Southern Company today announced several changes within its marketing organization that will further strengthen the company’s marketing focus across its southeastern service territory.

Leonard Haynes, currently vice president of retail sales and services at Southern Company’s Georgia Power subsidiary, has been named senior vice president of marketing for Georgia Power. As a member of Southern Company’s marketing leadership team, Haynes also will be responsible for marketing at Southern Company’s Savannah Electric subsidiary and Southern Company national accounts.

Kevin Fletcher, Southern Company’s vice president of marketing and new business development and president of Southern Company Energy Solutions – the Southern Company subsidiary that develops and manages customer-focused, energy-related products and services – will replace Haynes.

Bertram Sears, manager of Georgia Power’s metro-southwest region, has been named Southern Company’s vice president of marketing and new business development. He also will serve as president of Southern Company Energy Solutions.

Barbara Hingst, Georgia Power’s general manager of marketing planning, has been named director of strategic market planning for Southern Company. In her new role, Hingst will be responsible for planning and implementing consistent marketing strategies across Southern Company.

“These individuals will play a key role in developing our system-wide marketing strategy,” said C. Alan Martin, chief marketing officer for Southern Company. “Our industry is changing rapidly, and marketing is becoming more and more important. Our branding efforts and our customer relations strategies across the company must be consistent.”

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.