In 1994, I was finishing my journalism degree at the University of South Florida in Tampa. My GI Bill and College Fund money had run out, so I worked multiple jobs to make ends meet.
My most consistent work was working nights as a copy editor for The Ledger, a New York Times regional newspaper serving some 80,000 readers in Lakeland, FL. During the day, the paper let me “string” stories, which meant they would pay me per article instead of by the hour. It was a good experience and, thankfully, better money than any part-time job I could find.
1 morning, I was assigned to cover a dedication ceremony for a new 200-megawatt natural gas power plant in Auburndale, about 20 minutes away. In my usual college-student fashion, I was late and missed the ceremony. But as luck would have it, I was greeted by the plant engineer, who gave me an in-depth tour and shared details about its inner workings I might not have otherwise heard. I was fascinated.
I would like to say that this event inspired me to do what I do today, but that would be stretching the truth a great deal. At the time, my focus was on journalism.
That was 32 years ago. Fast forward to last week, when I traveled for the first time to New York City.
In my role as CEO with Coosa Valley Electric, I serve on the board of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, the generation and transmission cooperative from which we buy our power. Each year, PowerSouth meets with the 3 major credit rating agencies. The meetings provide an opportunity to give context to the numbers the agencies review, and the agencies value hearing directly from board members as well as management. I was asked to attend along with several others.
We had a little time the morning before our first meeting, so a couple of us caught a ride to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. It is a deeply moving tribute to those who lost their lives that day. I could write an entire article on the experience, but that is for another time. I highly recommend visiting the site if you ever have the opportunity.
We returned to the hotel, changed, and headed to our meeting, which, as it turned out, was back at the World Trade Center in Building 7, in a very nice conference room on the 20th floor. The glass walls of the room overlooked the Hudson River on 1 side, and the North Tower Memorial on the other. It was a remarkable view.
We arrived early, which gave me a few minutes to take in the moment. As I stood looking down at the Memorial, the memory of that power plant tour came rushing back, and for a minute or 2, I was completely lost in reflection.
As a 26-year-old, soon-to-be journalist, I was struggling to put food on the table, gas in cars, and pay the power bill for our single-wide trailer. I had no idea where my life would take me.
I grew up on a small, 32-acre farm in Missouri. I moved to Florida in 1980, joined the Army right after high school in 1986, moved to Alabama in 1997, started working at Coosa Valley Electric in 2001, and became general manager in 2022.
As I attend board meetings at PowerSouth, I help shape the future of a company that builds and operates power plants like the one I toured all those years ago. But the full weight of my journey did not truly settle in until 2 p.m. on April 15, standing on the 20th floor of 7 World Trade Center, looking down at a Memorial dedicated to 1 of the most pivotal moments in our nation’s history.
I share this story not to boast of my good fortune but to thank you for the opportunity to serve as your general manager. I take this responsibility seriously and commit to carrying it out with integrity, humility, and diligence.