Here’s a quick look at business news in our community. 

– Decatur, GA – Tommy Lee Gibson, a U.S. Army veteran, received a new roof on June 17 from Roofing Resources of Georgia, an Owens Corning Platinum Roofing Contractor, as part of the Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project.

Through a partnership with Purple Heart Homes, Tommy Lee Gibson was selected and approved as the recipient for the roof replacement. The Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project is a nationwide effort to show gratitude and honor the veterans who served our country and the families who support them. Since 2016, more than 190 military members have received new roofs.

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– Atlanta, GA – In a recent press release, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Peachtree City has recognized Georgia Power as a StormReady Supporter, a designation that highlights the company as a partner organization engaged in weather safety, storm preparedness and response planning.

Georgia Power meets the following criteria to be recognized as a StormReady Supporter:

– A 24/7 warning point and emergency operations center

– Multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert employees

– A system that efficiently monitors weather conditions locally

– A plan to promote the importance of weather awareness through training seminars and workshops

– A formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training employees and holding emergency exercises

Georgia Power maintains an online storm center with customer tools and resources at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Storm. The company also wanted to share the following tips, reminding customers to keep safety first during hurricane season and any time storms threaten:

– Before a storm: Know your risks of storm surge and tropical storm or hurricane strength winds. Check your emergency kit, unplug major appliances and charge cell phones in case you lose power.

– During a storm: Have several ways to receive emergency notifications and weather updates. If your area is under an evacuation order, follow safety orders from local officials immediately.

– After a storm: Never touch any downed or low-hanging wire, including telephone or TV wires that touch a power line. Never pull tree limbs off power lines or enter areas with debris or downed trees as downed power lines may be buried in wreckage. Additionally, do not walk or drive through standing water as it may conceal live wires brought down by the storm.

– Atlanta, GA – A press release announced that Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is ranked among the nation’s top pediatric hospitals for 2020-2021 by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals list. Children’s had four specialties ranked in the top 10 and eight specialties ranked in the top 20.

The Aflac Cancer Center (No. 7), the Gastroenterology and GI Surgery Program (No. 8), the Nephrology Program (No. 8), the Orthopaedics Program (No. 10), the Neonatology Program (No. 11), the Neurology and Neurosurgery Program (No. 12), the Pulmonology and Lung Surgery Program (No. 17) and the Urology Program (No. 19) all ranked in the top 20 for their individual specialties.

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The report ranks hospitals for excellence in outcomes, program structure and national reputation in 10 pediatric specialty areas—with the survey questions created and refined by content experts in each field. Children’s ranked in each of the 10 specialty areas, the press release said.

– Southern Gas Company has announced leadership changes in Georgia and Tennessee.

Here is the full announcement:

ATLANTA – June 22, 2020 – Southern Company Gas has named Bryan Batson executive vice president of external affairs and chief external and public affairs officer, following eight years of service as president of its subsidiaries Atlanta Gas Light and Chattanooga Gas. Pedro Cherry, currently executive vice president of customer service and operations at Southern Company Gas’ sister company Georgia Power, will succeed Batson as president and CEO of Atlanta Gas Light and Chattanooga Gas. Both changes will be effective Aug. 1.

In his new role, Batson will oversee external affairs, corporate communications, marketing, customer service, community relations, economic development and environmental affairs at Southern Company Gas. Additionally, he will serve as president of the Southern Company Gas Charitable Foundation, which donates millions of dollars in grants annually to nonprofits focused on the environment, economic development, energy assistance, the arts and education. He will also continue to serve on the Southern Company Gas Management Council.

“Bryan’s leadership has seen our company through years of growth and change, and as our industry evolves, his trusted counsel will continue to ensure we can rise to whatever challenges the future may bring,” said Kim Greene, Southern Company Gas chairman, president and chief executive officer. “His deep roots in the energy industry will prove invaluable as we seek to further engage with our customers and communities.”

Batson has more than 36 years of experience with Southern Company Gas and has held several leadership positions in commercial operations, regulatory affairs, external affairs, engineering and field operations. Under Batson’s leadership, both Atlanta Gas Light and Chattanooga Gas helped herald in unprecedented periods of development in their service territories, successfully growing their infrastructure to accommodate rising demand, enhancing customer service offerings and increasing access to clean fuel for the transportation industry.

