OGLETHORPE POWER NAMES CHUCK WHITNEY AS SVP AND GENERAL COUNSEL
ATLANTA, GA (July 20, 2009) – Oglethorpe Power Corporation has named Charles W. (Chuck) Whitney of Atlanta as senior vice president and general counsel. Whitney is joining Oglethorpe Power from Duane Morris LLP, where he has served as a managing partner of the Atlanta office since 2000.
Thomas A. Smith, president & CEO of Oglethorpe Power, said, “Oglethorpe Power is quite fortunate to find someone with Chuck’s wealth of experience and ability. As we enter into a new phase of increased power plant construction, we will be well served by his extensive background in energy, construction and contracting.”
In hiring Whitney, Oglethorpe Power will be moving its general counsel function back in-house after utilizing outside counsel for that role for the past several years. Herbert Short, a partner of Sutherland in Atlanta and recently named Practice Group Leader of the firm’s national energy practice, has served as interim general counsel at Oglethorpe Power since 2005. Short will remain as Oglethorpe Power’s primary outside legal counsel and will assume the role of special outside counsel.
Smith praised the contributions that Short and Sutherland have made to the corporation, citing their “delivery of high-quality, effective services that helped us successfully get to this point of our operation. We look forward to continuing our long relationship with Herbert and the Sutherland law firm.”
Whitney said, “I’m thrilled to be joining Oglethorpe Power as it prepares to invest billions of dollars in power generating resources that will help ensure an adequate supply of electric power for Georgia for years to come. I’m leaving a great law firm in Duane Morris, but I look forward to the opportunities that this exciting new position will bring.”
Prior to joining Duane Morris, Whitney served in a variety of senior executive positions for Southern Company subsidiaries, including an assignment as president & CEO of Southern’s European international energy subsidiary. Additionally, he has had major responsibilities for nuclear and fossil plant construction and operations both as a lawyer and a senior manager.
He graduated with high honors with B.S. and B.A. degrees from Wright State University, received a J.D. degree from Case Western Reserve University and completed the Harvard Business School advanced management program.
Oglethorpe Power Corporation is the nation's largest power supply cooperative with approximately $5 billion in assets serving 38 Electric Membership Corporations which, collectively, provide electricity to 4.1 million Georgia citizens. A proponent of conscientious energy development and use, Oglethorpe Power balances reliable and affordable energy with environmental responsibility and has an outstanding record of regulatory compliance. Its diverse energy portfolio includes natural gas, hydroelectric, coal and nuclear generating plants with a combined capacity of approximately 5,200 megawatts (MW), as well as purchased power. Oglethorpe Power was established in 1974 and is owned by its 38 Member Systems. It is headquartered in Tucker, Georgia, in the Atlanta metropolitan area. For more information, check the web site at www.opc.com.
