Featured Speaker(s)

Becky Blalock Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer, Southern Company

As senior vice president and chief information officer, Becky Blalock directed information technology strategy and operations across the 120,000 square miles and nine subsidiaries of Southern Company. She led more than 1,100 employees in information technology delivery to one of America's most respected companies. Under her leadership, Southern Company has been consistently recognized as one of the 100 Most Innovative Companies by CIO Magazine and one of the 100 Best Places to Work in IT by Computerworld Magazine. She is nationally and regionally recognized as an expert in corporate information technology.

Since beginning her career at Georgia Power in 1978, Blalock has provided broad leadership in many positions including accounting, finance, marketing, corporate communication, external affairs, the office of the CEO, and customer service. Blalock serves on the boards of Computers for Youth, Leadership Atlanta and the CIO council of the Edison Electric Institute. She also serves on the CIO advisory board for Georgia State University and Sierra Ventures. In addition she serves on the Customer Advisory Boards of Oracle and AT&T. A graduate of Leadership Atlanta and Leadership Georgia, she was named a Fellow of the International Women's Forum Leadership Foundation in 2001.

Blalock has received a host of honors including 2009 CIO of the Year in the electric utility industry by Energy Biz Magazine, 2007 CIO of the Year by Computers for Youth and 2003 Georgia CIO of the Year, Global Category by the Georgia CIO Leadership Association. She is listed among the Who's Who in Science and Engineering. In 2006, she was inducted as one of Computerworld Magazine's Premier 100 IT Leaders. Atlanta Woman Magazine named her their Power Woman of the Year and she received the Shining Star Award from the Atlanta Women's Foundation. Blalock has received many honors for her leadership. In 2010, she was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia CIO Leadership Association and most recently, the Legacy Award from Women in Technology. Additional honors received include the 2009 CIO of the Year in the Utility Industry by Energy Central Magazine, one of the Premier 100 CIO's in America by Computerworld Magazine, and one of Atlanta Business Chronicle's 100 Most Influential Atlantans.

Blalock's efforts on behalf of women have been recognized by the Girl Scouts, YWCA and the Atlanta Women's Foundation.