville Office Manager Sam Schjo enjoys being part of a community that is "making great strides." He has been with the company eight years, the past couple in Monroeville. Schjott is chairman of the United Way campaign, on the boards of the local chamber of commerce, Main Street, Education Foundation, United Way and Kiwanis Club, among other community activities. The Bayou La Batre native chairs the Kyser Miree Memorial Fishing Tournament in Mobile that in the past seven years has raised more than $100,000 for underprivileged children. Customer Service Representative Lynn Sellers has been with Alabama Power for five years, all in the Monroeville Office, where she says she is always busy. "We form relationships with our customers; they want to come to your window each time. They like that they can talk to a human being, bring in their payment and get that receipt in their hand," says Sellers, who has lived in Monroeville most of her adult life and has a home near the office. "I get to go home for lunch. I'm spoiled with that routine." Customer Service Representative Sonja North has been working in the Monroeville Office for two years but living in Monroeville most of her life. People around town often call her "Fred's Wife," because her husband is a well-known UPS driver. Merchandise Salesperson Melissa Brion has worked for Alabama Power four years, moving from the Atmore Office to Monroeville in 2016. She drives from her home in Brewton each day. Her top sellers are washer/dryers and refrigerators, but she notes that Yeti cups and Ashley Furniture do well among customers to APC's "one-stop shop." "I like the people here, that's for sure," Britton says. "They are personable and easy to get to know. They care about their community and seem to all be involved in making it better." Britton, Sellers, North, Hicks and Schjott in business office. Local crews work out of large facility on outskirts of town. Gate Precast has 200 employees on 57-acre campus. PHOTO BY TRICIA GRIFFIN

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