LAND TRUST PRAISE - Alabama Power

PROFILE
Wood has heart and soul in
helping Heflin grow, prosper
Heflin Business
Office Manager Wood
Wendell Wood is applying both heart and
soul to help grow jobs and assist his small
north Alabama city of Heflin.
Since 2008, Wood has chaired the city’s
Industrial Development Board, while serving as
an advisory board member to Cleburne County’s
Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s my hope we’ll get something good going
here,” said Wood, who has worked at Alabama
Power nearly 33
years. In Wood’s
crosshairs: the
seven-squaremile
area between
Interstate 20
exits 199 and
205, close to the
Georgia state
line. Perched
halfway between
Birmingham and
Atlanta, Wood’s
small town
is positioned
to handle a
burgeoning new
industry.
“We’ve installed
a water tower and
made highway
improvements,”
said Wood, who
meets with the
East Alabama
Photos by Wynter Byrd
Regional Planning Commission. “One reason we’re
working to do this is because of the economy. With
this recession, companies haven’t been willing to
step out and build new facilities. We’re hoping the
infrastructure we’re adding will place us in position
to attract a large new facility or industry.”
As business office manager (BOM) for Alabama
Power’s Heflin location, Wood is well aware of
needs in the community, whose population barely
edges over 3,000 for the city and 14,000 for the
county. For several years, he’s been actively involved
in HEARTS, the Helping Every Area Resident
to Succeed organization. Wood serves as secretary,
adviser and a fundraiser, helping HEARTS’
Executive Director Jackie Howle raise money
locally.
“Heflin has a high percentage of free lunch
students and parents who need financial help,”
Wood said. “HEARTS gives tennis shoes to kids
in need and provides backpacks to children, with
their school supplies tucked inside.”
One of the town’s largest employers, a chickenprocessing
facility, left a huge void when it closed
about five years ago. That’s one reason Wood
focuses heavily on economic development.
“Each day when I come in, I never know who
will come through that door,” said Wood. “It may
be a business owner with a question, a city leader
or a customer. When a customer comes in and
wants to close the door to talk, I know it’s serious.”
It’s not unusual for Wood to talk with customers
who are struggling financially. The office tries
to help customers find a solution by making
arrangements with them to help pay their bill.
They also refer customers to the local Community
Action Agency, Project Share or HEARTS. Even
with these avenues available, Wood said assisting
customers is a juggling act.
“We have financial goals we need to achieve,
and lowering the company’s electric service losses
is one of our goals,” said Wood, BOM for six
years. “That’s one of the reasons my job is both
challenging and rewarding – it’s rewarding to
help people get through the hard times. I have a
job to do, but at
the same time,
I want to be
compassionate.”
An avowed
“people person,”
Wood enjoys the
challenges of his
job. “It’s brand
new every day,
and I love it,” he
said.
Wood joined
Alabama Power
in 1980, mowing
grass at electric
substations.
He worked his
way up through
union ranks
to positions
of increasing
Wood, left, with Howle and Cleburne County Chamber of Commerce
President Steven Lines.
responsibility,
serving as a
Distribution
lineman 14 years. Wood moved to the Eastern
Division Control Center for a year, helping with
Transmission system operations. During that time,
he earned a marketing degree at Jacksonville State
University. He worked as a Marketing specialist at
the Talladega Office three years before moving to
Gadsden Engineering, serving as a Distribution
specialist seven years. In that role, Wood met daily
with residential and commercial customers, and
also spent a year serving as EDOC supervisor.
Wood grew up in Ohatchee, not far from Neely
Henry Hydro Dam. He said small-town life suits
him well. “I hate big-city traffic,” he said, with a
smile.
“To me, part of my job is helping the
community,” Wood said. “The good Lord blessed
me, and giving back is important. If I can help
folks, that’s what I want to do.”
By Donna Cope
PAGE 6