Chris Womack has been elected by the Georgia Power Board of Directors to succeed its current Chairman Paul Bowers.

Bowers will retire in April 2021, but Womack began serving as president of Georgia Power on November 1. Womack will take over additional responsibilities as chairman and CEO when Bowers completely steps down.

“It’s an exciting time to be back at Georgia Power, especially when we’re poised to make history with the first new nuclear units in the U.S. in decades,” said Womack, executive vice president and president of External Affairs for Southern Co, the parent company of Georgia Power.

Womack, who has been with the company since 1998, has served as the executive vice president and president of External Affairs for Southern Co. since 2009. Womack has also led the company’s governmental and regulatory affairs, corporate communication initiatives, and other external and strategic business engagements.

Womack is the first African-American to serve as Chairman of the Georgia Power Board of Directors.