The Council for Quality Growth will honor Georgia Power Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Bowers with its 29th annual Four Pillar Award on Oct. 4, 2018 at the Georgia World Congress Center, Georgia Ballroom. The prestigious Four Pillar Tribute recognizes an outstanding individual in the region and the state who demonstrates the ‘Four Pillars’ of leadership – Quality, Responsibility, Vision and Integrity – and exemplifies the Council’s mission of promoting balanced and responsible growth. The four key speaking roles will be Rev. Andy Stanley; former Home Depot CEO Frank Blake; Gov. Nathan Deal; and Juanita Baranco, co-owner of Baranco Automotive who has served on both the boards of Georgia Power and its parent, Southern Co.
Bowers was named chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power in 2011. Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation’s leading energy providers, and serves 2.5 million customers across the state of Georgia. Being “A Citizen Wherever We Serve” is a core value shared by all 7,000 Georgia Power employees, and the company has been recognized as a Most Trusted Brand by Market Strategies International and ranked number one in J.D. Power residential customer satisfaction in 2017. Last year, the company, employees and retirees donated more than 147,000 service hours and invested $21 million dollars in Georgia communities.
In 2018, Bowers was inducted as a Georgia Trustee by the governor of Georgia for exemplifying the highest standard of “Not for Self, but for Others” in his life and career. He has also received the American Jewish Committee’s National Human Relations Award and has been inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.
Since joining Southern Company at its electric subsidiary Gulf Power in 1979, Bowers has worked throughout the Southern Company system. Prior to his current role with Georgia Power, he served as chief financial officer of Southern Company, where he was rated by Institutional Investors magazine as one of the industry’s Top Three CFOs in America. Bowers is a native of Pensacola, Florida. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of West Florida and a master’s degree from Troy University. He is also a Harvard Business School AMP graduate.
“We are pleased to honor Paul Bowers with the 2018 Four Pillar Award,” said Council for Quality Growth President & CEO Michael Paris. “His leadership within Georgia Power as well as the community, accompanied by his commitment to the well-being of the citizens of Georgia are just a few of the ways in which he exemplifies the Four Pillars of Excellence.”
Steve Labovitz, the Council’s 2018 Chairman, also added that, “It’s an honor to recognize such a selfless leader with this prestigious award. Paul sets the tone in the corporate community by utilizing his business acumen and his civic and philanthropic leadership for the benefit of our community.”
The theme of this year’s Tribute is “Purpose.” An esteemed group of Tribute Chairs have been assembled to pay tribute to Bowers for his demonstration of the “Four Pillars,” including:
- Dan Amos (Chairman & CEO, Aflac)
- Frank Blake (Chairman & CEO (Retired), Home Depot)
- Mark Burns (President, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.)
- Dan Cathy (Chairman, President & CEO, Chick-fil-A)
- Shan Cooper (Chief Transformation Officer, Westrock Company)
- Governor Nathan Deal
- Dietmar Exler (President & CEO, Mercedes-Benz USA)
- Larry Gellerstedt (Chairman & CEO, Cousins Properties)
- Doug Hertz (President & CEO, United Distributors)
- Donna Hyland (President & CEO, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta)
- Michael Russell (CEO, H.J. Russell & Company)
- Jeff Sprecher (Founder, Chairman & CEO, Intercontinental Exchange)
- Kessel Stelling (Chairman & CEO, Synovus)
The Council is proud to honor Bowers with its Four Pillar Tribute. Tickets and sponsorship information are available at www.fourpillartribute.com.
To view the full press release click HERE.