Southern Company today announced two promotions that will further strengthen its management team at Southern Company Services (SCS), which provides marketing, strategic planning, technological, financial, engineering and other services to various Southern Company subsidiaries.

Dave Coker has been named vice president of computing and network services for Southern Company’s Information Resources business unit, which is part of SCS. Coker replaces Robert Beason, who was named chief information officer last year.

A graduate of Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Coker joined Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power in 1978. He held a number of positions at Georgia Power, including methods analyst in accounting systems, MIS department supervisor and IT client services group manager. In 1995, when computer support functions at various Southern Company subsidiaries was consolidated at SCS, he was named application services manager and then served as manager of support services. Since 1996, Coker has led Southern Company’s Home Run project, a companywide effort to standardize computer hardware and applications.

Dean Hudson has been named senior vice president, comptroller and chief financial officer for SCS. He is also comptroller for Southern Company.

Hudson is a graduate of the University of West Florida with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting. He joined SCS in 1973 and has held a number of positions, including tax accountant, tax manager, assistant comptroller, assistant vice president, vice president-tax, vice president and comptroller, and comptroller, Southern Company.

“Dave has the leadership skills, maturity, operational experience and customer focus to help us maximize return on our investments in the telecom and information systems areas,” said SCS President and CEO Paul DeNicola. “Dean continues to become more deeply involved in complex accounting and tax issues associated with the increasing complexity of our core business and the rapid growth in our non-traditional businesses.”

Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is an international energy company with $35 billion in assets through regional utilities and operations around the world. It is the largest producer of electricity in the United States and one of the world’s largest independent power producers. Based in Atlanta, Southern Company is the parent firm of Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, Mississippi Power and Savannah Electric. Through its Southern Energy Inc. subsidiary, Southern Company supplies electricity in 10 countries on four continents. It also provides energy-related marketing, trading and technical services and Southern LINC wireless telecommunications.