Southern Company today named Dr. Mark S. Berry, currently vice president of Southern Company Services Research & Development (R&D) and vice president of Environmental & Natural Resources for Georgia Power, senior vice president of Southern Company Services R&D.

Dr. Berry will focus on leading the activities of Southern Company's industry-leading R&D organization and guide the company's strategic advancement of technologies that provide clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy for customers in a net-zero future. For more than five decades, Southern Company's research and development organization has been leading industry innovation and leveraging research grants to deliver value to customers. This includes developing low- and no-carbon technologies, including advanced nuclear and the hydrogen economy; advancing energy storage, renewable, distributed generation and transportation solutions; modernizing the grid; and promoting negative-emission and sustainability innovations.

"Southern Company's research and development works within the evolving energy landscape discovering innovative energy solutions and creating value for customers," said Chris Cummiskey, executive vice president and Chief Commercial and Customer Solutions Officer for Southern Company. "Mark's leadership of this organization is facilitating the transition of the Southern Company system's operations to a net zero future and developing the reliable, effective, efficient and resilient decarbonized energy system of the future."

Over his career Dr. Berry has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility, including director of Southern Company Research & Technology Management; director in the generation sector at the Electric Power Research Institute, where he managed research and development efforts in renewables, water management, carbon capture and storage, and advanced fossil generation; and director of energy and environment at Southern Research. Prior to joining Southern Company, Dr. Berry attained the commissioned rank of lieutenant commander in the United States Navy.

He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Alabama A&M University and a bachelor's and master's degree in mechanical engineering and Ph.D. in interdisciplinary engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also earned a master's degree in public and private management from Birmingham Southern College and is a registered professional engineer in the State of Alabama.