As executive vice president and president of external affairs for Southern Company, Chris Womack directs and manages the company’s government relations, communications, environmental advocacy, strategy, and policy development.
Serving in his current capacity for just over a year, Womack has worked for the company in various leadership positions for 22 years. The Western Michigan University gaduate knew he wanted to work in management, but initially thought his path would lead to a career in public service.
“I always loved management and I always loved politics … I wanted to be a public servant, but ended up in the private sector,” he says.
Womack’s interest in politics and government are critical contributing factors to his effectiveness at Southern Company. “We are a utility that burns a lot of fossil fuels. As Congress, state and local officials think about policies to limit greenhouse gas emissions, [it] would have a great impact on us. We spend a lot of time educating public officials about what impact those policies would have on us as well as our customers,” says Womack.
While the scope of Womack’s duties may seem daunting, his strong work ethic and ability to build solid business relationship — coupled with his natural leadership skills — have propelled him up the corporate ladder.
“Putting good teams together and providing them with the kind of leadership they need to be successful, [as well as] helping them understand the vision and enjoy the work we do … those would be some of things that have contributed to my success,” he says. –cherice norman
