Southern Co. chairman, president and CEO Thomas A. Fanning announced that Larry S. Monroe has been named chief environmental officer and research and environmental affairs senior vice president of Southern Co. Services Inc., effective March 1.
Monroe will succeed Christopher M. Hobson, who has announced plans to retire, effective June 27.
During the transition, Hobson will continue to oversee environmental external affairs and fulfill his leadership responsibilities with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Coal Utilization Research Council.
“Chris has been instrumental in helping Southern Co. take a leadership role in developing innovative solutions for the environment,” said Fanning. “The respect he has earned in the energy, regulatory, research and stakeholder communities has served our customers well and cemented Chris’ legacy as a company and industry leader.”
Monroe currently serves as environmental affairs general manager of unit Georgia Power. In his new role, Monroe will be responsible for the Southern Co. system’s environmental initiatives, including the assessment of federal environmental policy, compliance strategies and stewardship, and the research and development of new energy innovations.
Monroe, 57, joined Southern Co. in 1998 as a principal engineer in the research and environmental affairs organization. He has since served as manager of the emissions control research group and senior research consultant, and has conducted research into coal technologies for the utility industry at Southern Research Institute — a non-profit research organization — and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Laboratory.
