Rick Byars has been named Gulf Power’s new Community and Economic Development general manager.

Byars will be responsible for job creation, community building and community development in Northwest Florida, as well as for ensuring the company maintains strategic and credible relationships with key community stakeholders.

He will be replacing John Hutchinson, who retired from Gulf Power in November after 24 years of service to Gulf Power customers and a total of 32 years working in the utility industry.

“Northwest Florida is at a pivotal point right now — with several large businesses already choosing to expand in the area, a strong amount of activity surrounding aerospace in the region and the money that will be coming to the area from BP,” Byars said. “It’s an exciting time to be part of economic development in Northwest Florida, and I look forward to continuing Gulf Power’s commitment to helping the area grow.”

Byars will be working with local, regional and state economic development organizations to help build strong community relationships and manage important public policy issues.

He began his career in 1990 working in finance, accounting and auditing positions for both the nuclear and corporate divisions of Entergy Corporation.

Byars began his economic development career with Entergy in 1994. He held various economic development positions for Entergy in Arkansas and Mississippi and was the Entergy team leader for Nissan North America. In 2007, he accepted an opportunity to work as Major Accounts manager for Entergy Services managing all commercial and contractual responsibilities for Entergy’s Top 150 Industrial Customers. 

In November 2013, Byars was named Senior Project manager, where he was responsible for all economic development activity for the 18 parishes that comprise the Capital and Central Regions in Louisiana.

Byars is a current member of the Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association and is past president of the Mississippi Economic Development Council, as well as a graduate of Leadership Mississippi. He has served in a leadership capacity for several civic organizations.

“I look forward to making Northwest Florida my home and partnering with the many organizations and individuals who are so passionately committed to making it a great place to live, work and play,” Byars said.

A native of Vicksburg, Miss., Byars earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and Accounting. He earned his Masters of Business Administration degree from the Else School of Management at Millsap College and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Gulf Power is an investor-owned electric utility with all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company. Gulf Power serves more than 436,000 customers in eight counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely provide exceptional customer value by delivering reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity while strengthening our communities. Visit online at GulfPower.com or on the company’s Facebook page, “Gulf Power Company.” News information can be found at GulfPowerNews.com.

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