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Centennial Logo Brings Back Memories In the mid 1920s, before electricity was in every household, the general commercial manager of Alabama Power Company was looking for a way to sell electricity to mankind. Legend (or propaganda) has it that the Alabama Power executive, Ashton B. Collins, while watching a thunderstorm, visualized a human figure when two lightning bolts merged and struck the ground as one. At that moment Reddy Kilowatt was born. Like most legends, that story has not been verified. It is, however, the only story of Reddy Kilowatt's origin. Whatever the truth, Reddy Kilowatt certainly personifies electricity. The stick figure made of lightning bolts, with a light bulb for a nose and wall outlets for ears, insulated hands and feet, and two twin lightning bolts instead of hair, first appeared as an Alabama Power Company "spokestoon" on March 11, 1926. Reddy also served as a spokestoon for power companies across the nation and has appeared on billboards, stationery, newspaper and magazine ads, and merchandise. Ameren chose to use this recognizable character as its centennial logo because Reddy continues to symbolize much of what Ameren is today -- a dynamic, yet friendly and customer-focused, energy company committed to providing reliable service.