Women Who Make Waves | The Powerhouse Redefining Life Along The Gulf Coast | Pt. 2 - 26FM CPM
- Nicole Thompson
- Jan 31
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 2
*This blog feature is an expanded digital version of the Women Who Make Waves editorial from the Feb–Mar 2026 issue of Coastalpolitan Magazine, offering additional insight into Madison Sullivan Wallace’s journey, leadership, and evolving definition of success.
Susan N. Story is a distinguished utility executive whose leadership has shaped critical infrastructure and community investment across the Southeast. She is best known for her role as President and CEO of Gulf Power, where she guided the company through pivotal years of operational growth, resilience, and community engagement.
Story’s foundation was built far from the boardroom. She grew up in the Sand Mountain region of northern Alabama, where her parents worked in a cotton mill before her father, Tom Nolen, found steady work as a pipe fitter. At home, learning came through play. Her father introduced his children to games like “Krypto,” a fast-paced card game that required quick math and sharp thinking. Combined with the encouragement of an eighth-grade algebra teacher, those early experiences sparked Story’s interest in math and science.
That focus never came at the expense of connection. Story was well-liked and socially engaged, and elected Carnation Ball queen during her senior year of high school. Her younger brother, Steve Nolen, recalls that she treated everyone the same, a quality that set her apart even then.
Her love of math led her to Auburn University's engineering school. While there, Story worked as a reporter for her hometown newspaper and tutored fellow students to support herself. Driven and disciplined, she graduated in less than four years, already clear about her direction.
In 1982, she began her career as a nuclear power plant engineer with Southern Company. At a time when few women entered engineering roles, Story weighed her options carefully and chose the power industry for a simple reason. She wanted to work where the impact mattered. Over time, she held roles across engineering, customer operations, and human resources, even climbing poles with linemen to better understand the work from the ground up.
In April 2003, Story became President and CEO of Gulf Power Company, making history as the first woman and one of the youngest executives to lead the Pensacola-headquartered utility. Just over a year later, Hurricane Ivan would test her leadership in ways few executives ever experience. The storm devastated the region, knocking out power across Northwest Florida and cutting Pensacola off from the rest of the state.
Story worked nearly nonstop for weeks, making the uncommon decision to allow media into storm center meetings to provide transparency during the recovery. Calm and steady under pressure, she focused on clarity, communication, and trust. Her leadership during the crisis set new standards for storm response and customer engagement.
Beyond the company, Story became deeply involved in regional recovery and growth efforts, from Rebuild Northwest Florida to statewide business and policy organizations. Her work consistently reflected the same belief she carried from childhood forward: strong communities are built through preparation, service, and responsibility.
Susan Story’s leadership is not defined by flash or volume. It is defined by steadiness, integrity, and care. Her legacy lives in the systems that hold communities together and in the example she continues to set for leaders who understand that real power is earned, not declared.
Photos Courtesy of Google Images
THE FIRST WAVE
Begin Part One of Women Who Make Waves series with Madison Sullivan Wallace, whose bold vision and leadership set the tone for the powerful stories to come.
Coastalpolitan Magazine | 2026 FEB-MAR
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