Georgia Power names new regional director

VALDOSTA — Effective Monday, Joe Brownlee assumed the role of Georgia Power’s Southwest Regional Director in Valdosta. He succeeds Audrey King, who became Georgia Power’s regional director for Metro South-Atlanta earlier this month.

In his new role, Brownlee will have direct responsibility for the company’s external activities for 115,000 customers in a 32-county area that includes Valdosta, Albany, Tifton and Bainbridge. In addition, he will provide leadership and support for power delivery, customer service, sales, and community and economic development to bring value to Georgia Power customers.

Since joining Georgia Power in 1982, Brownlee has held positions in operations, training and external affairs, and served as a lineman during the 1980s-90s in Atlanta. From 1998 until 2004, he served as a methods and training specialist, coordinator and as distribution supervisor.

Brownlee began work in the company’s External Affairs division in 2004 as the local manager for Paulding and Douglas counties. From 2012 until 2017, he served as area manager in Perry, where he had responsibility for five counties that included Robins Air Force Base and the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter. Most recently, he served as the area manager in Canton.

In the areas of community and economic development, Brownlee has served on the Metro Atlanta Regional Business Coalition, Cherokee County Education Foundation, Cherokee Chamber of Commerce, has been chairman of the Paulding Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce, founding chairman of the Paulding Schools Foundation, vice chairman of the Houston County Development Authority, a member of Paulding Economic Development Inc., and as a 2008 graduate of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute.

Brownlee’s role as regional director in Valdosta will allow him to build upon his experience and strengths to partner with local chambers of commerce, development authorities and local leadership to promote and advance the communities of southwest Georgia.

Brownlee attended the University of West Georgia and completed his bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Phoenix. He and his wife, Mary Beth, who works with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, plan to live in the city of Valdosta and are expecting a baby girl in August. The couple has two sons, Josh Brownlee, who lives in Canton, and Shane Brownlee, who lives in Columbus with his wife Danielle and son Henry.

Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company, America’s premier energy company.

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