ATLANTA –Southern Company ranks among the InformationWeek 500 - a list of the top technology innovators in the U.S. InformationWeek recognized Southern Company for its Technology Showcase, a state-of-the-art meeting facility that fosters connections between IT and the business it supports. For more than 15 years Southern Company has achieved this recognition.

“Southern Company is among the industry's best in driving technology innovation,” said Chief Information Officer Kenneth E. Coleman, “The Technology Showcase brings the core business and IT together to facilitate success through education, collaboration and innovation and provide innovative solutions to business problems, ultimately driving Southern Company’s bottom-line.”

“For 23 years, the InformationWeek 500 has chronicled and honored the most innovative users of business technology,” said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston. “In this day and age, however, being innovative isn’t enough. Companies and their IT organizations need to innovate faster than ever before to stay a step or two ahead of their customers, partners, and competitors. This year’s ranking placed special emphasis on those high-octane business technology innovators.”

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of information technology with its annual 500 listing and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America’s best-known companies.  Top winners have included:  The Vanguard Group, CME Group, Conway, National Semiconductor, Kimberly-Clark, Hilton Hotels and Unum.  The InformationWeek 500 rankings are unique among corporate rankings as it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders. 

Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be found online at: www.informationweek.com/iw500/. 

With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company is the parent firm of electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications companies. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company was named the World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility by Fortune magazine in 2011, and is consistently listed among the top U.S. electric service providers in customer satisfaction by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.