ATLANTA, May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company today announced that Tom Wilson has been elected vice president and chief information security officer of Southern Company Services, Inc. In this role, Wilson will manage the company's cyber security risk. Since 2008, Wilson has served as the company's director of IT security.

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"As cyber security issues continue to be a top priority for electric utilities, we are vigilant in addressing cyber vulnerabilities," said Southern Company Chairman, President and CEO Thomas A. Fanning. "Tom's depth of experience, knowledge and industry reputation will enable us to strengthen the operation, reliability and security of our electric infrastructure."

Wilson, 45, joined Southern Company in 1989 in the IT applications organization at Southern Company Services, Inc. During his 23 years with the company, Wilson has gained experience applying information technology to the electric utility industry and has held various leadership positions across multiple IT disciplines, including applications and infrastructure. 

Wilson earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with a major in management information systems from the University of Georgia and completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School.

With 4.4 million customers and nearly 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast through its subsidiaries. A leading U.S. producer of clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for energy innovation, excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company and its subsidiaries are leading the nation's nuclear renaissance through the construction of the first new nuclear units to be built in a generation of Americans and are demonstrating their commitment to energy innovation through the development of a state-of-the-art coal gasification plant. Southern Company has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer and listed by DiversityInc as a top company for Blacks. The company received the 2012 Edison Award from the Edison Electric Institute for its leadership in new nuclear development, was named Electric Light & Power magazine's Utility of the Year for 2012 and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.

SOURCE Southern Company