Coastal Gateway Region, Ala. - April 26, 2011

Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Alliance (CGEDA) would like to welcome Southern Pine Electric Cooperative as the newest member on the Board of Directors. While Southern Pine is the Alliance's newest board member, Southern Pine previously served on the Authority Board of Directors from 2005-2008. Southern Pine has come back on board with the newly formed Alliance as their 22^nd board member.

Jim Searcy, Executive Director of CGEDA, stated that the Board is extremely pleased to have Southern Pine partnering with CGEDA once more. Southern Pine already partners with various towns, chambers of commerce, local economic development groups and banks to help businesses and industries locate or expand in communities within Southern Pine's service area. Vince Johnson, President/ CEO of Southern Pine, said "Southern Pine realizes that economic development is essential to the growth of the communities it serves".

"Southern Pine believes that the better the job market, the brighter the future for our members and their children," said Johnson.

Southern Pine Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative®, is a not-for-profit, member-owned distribution co-op serving over 20,000 accounts. The co-op is headquartered in Brewton, Ala., with district offices in Atmore, Evergreen and Frisco City. Southern Pine serves members in portions of five southwest Alabama counties, including: Baldwin, Conecuh, Covington, Escambia and Monroe. As a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, Southern Pine is dedicated to four core values: commitment to the communities it serves, integrity, accountability and innovation.

CGEDA is governed by a dedicated group of community and business leaders who believe in the importance in regional economic development for Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia and Monroe Counties. The 22-member (and growing) board is comprised solely of investors of the private and public sector who are active in our communities as ambassadors of our programs and priorities.

The strength of CGEDA's Board of Directors is evident due to their involvement and commitment in supporting economic development initiatives throughout the region. It is an active and diverse Board that has expertise in the areas of business, timber, labor, manufacturing, agriculture, finance, real estate, municipal government and the community-at-large.

Current CGEDA Executive Board Officers include: Chairman, Commissioner David Stokes, Escambia County Commission; Vice-Chairman, Dr. John Johnson, Representative of George Landegger, Parsons and Whittemore; Secretary - Larry Woods, Alabama Power Company; and Treasurer, Mayor Ted Jennings, City of Brewton. At-Large Executive Board Members include: Mayor Howard Shell, City of Atmore; Commissioner Karen Bradford, Clarke County Commission; Mayor Mike Kennedy, City of Monroeville; Mayor Pete Wolff, City of Evergreen; and Sam Covert, Alabama Power Company.

CGEDA Board Members include: Mayor Ben Smith, Town of Butler; Chip Harrigan, Fulton Logging Company; Bryan Jones, Crowne Management, LLC; Mayor Jerry Newton, Town of Grove Hill; City Councilman Levon Hicks, Town of Grove Hill; Mayor Richard Long, City of Jackson; Mayor Sheldon Day, City of Thomasville; Vince Johnson, Southern Pine Electric Co-op; Paul England, BankTrust; Tom McMillan, McMillan, Ltd.; Shepherd Marsh, First National Bank and Trust; and Mayor Terri Carter, Town of Repton.

Current CGEDA investors include: Alabama Power Company, BankTrust Charitable Foundation, BankTrust Monroeville, BD & S Services, Inc. - in kind, City of Atmore, City of Brewton, City of Evergreen, City of Jackson, City of Monroeville, City of Thomasville, Clarke County Commission, Crowne Management LLC, Escambia County Commission, First National Bank & Trust of Atmore, Fulton Logging Company, George Landegger, Parsons and Whittemore, Harrigan Lumber, McMillan, Ltd., Southern Pine Electric Co-op, The Securance Group, Town of Butler, Town of Grove Hill, and the Town of Repton.