BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Jan. 19, 2007 - The board of directors of Alabama Power has named Greg Barker the company’s vice president of economic and community development, effective today. He succeeds Chris Bell, who was named vice president of Southern Generation. Alabama Power and Southern Generation are both subsidiaries of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO).

“Greg brings a wealth of experience to this position, and I have full confidence that his leadership of this very important department will bring great things, not only for Alabama Power, but for the State of Alabama,” said Charles McCrary, Alabama Power president and CEO.

Barker joined Alabama Power in 2002 as an economic development project manager, where he worked to market the state to targeted industries. He led that department’s

target-marketing planning and assisted colleagues working in community development to assess and develop industrial parks throughout the state. Prior to joining Alabama Power, Barker was executive vice president at Birmingham’s Metropolitan Development Board, where he was affiliated with projects that generated 12,400 jobs in Alabama. He also served as president of the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce and was director of governmental affairs and international business for the Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce.

He is a member of the Economic Development Association of Alabama and was elected president of the organization. He formerly served as an advisory board member of the Auburn University Economic Development Institute and is a member of the Southern Economic Development Council.

Barker holds a Bachelor of Arts from Mississippi State University and has attended the Institute for Organizational Management at the University of Georgia and the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma.

Alabama Power provides reliable, affordable electricity to more than 1.4 million customers across the state.

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