Alabama Power Company Senior Vice President Robert Holmes, Jr. has been named chairman of the Ethics and Compliance Officers Association (ECOA).  The organization is the world’s largest membership organization for professionals managing ethics, compliance and business conduct programs.  ECOA membership includes 62 of the Fortune 100 companies and its 1,200 members are based in more than 20 countries around the world.

“The work of this organization has a tangible impact on how business and institutions operate and are perceived,” Holmes said. “It is our imperative to demonstrate a more visible commitment, stronger performance and improved ethics and compliance results in all of our places of work.  It is with great enthusiasm that I accept this leadership role and the challenges that our mission represents.”

Holmes joined Alabama Power in 1970 as a draftsman.  Since that time he has been a senior engineer, support manager at Plant Barry, district manager in West Mobile, vice president of Human Resources and assumed the position of senior vice president for Ethics and Corporate Concerns in 2001.

Holmes received his bachelor’s degree from Alabama A&M University and his engineering degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  He has participated in graduate studies at the University of Georgia and Harvard University.  He is on the board of directors for the Boy Scouts of America Greater Birmingham Council, Alabama A&M University, Samford University, Josephson Institute of Ethics, Alabama Symphony and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. He is actively involved in Character Counts! In 2000 Holmes received the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Award from the Boy Scouts of America.

“Robert brings great integrity to his leadership role with ECOA,” said Alabama Power President and CEO Charles McCrary. “We, at Alabama Power, are proud that he is able to take his expertise to an organization that will have a national impact on how business is conducted.”

Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO), provides reliable, affordable electricity to more than 1.4 million customers across the state.