BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Jan. 23, 2009 - The Alabama Power board of directors today elected Matthew W. Bowden as a vice president of Alabama Power with responsibility for Environmental Affairs. 

Bowden comes to Alabama Power from the Birmingham office of Balch & Bingham, LLP, where he was a partner.  He had been affiliated with Balch & Bingham since 1992 and his primary areas of practice were environmental and natural resources law, energy law and state governmental relations.

“We have relied for years on Matt’s counsel regarding environmental matters, and I am delighted that he is joining our company’s leadership team,” said Alabama Power President and CEO Charles McCrary.

With Balch & Bingham, Bowden worked on a wide range of environmental matters including water quality, air quality, environmental permitting and compliance, endangered species and environmental policy.

He is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law where he was a member of the Alabama Law Review and Order of the Coif.  He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alabama in commerce and business administration.

Bowden is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar and the Birmingham Bar Association.  He has served on the Executive Committee of the Environmental Law Section of the state bar and is a member of the ABA Section of Environmental and Energy Law.  He is also a member of the Environmental Committee of the Business Council of Alabama and on the Governmental Affairs Committee of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce.

He is a life member of the Alabama Wildlife Federation and for years has served in leadership positions and is on its board of directors.

Bowden is a Birmingham native and is married to the former Toni Wallace of Mobile.  They have two sons, Curtis and Clayton.

###

Media Contact: Patrick Wylie, Alabama Power Media Relations, 205.257.4155, pjwylie@southernco.com