The Alabama Power Board of Directors today elected two new officers to the company's leadership team. Bobbie J. Knight was named vice president of public relations, and Julia H. Segars was named vice president and chief information officer.

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"As we face the complexities of an ever-changing industry, communication and technology will continue to be critical factors in meeting our business goals and objectives," said Alabama Power President and CEO Charles McCrary. "Both of these individuals are proven leaders in our company, and bring solid, practical experience to our efforts to produce results for our customers, for our employees and for our communities."

In her new role, Knight will manage the company's public relations and corporate communications efforts and oversee the daily operations of a department that includes media relations, advertising, communication services and employee communications.

"Alabama Power's public relations efforts are essential in safeguarding our image and are a vital part of our success. Bobbie will develop the strategy and implement the methods of protecting and preserving the company's image and reputation," said Alabama Power Executive Vice President Steve Spencer. "Her experience, leadership ability and career accomplishments make her the right person to guide the company's public relations endeavors."

Knight began her career with Alabama Power in 1978. Since that time, she has served in roles of increasing responsibility in the company's customer service, human resources, public relations, corporate services and materials services departments. Most recently, she served as the company's manager of supply chain management.

Knight is a 1978 graduate of the University of Alabama with a B.A. degree in Communications, a 1985 graduate of the Birmingham School of Law with a J.D. degree, a 1996 graduate of the Public Utilities Leadership Program at the University of Georgia and a 2002 graduate of the Kellogg School of Management Executive Program at Northwestern University.

Her civic, charitable, business and community affiliations include serving on the boards of the Birmingham Sister City Commission, the American Association of Blacks in Energy, and the A.G. Gaston Boys and Girls Clubs. She also is a member of the premier class of the MOMENTUM Women's Leadership Program.

Segars, in her new role, will provide support and guidance in maintenance, operations and application design for information technologies at Alabama Power and Southern Nuclear Operating Company. As part of that effort, she is responsible for building relationships and partnerships to ensure the information technology needs of the companies are met in a satisfactory and appropriate manner.

"Julia is an excellent person to lead our technology efforts at Alabama Power," McCrary said. "I am confident this critical area of our company -- an area on which we all depend each day to accomplish our work -- will flourish under her leadership."

Segars has more than 16 years of experience with Southern Company, most recently as manager of Workforce Development, serving Alabama Power.

A 1984 magna cum laude graduate of the University of Alabama, with a B.A. degree in Journalism, Segars worked as a reporter with The Tuscaloosa News before joining Alabama Power in 1986 as a staff writer in the company's public relations department. She held several positions of increasing responsibility within the department, including manager of employee communication and services, before beginning a rotation as assistant to the vice president of Alabama Power's Birmingham Division in 1996. In 1998, she was named principal consultant for leadership development, where she was tasked with coordinating and adding structure and value to a newly created leadership development program for Alabama Power.

Deeply involved in the community, Segars serves as co-chair of the United Way of Central Alabama's Corporate Leadership Development Committee; is a member of the Public Relations Task Force of the Cahaba Girl Scouts Council; and is fundraising dinner co-chair for the Leading Edge Institute, a non- profit organization dedicated to providing leadership development training to college women in Alabama. She is a past director of the Greater Shelby County Education Foundation, and the Keep Birmingham Beautiful Commission.

Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company , provides reliable, affordable electricity to more than 1.3 million customers across the state.

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SOURCE: Alabama Power