In the latest installment of In the Black with T. Dallas Smith, the spotlight shines on Chris Womack, the trailblazing Chairman, President, and CEO of Southern Company. Born in humble circumstances in Greenville, Alabama, Chris' remarkable journey has been defined by vision, determination, and an unwavering commitment to service. Over his 30-year tenure at Southern Company, he has consistently broken new ground, ascending through a succession of leadership roles to elevate the company to new heights of excellence.  In this insightful conversation, T. Dallas delves into Chris' inspiring story, exploring the philosophies and strategies that have fueled his ascent.

About Chris Womack:  Chris is the chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Southern Company, one of the nation’s leading energy providers serving 9 million customers nationwide.Prior to his current role, since 2021 he served as chairman, president, and CEO of Georgia Power, leading Southern Company’s largest subsidiary.He assumed leadership of Georgia Power after serving as executive vice president and president of external affairs for Southern Company where he led overall external positioning and branding efforts including the company’s public policy strategies and oversaw the company’s governmental and regulatory affairs, corporate communication initiatives and other external and strategic business engagements.A native of Greenville, Alabama, Womack joined Southern Company in 1988 and has held several leadership positions within Southern Company and its subsidiaries. He has served as executive vice president of external affairs at Georgia Power and senior vice president and senior production officer of Southern Company Generation, where he was responsible for coal, gas, and hydro generation for Georgia Power and Savannah Electric. Womack also served as senior vice president of human resources and chief people officer at Southern Company, as well as senior vice president of public relations and corporate services at Alabama Power.Prior to joining Southern Company, Womack worked on Capitol Hill for the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.. He served as a legislative aide for former Congressman Leon E. Panetta and as staff director for the Subcommittee on Personnel and Police for the Committee on House Administration.Womack is co-chair of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) Customer Solutions Policy Committee and a member of the board of directors of Invesco Ltd. and the Georgia Ports Authority. He is past chair of the board of the East Lake Foundation and is on the national board of The First Tee. Womack has chaired the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau board and the Atlanta Sports Council. He has received numerous honors, awards, and recognitions.He holds a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree from The American University, and he completed the Stanford Executive Program in 2001.