Southern Company Gas announced that Walt Farrell has been named president and chief executive officer of Atlanta Gas Light and Chattanooga Gas, effective March 31st. In this role, Farrell will serve on the Southern Company Gas Management Council and oversee all aspects of the company's southern operations, bringing clean, safe, reliable and affordable natural gas to approximately 1.8 million customers in Georgia and Tennessee.

Farrell currently serves as vice president of economic development for Georgia Power, where he leads a team dedicated to recruiting new businesses and fostering job and investment growth in Georgia. His team is also instrumental in supporting regional economic development initiatives and pioneering economic development innovations. Their focus spans marketing, data analysis, site analysis technologies and engineering. In 2024, under Farrell's leadership, Georgia Power was named a "Top Utility in Economic Development" by Site Selection magazine for the 26th consecutive year and by Business Facilities magazine for the third consecutive year.

"Walt brings critical experience and proven leadership in economic and workforce development at a crucial time for our companies, as we navigate the essential role of natural gas in serving increased energy demand in Georgia and Tennessee," said Southern Company Gas Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer James Y. (Jim) Kerr II. "In his current role and as one Southern Company team, we have worked closely with Walt in serving our customers and communities in Georgia, and we are excited to have him lead Atlanta Gas Light and Chattanooga Gas."

Farrell's expertise in business recruitment is well established across Georgia. In his prior role as manager of statewide economic development for Georgia Power, he oversaw business recruitment and attraction efforts to bolster new business growth in the state.

Before joining Georgia Power in 2015, Farrell served as a director of the advanced manufacturing team at the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), where he was responsible for recruiting domestic and international companies to Georgia, leading tax incentive negotiations on Georgia's behalf and directing the Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development Program, the state's industrial site certification program. Prior to his work with GDEcD, he worked in community and economic development for both Electric Cities of Georgia and MEAG Power.

Active in the communities he serves, Farrell currently sits on the board of directors for the Georgia Lottery Corporation, Georgia 4-H Foundation, CareerRise and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the board of advisors for GDEcD, is a working partner for the Georgia Allies and a proud member of the Georgia Economic Developers Association.

Farrell is a Georgia Trend magazine "40 Under 40" recipient and a graduate of the Leadership Georgia Class of 2015 and the Young Game Changers Class of 2017.

Farrell holds a Master of Business Administration from Auburn University and a Bachelor of Science in marketing from Clemson University. He and his wife, Emily, reside in Atlanta with their three daughters.