The Alabama Power Company board of directors has elected Jonathan Porter vice president of Human Resources and Ethics, effective Feb. 1, 2014.

Porter will be responsible for labor relations, wellness, safety, health and disability management functions as well as delivery of human resource products and services to Alabama Power employees throughout the state. He succeeds Donna Dearman Smith, who is retiring Feb. 1.

At Alabama Power, Porter has held various positions of increasing responsibility. They include senior corporate recruiter, senior human resources business representative, customer service supervisor, assistant business office manager, lead human resources business consultant, assistant to the executive vice president of External Affairs, Birmingham Division area manager and his most recent role as director, Customer Services.

“Jonathan’s wealth of knowledge and broad experience in the company have prepared him for this opportunity,” said Alabama Power President and CEO Charles McCrary. “His work in Customer Services, ensuring our customers are satisfied, should serve him well in his new role.”

Porter serves as a member of the board of directors for the Jefferson County Education Foundation, Jefferson County Economic and Industrial Authority and INROADS Inc. Porter also serves on the board of trustees at Tuskegee University and is president of the Southside Homes Advisory Council of the A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club. He is also a member of the Newcomen Society of Alabama.

Porter is a graduate of Leadership Birmingham, has been featured in Who’s Who in Black Alabama, and was recognized as a “Top 40 under 40” by the Birmingham Business Journal.

Porter graduated cum laude from Tuskegee University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. While at Tuskegee, Porter was a four-year letterman in football and an All-Conference scholar-athlete. Porter later received his Master in Business Administration degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

A native of Bessemer, Ala., Porter is married to his high school classmate Kima and is the proud father of daughters Laila and Kailyn.

Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), provides reliable affordable electricity to more than 1.4 million customers across the state.