POWERGRAMS

HAPPY TRAILS Known as a straight shooter and a no-nonsense leader across Mobile Division, it's no surprise that Thelma Sco's nickname in the office was "Sarge." With her retirement May 1, Sco is still just as focused, serving a yearlong term as the governor of the Alabama- West Florida District of Civitan International. "We called her Sarge because she was tough and made everybody toe the line," said newly retired Hillcrest Office Manager Bud Robertson, who worked alongside Sco the past three years. "She was firm but fair, and I think everybody enjoyed working for her." "Because we have the third- or fourth-largest office in the state, a lot goes on here, so it was a real advantage to have her," he added. As assistant manager of the Hillcrest Office, Sco said her favorite part of the job was the daily interaction with customers. "It was the day-to-day challenge of helping to solve problems and making sure the office ran at the optimal level that gave me the most satisfaction," she said. Sco began working as a customer service representative in 1974 aer graduating from Dillard University in New Orleans. When she learned from a friend that the company was recruiting employees for its new call center in Mobile, Sco immediately applied. The job turned out to be a natural fit for Sco, who has spent her entire 42-year career working in the Mobile Division Customer Service organization. For the first eight years, she worked on "the floor" fielding phone calls from customers. She transferred to the correspondence department, where she handled bill complaints, bill adjustments and other inquiries. In 1984, Sco was promoted to customer service supervisor of the West Mobile Office. Aer 10 years, she began rotating through every office in the metro area, holding leadership positions in Prichard, Theodore, Saraland, Bayou La Batre, West Mobile and downtown Mobile. Longtime co-worker Michelle Stevenson said Sco's commitment was evident. "Thelma would be here when we came in the morning, and she would still be here when we le in the evening," said the Hillcrest Office customer service representative who reported to Sco at various times through the years. "She was serious about her job, but I think she really loved it." Sco truly made her mark as the "Sarge" when she became Mobile Division's first compliance coordinator in charge of enforcing the Sarbanes-Oxley anti-fraud law, enacted by Congress in 2002 to regulate corporate financial disclosures. Sco headed efforts to set up auditing procedures in line with Sarbanes-Oxley and made sure that Mobile Division complied with the new regulations. "Thelma was naturally picked for that job because she has integrity and is a straight shooter," said Eric Paerson, Mobile Division Customer Service manager who retired in May. "She knows accounting procedures backward and forward. She held everyone to a high standard. For Thelma, there's only one way to do a job, and that's the right way." The Sarbanes-Oxley laws were new to everyone, Sco said. She believes it was her aention to detail and organizational skills that helped her stay on track as she guided co-workers through the process. "There were so many controls that we had not monitored before and so many reports that we had to sign and date every day. It was a big adjustment for all of us," Sco said. "I had an expectation of myself that I would do it right, and that was my expectation of everyone else." Along with her daily routine in the office, Sco has reached out to the community for years, volunteering for many hours to help the needy. As a member of the Mobile Division Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) chapter since it began, Sco has taken part in many projects, including fundraising walks, the annual citywide Day of Caring and the chapter's gumbo cookout and fish fry. Giving back through the Civitan Club is especially close to Sco's heart. She has played a leadership role at both the local and district levels since joining the organization in 1993. As district governor, Sco is required to visit all the Civitan clubs in southeast Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. "I'm so busy with the Civitans that I don't know how I had time to work," said Sco. "Almost every day, I'm siing at the computer dealing with emails or handling other Civitan business." Sco's co-workers agree that although she took her job seriously, she knows how to have fun. "I love music, and I love to dance," said Sco, adding she especially enjoys the "oldies but goodies" as well as Bruno Mars and Pitbull. "If it's got a beat, I'm going to rock with it." Now that she is retired, Sco said her "ultimate goal" is to travel and explore new places. She also plans to spend more time with her daughter, Tracey, and her puppy, Dallas. Raised in a family of 10 children, Sco said she learned her work ethic from her father, who owned a package store in Mobile. "When I look back at the last 42 years and eight months, Alabama Power was my life," Sco said. "I loved everything about my job. I enjoyed Alabama Power, and I enjoyed the people. I was the face of the company everywhere I went, and I always tried to portray that in a positive light." Scott with co-worker Raigan Kennedy in office. 39

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