Georgia employer finalist for top award
State Employer Among 30 National Finalists

ATLANTA (June 17, 2010) - Nominated by an Army Reserve first lieutenant employee, Southern Company was selected as one of only 30 finalists for the 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award for going beyond the federal law requirements in support of Guard and Reserve members. 

Southern Company, the only Georgia employer to top the list, competed against thousands of U.S. employers for outstanding support of their Guard and Reserve employees.

From this level, a national selection board comprised of senior defense officials, business leaders and prior Freedom Award recipients, representing small business, large business and public sector employers will then select the 15 recipients for the 2010 Freedom Award. The Department of Defense will announce the 2010 recipients in July. The 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Awards will be presented at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., September 23rd at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center.

In April, Georgia’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve honored Southern Company with the ‘ProPatria’ Award at its’ annual Awards Banquet in recognition of its’ exceptional support for their Guard and Reserve employees. 

Since 1996, only 130 companies have been presented with the prestigious Freedom Award. Previous honorees from Georgia include Home Depot, Home Depot Southern Division, United Parcel Service Airlines and First Data Corporation.