ATLANTA, September 5, 2019 – Southern Telecom, Inc. (STI), a subsidiary of Southern Company, is pleased to announce today the appointment of Steve Laufersweiler as the growing company’s newest Carrier Account Executive. Within his new role as CAE, Mr. Laufersweiler will manage existing STI customers, identify new business opportunities within the competitive telecom marketplace, close sales transactions, analyze the market, develop and manage new business development plans, all while building long term business relationships. 

Mr. Laufersweiler brings to the STI team nearly 20 years of experience in the telecom industry. Most recently, he served as the Vice President of Business Development for Ascent, LLC, based in Atlanta, GA, where he was responsible for business development and revenue generation of Ascent’s entire portfolio nationwide, which included colocation, data center ops, data center connectivity and more. Prior to this position, Mr. Laufersweiler worked as Director of Sales for Virtual Citadel; also Atlanta-based, where he spearheaded business development and sales and marketing initiatives for colocation, cloud, network and managed services.

“As STI continues to expand our network and dark fiber offerings, Mr. Laufersweiler is an important addition to our talented account management team,” comments Barry Navarre, Business Development Manager for STI. “His solid telecom, technology and sales background working for prominent telecom companies here in the Atlanta area has helped him make a seamless transition into his new role as Carrier Account Executive, and we look forward to having him be an integral part of STI’s continued growth and success.”     

Other critical industry roles held by Mr. have been Director of Sales - Strategic Accounts for WOW! Business; Senior Account Manager for ZAYO; Director for Strategic Contract Resources; and Account Director for LEVEL 3 Communications (now CenturyLink).

“I am excited to join the STI team as the company and join in its mission to continue to grow its customer base, form new partnerships, enhance current routes and develop new opportunities,” stated Laufersweiler. “Throughout my career, my primary focus has been on consultative solution approach as the optimum way to effectively address customer needs, and my experience in the Southeast managing both a geographically diverse sales team and an extensive contact base as an individual contributor will help me to succeed in this role.”

Mr. Laufersweiler is a board member of ATP (Atlanta Telecom Professionals) and TAG (Technology Association of Georgia) and also formerly served as a Dale Carnergie Instructor for Public Speaking. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Miami University in Oxford, OH.

For more information on Southern Telecom and the dark fiber and colocation services it offers, visit http://www.southern-telecom.com.

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About Southern Telecom
Southern Telecom, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southern Company that provides long-haul and metropolitan dark fiber connecting Atlanta with other cities throughout the Southeast. The company also provides network elements such as access to rights of way, conduit, neutral co-location, and other related maintenance services. Southern Telecom is certificated as a telecommunications provider in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and at the Federal level. For more information about Southern Telecom, visit www.southern-telecom.com.  

About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy company serving 9 million customers through its subsidiaries as of Jan. 1, 2019. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers across America, a leading distributed energy infrastructure company, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices below the national average. For more than a century, we have been building the future of energy and developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, advanced carbon capture technologies, natural gas, renewables, energy efficiency and storage technology. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation and a low-carbon future, Southern Company and its subsidiaries develop the customized energy solutions our customers and communities require to drive growth and prosperity. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and govern our business to the benefit of our world. Our corporate culture and hiring practices have been recognized nationally by the U.S. Department of Defense, G.I. Jobs magazine, DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, Forbes and the Women’s Choice Award. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com.

STI Media Contact:
Jaymie Scotto & Associates (JSA)
1-866-695-3629 ext. 6
pr@jsa.net