ATLANTA, Dec. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Jonathan Sangster will join Georgia Power as general manager of Economic Development, effective Jan. 7. Sangster will lead the organization's efforts in business recruitment, expansion and retention, information services and engineering support. Sangster will also be responsible for the Georgia Resource Center, which is the company's state-of-the-art site selection meeting facility. He will report to Pedro Cherry, vice president of Community and Economic Development.

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Sangster is currently the senior managing director at CBRE Consulting, a nationally recognized business location and site selection firm. In this role, he leads a consulting team that helps clients find "best fit" locations for corporate headquarters relocations, customer care operations, manufacturing, distribution, and research and development sites, resulting in investments of more than $3 billion and more than 7,000 jobs created.

The move to Georgia Power is a homecoming of sorts; Sangster began his career at Georgia Power as a co-op student in 1977. While at Georgia Power, he held full-time positions in Power Supply Engineering, Procurement, Training and Educational Services, and Southern Company College. He also served as a Southern Company loaned executive to the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games in the mid-1990s.

"Growing the state's economy and attracting new jobs and investment has never been more important. Jonathan's broad-based experience makes him a valuable addition to our team as we strive to be a citizen wherever we serve," said Cherry. "Collaboration with our partners across the state is critical to successful economic development, and Jonathan is known for building strong partnerships. With his extensive network of consultants, corporate decision-makers and economic development professionals, Jonathan brings the global relationships that will help us build a brighter future for all Georgians."

"Jonathan is a top-notch professional in the field and brings an incredible amount of insight and expertise to the position. He is exactly the right choice for Georgia Power and will be a powerful addition to our statewide economic development partnership," said Chris Cummiskey, commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development.

"It's an honor to join the Georgia Power Economic Development group and to come back home to the organization at which I started my career. I look forward to working with such a seasoned group of economic development professionals, and am excited to join the Georgia team," said Sangster.

A native of Toccoa, Ga., Sangster earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Georgia State University.

Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation's largest generators of electricity.  The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility with rates below the national average.  Georgia Power serves 2.4 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. 

SOURCE Georgia Power