People of Alabama: Tyler Pettway of Montgomery
What’s one of the biggest lessons life has taught you?
“Kindness gets you a long way. Being kind is a contagious attribute or characteristic to have. I think kindness is one of those things that we take for granted, sometimes don’t express a lot of. Being kind often results in kindness coming back to you. Just being kind in a world that can be harsh, can be cruel, is one of the ways we can get through a lot of the things that we get through as a people. Whether it’s in the grocery store, holding a door, or seeing someone with less groceries go before you. That can spark a conversation, that can spark an interaction that you probably never would have had otherwise. From my experience, kindness does open people up to you, lets people know that you’re a person that’s willing to listen and talk and feel comfortable with. It’s a lot of stuff we deal with in this world. Kindness has been the one thing no matter race, no matter whatever, that has always allowed me to have good interactions with people, good conversations with people and just being able to be a reasonable person and listen to other people’s points of view. I think you have to be able to be a kind person to do that. Have a kind heart. – Tyler Pettway of Montgomery.
Pettway is an online customer care associate at Alabama Power, so kindness plays a huge role for him at work. National Customer Service Week is Oct. 3-7.
“I enjoy technology. I enjoy helping people and that brings me joy because I get to do that every day at my job. I get to use the technologies that we have available to our customers and then I get to help the people by using those same technologies. I enjoy what I do.”
Tyler Pettway enjoys using technology in his work at Alabama Power. (Tamika Moore / People of Alabama)
There are two things Pettway has always wanted to do.
“One thing that I’ve always wanted to do is skydive, of course with somebody attached to me. And attend a soccer game in Europe. I’m a big soccer fan. I just love the diversity of it. I love how it brings people together. The world’s biggest sport and it’s just a beauty to watch. I’m a Liverpool fan.”
His proudest accomplishment?
“I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve been able to sustain a career that helps me provide for my family, so being able to be successful at what I do and have that translate to me taking care of my family is what I’m most proud of: being able to provide for my family by doing something that I love.”
Tyler Pettway and Meredith Stewart work in Customer Service at Alabama Power. (Tamika Moore / People of Alabama)
Who is one of the biggest influences in your life?
“My wife. She does provide me with a lot of encouragement, a lot of affirmation, and it does help me to do the things that I do at a high level. So, if I had to say one person that influenced me the most, it would be my wife. She sees everything. We all need encouragement. I think she is the one who does that the most for me, keeps me balanced, keeps me level-headed. We all have our days and just to have somebody who can let you know, ‘Hey, I’m here,’” I think everyone needs a person. We shouldn’t be alone. Isolation is one of the most dangerous things. To have a person who you live with who can do that and it’s reciprocated, I think just having that is good. Having a person to affirm you and have a person encourage you and you can do it for them, I think it helps both people.”
These are the faces and stories of people from all walks of life who call Alabama home. People of Alabama is a Red Clay Media and Alabama NewsCenter partnership.