POWERGRAMS

31 Alabama Power's Smith Lake and Dam, just outside Jasper, which is a destination for thousands of fishermen nationwide for fishing tournaments and to catch trout below the dam. At the heart of the downtown renaissance is Main Street Executive Director Mike Putnam, who took the job three years ago aer retiring as Corner High School's theatre director. He grew up in Birmingham, remembers its previously successful downtown and has watched the current comeback, which became his ideal in making Jasper flourish again. "Every downtown went bust," Putnam says. "This whole revitalization now of big downtowns and small downtowns is because people connect with them. There's no connection to a mall, though I have nothing against malls." Putnam says to recruit industry to Walker County, Jasper must have the vibrant downtown he recalls from his youth. Downtown is the heart that keeps a community beating, he says. Fortunately, the Main Street Jasper board has "very progressive" members who are working together to turn things around. "We're just in the middle of a great revitalization," says Rusty Richardson of Bernard's Store for Men. "We're tickled to be here on the main square. There's a lot going on downtown. The majority of the old buildings that were vacant for years have been bought and are now open with businesses operating." JASPER OFFICE SERVES 41,000 CUSTOMERS IN WALKER COUNTY Jasper Manager Brion Lightsey was literally born into the Alabama Power family. His late grandfather, Bob Barre, was business office manager in Columbiana. Brion's father, Pete Lightsey, was a crew foreman in Centreville who retired aer more than 40 years with the company. Brion's brother, Trey Lightsey, is Environmental Affairs supervisor at the General Services Complex. Even Brion's mother-in- law, Anita Davis, was a long-time customer service representative in the Columbiana Office. "And that doesn't even count my cousins, uncles and other relatives who've worked for Alabama Power," Lightsey says at his desk in the downtown Jasper Office where he's worked the past year. The University of Montevallo graduate has worked across the state during his decade with the company since starting in the Montevallo Office in Appliance Sales. He worked about a year each in Calera and Clanton, before moving to Eufaula in the Professional Development Program. Lightsey became a business office supervisor in Montgomery in 2012, the business office manager in Winfield and Hamilton in 2013, then added Fayee and Sulligent to his plate through 2016. Customer Service Representative Dana Harbin has been with the company for 20 years, all but six of them in the Jasper Office. CSR Brandi Porter has been with APC for 11 years, all in Jasper except a short stint in the Tuscaloosa Office. Working out front in the payment area, Customer Service Rep Steve Hart has been with the company for 19 years, while his counterpart Elizabeth Arnold's first day on the job was Oct. 2, 2017. "I love Jasper," says Arnold. "It's my home, always has been. I think anybody from the Jasper area would agree that it is a great place to live." Merchandise Salesperson Jonathan Thomas has been in the Jasper Office all 14 years he has been with APC, establishing a reputation as one of the company's top salesmen. The store frequently finishes second in the state in total sales. Merchandise Salesperson Lisa Rushing splits her time between the Fayee Office and Jasper. "We have to compete with national chain stores, but we focus on what we need to do to satisfy our customers," says Thomas. "We take pride in everything we do. We greet our customers at the door, shake their hands and are honest about our products and prices. We sell service and value. Our customers appreciate knowing that we back up everything we sell." Back left to right: Lightsey, Porter, James Usrey, Harbin, Hart, Jeff Best Front left to right: Thomas, Arnold, Mercedi McBrayer New restaurants are getting rave reviews from national publications.

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