Historically, System operators in the Southeast had few opportunities to assemble across company boundaries except in those rare occasions involving contracts, system reliability or purely company business issues. Telephone relationships were built over years. Some operators retired without ever having an opportunity to meet their comrades employed by other companies in an informal setting. This changed in 1992, when a group of Operators employed by Southern Company Services, under the leadership of James Ford, started to canvass neighboring utilities to ascertain the level of interest in organizing the Southeast area of the American Power Dispatchers Association (APDA). James contacted the management of the Southeast utilities to solicit their support for personnel expressing a desire to be part of the APDA.

A meeting was scheduled for January 25, 1992 at Southern Company Services on Lakeshore Parkway in Birmingham, Alabama. This meeting was hosted by the Power Coordinators of Southern Company Services with the endorsement and financial support of the management of Southern Company Services.

Representatives from the following companies attended the Birmingham meeting:

• Bill Thigpen, Alabama Electric & Co-op
• Weldon Allen, Alabama Power
• Dile Brooks, Alabama Power
• Sammy Hamilton, Alabama Power
• Johnny Jones, Alabama Power
• Terry Herring, Carolina Power & Light
• Jimmy Walker, Georgia Power Company, Member Upper-Midwest
• Richard Hall, Florida Power Corporation, Member Mid-Atlantic
• Marty Knezovich, Minnesota Power, National Vice-President
• Bill Shelton, PJM Interconnection, National Trustee
• James Allen, Southern Company Services, Member Upper-Midwest
• Sam Causey, Southern Company Services, Member Upper-Midwest
• Frank Ewing, Southern Company Services, Member Upper-Midwest
• James Ford, Southern Company Services, Member Upper-Midwest
• Marie McLean, Southern Company Services, Member Upper-Midwest
• Bill Poole, Southern Company Services, Member Upper Midwest
• Bill Seefeld, Southern Company Services

Guests:

• John Troha, Southern Company Services, Manager Bulk Power Operations
• Jack Karn, Southern Company Services, Manager Daily Operations

Marty Knezovich, National Vice President and Bill Shelton, National Trustee provided advice and direction for those in attendance.

The following officers were elected;

• Area President James Ford
• Vice-President Jimmy Walker
• Secretary Hella Shull
• Treasurer Marie McLean

Membership in the Southeast area would be limited to those persons within the states of, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North and South Carolina and Tennessee. The annual dues were set at $17.00, with $13.00 to national and $4.00 to be used to support the area.

A letter requesting official recognition of this new area was submitted to the National Board of Officers. This request was unanimously approved at the Elk River, Minnesota Officers’ meeting on March 3, 1992. At the time of approval, the area had grown to 58 members. As of December, 1995 the area membership stands at 211.

The first official area meeting was held in Pensacola, Florida on November 13-14. Marie McLean, who had recently transferred to Gulf Power from Southern Company Services, served as the meeting coordinator.

The Southeast Area has continued to grow while providing innovative programs and seminars, to the membership. The area meetings, which are rotated throughout the Southeast service area are held twice a year, during the spring and fall. For those unable to attend meetings, a newsletter was created in 1993. This newsletter, entitled the "Southeast Connection", is published quarterly and circulated to all member companies. The Southeast Connection, a vital communication link between dispatchers, provides updates on industry related issues, meeting information and items of personal interest such as retirements transfers, promotions, birthdays and family accomplishments.