Georgia Power has announced the promotion of Richard Holmes to senior vice president of Corporate Services. In his new role he will be a part of the Georgia Power Management Council.

“Richard’s 28 plus years of operational experience in the company combined with his proven leadership abilities make him a valuable part of our senior management team,” said David Ratcliffe, Georgia Power’s president and CEO. “Richard has a proven record of successfully leading business units, and a reputation for building quality relationships both inside and outside the company. He is respected by employees and peers.”

Holmes, 51, most recently served as vice president of Corporate Services. In that position, he has responsibility for several departments including Corporate Security, Risk Management, Corporate Facilities and Labor Relations. A replacement for Holmes has not been determined.

In his new role, Holmes will oversee a new organization that includes his current responsibilities along with the Employee and Corporate Relations Department, which includes Diversity Action, Workplace Ethics, Minority/Female Supplier Development, Workplace Planning, and Corporate Relations. The Employee and Corporate Relations Department was previously managed by Sr. Vice President Jim Davis, who recently retired.

Holmes has held several positions with the company since joining Georgia Power as a summer student in 1972. His first full-time job in 1974 was in accounting and he moved on to jobs in customer service, region management, a stint as a special assistant to then Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, Corporate Relations manager, assistant to the CEO and he also served as vice president of Region Operations.

He has been involved in community activities in the various communities that he has served to include being a current board member of the Georgia Department of Community Health, the Kennesaw State University Foundation, Literacy Action, and as a member of numerous organizations including 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Harvard Club of Atlanta, and the National Eagle Leadership Institute.

He is a graduate of Columbus State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from Atlanta University. He also completed the Program for Management Development at Harvard University.

He and his wife Linda have two sons.