The Alexander City Outlook

Barker gets big promotion

The man who unveiled an in-depth plan to bring new industry to the Lake Martin area at May’s economic development forum received a big promotion at work this week.

The Alabama Power board of directors announced Wednesday that they have elected Greg Barker as their new vice president of marketing and economic development.

Barker previously served as the company’s vice president of economic and community development and has worked closely with the Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance in conducting a new pilot program that analyzes the area’s workforce.

Brandon Glover, a spokesman for Alabama Power, said Barker’s promotion will not affect the workforce program and he plans to continue his involvement with the EDA.

“He’s going to continue his involvement with the economic development of Alexander City,” Glover said. “He plans to see this project out to fruition.”

As Barker revealed at Alexander City’s economic development forum held May 6, the workforce study program identifies the skills of people who have lost jobs here and matches those skills to new occupations. Further, it provides contact information for companies around the world that seek skills available in the Alexander City workforce.

Don McClellan, executive director of the EDA, said they are in now in the process of mailing out the first round of marketing packages to companies the program pinpointed.

“Our work will continue,” McClellan said. “We’ll continue to get (Barker’s) support.”