A leader closely engaged in communities across Georgia, Batson will continue to serve on the boards of directors for Central Atlanta Progress, the Georgia Nature Conservancy, the Regional Business Coalition of Metropolitan Atlanta, the Council for Quality Growth and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He also serves as chairman of the Georgia Chamber Energy and Natural Resources Policy Committee, is a member of the Technical College System of Georgia board of trustees and sits on the Atlanta Committee for Progress Community and Governmental Affairs Advisory Council. A registered professional engineer and a graduate of Leadership Atlanta and Leadership Georgia, Batson earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Clemson University and a master’s degree in technology management from Mercer University.

Cherry, in his new role, will oversee all aspects of the company’s southern operations, bringing clean, safe, reliable and affordable gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in Georgia and Tennessee. In addition, he will join the Southern Company Gas Management Council and the board of directors for the Southern Company Gas Charitable Foundation.

“I am pleased to welcome Pedro into the fold,” said Greene. “Our customers’ demands continue to grow and evolve, and his diverse set of experiences will be invaluable as we seek to enhance our customer service offerings, drive innovation and maintain safety across our Southern territories.”

Cherry joined Southern Company in 1997 after working as an engineer and business analyst for Carolina Power and Light Corporation, and he has held roles of increasing responsibility in finance, community and economic development, sales, customer service, operations and external affairs. In his most recent role, Cherry led more than 5,000 employees in Georgia Power’s Customer Service and Operations organization, directing customer service, power delivery, sales and marketing, corporate services and regional external affairs for the company’s 2.6 million customers.

Cherry, a CFA Charterholder, is a member of the CFA Institute, 100 Black Men of Atlanta and Auburn’s Alumni Engineering Council, and he serves on the boards of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Leadership Atlanta, Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Tourism Foundation. Additionally, he sits on the Clark Atlanta University board of trustees, the advisory board of the North Georgia Division of Synovus and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce board of governors.

Cherry is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta, Leadership Georgia and the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and a master’s in business administration, focused on finance and operations management, from Auburn University.

– Atlanta, GA – Georgia Power announced several executive leadership moves and organization realignments. As the company continues to focus on investing in Georgia’s energy future, it is also continuously evolving to meet the changing needs of customers while delivering reliable, affordable energy to 2.6 million customers.

The following appointments are effective July 1:

– Meredith Lackey will become executive vice president of External Affairs and Nuclear Development. Lackey will lead the company’s policies and activities in community and economic development, corporate communication, environmental affairs, governmental and regulatory affairs, regional external affairs, land management, pricing and planning and nuclear development. Lackey currently serves as senior vice president, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary & Chief Compliance Officer and succeeds Chris Cummiskey, who has been named Group CEO for Southern Energy Resources.

– Sterling Spainhour will become senior vice president, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary & Chief Compliance Officer. Spainhour will oversee corporate compliance, risk management, security and legal services functions and succeeds Lackey in this role. Spainhour currently serves as senior vice president and General Counsel for Southern Company Services (SCS) and will maintain his responsibilities for the corporate, energy regulation and technology functions for SCS.

– Pedro Cherry, currently serving as executive vice president of Customer Service and Operations, has been named president and CEO of Atlanta Gas Light and Chattanooga Gas, effective August 1.

Additionally, Georgia Power’s Customer Service and Operations organization will be restructured into two organizations – Power Delivery, and Corporate and Customer Services. This restructure reflects the company’s focus on maintaining a reliable, resilient electric grid, as well as providing exceptional customer service in communities across the state with both organizations reporting directly to the chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power.

– Glen Grizzle, senior vice president of Power Delivery, will continue as leader of the Power Delivery organization as Georgia Power invests heavily in transmission and distribution
infrastructure and strengthening the reliability and resiliency of the electric grid. Grizzle’s responsibilities include overseeing construction, transmission maintenance and support,
transmission planning and operations, the company’s Distribution Control Centers, distribution design, performance and planning, distribution management systems, Metro Trouble Services, network underground, the Storm Center and more.

– Nicole Faulk, currently vice president of Corporate Services, will now lead the Corporate and Customer Services organization as senior vice president to continue the company’s world-class service to its customers. Faulk will be responsible for customer service, corporate services, and sales and marketing efforts for the company. She will oversee customer satisfaction, the Customer Care Center, customer operations, field services, safety and health, facilities management, fleet management, forestry and right-of-way, shared services, new product development, product distribution, e-commerce, sales management, energy efficiency and more.

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