Southern Company Names CEO For New Group Overseeing Energy Services, Competitive Power Businesses

Southern Company today combined the leadership of three of its businesses -- Southern Power, PowerSecure and Southern Holdings -- under one CEO, "to optimize the needs of large commercial, industrial and municipal customers across the country."

The company named Chris Cummiskey to the new position of Group CEO for Southern Energy Resources, and executive vice president of Southern Company Services Commercial Development.

Southern Power, PowerSecure and Southern Holdings will maintain their brands as individual companies, and Mark Lantrip, president and CEO of Southern Company Services, will continue as chairman of each.

Cummiskey was previously executive vice president of external affairs and nuclear development for Georgia Power, also a Southern Company subsidiary.

Effective July 1, Cummiskey is responsible for Southern Company's competitive power businesses in front of the meter and behind the meter, "including a growing Energy Services business," the company said. As CEO of Southern Holdings, Cummiskey will also be responsible for Southern Company's strategic and venture capital investment activities.

Cummiskey has previously served as chief commercial officer of Southern Power and as commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development.