Month: March 2023

March 10, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The Board of Directors of Southern Company recently announced the election of David E. Meador and Lizanne Thomas as independent directors, effective April 1, 2023. Board committee assignments for Meador and Thomas have not yet been determined.

“Dave is a highly regarded strategic thinker with a decades of knowledge of, and experience in handling, the specific issues facing our industry and our company in this evolving energy landscape,” said Southern Company chairman, president and CEO Thomas A. Fanning. “Southern Company will further benefit from his deep financial expertise, well-rounded understanding of corporate culture, and passion for making the communities where he lives and serves economically stronger.”

Fanning continued, “Lizanne is an accomplished advisor with a firm understanding of corporate governance. The guidance she will provide via her expertise, as well as the insights and learnings gained through years of work with publicly traded companies across a wide spectrum of industries, will benefit Southern Company.”

Meador is the recently retired vice chairman and chief administrative officer of Detroit-based DTE Energy. In this role, he was responsible for information technology, procurement, fleet, facilities, corporate communications, as well as the government, corporate and public affairs, and philanthropic giving areas of the business. With over 40 years of experience in the manufacturing and energy sectors, Meador is a recognized expert in finance and accounting, strategy, governance, ESG, mergers and acquisitions, government and community relations, procurement and information technology.

Meador joined DTE Energy in 1997 as vice president and controller. In addition to controller, Meador served as senior vice president, treasurer and chief financial officer where he focused on improving the company’s systems and processes. After Meador took on leadership of DTE Energy’s supply chain organization, the company became a leader in supporting local businesses and expanding opportunities for woman- and minority-owned businesses.

Prior to joining DTE Energy, he served in a variety of financial and accounting positions at Chrysler Corp. for 14 years and was an auditor with Coopers & Lybrand.

Meador currently serves on the Board of Directors of Amerisure Mutual Insurance and Energy Insurance Mutual and from 2008 to 2017 served on the board of Landauer, Inc. He has been an active board member of prominent economic development groups at the state, regional and city levels, including the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the Detroit Regional Partnership and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. In addition to focusing DTE Energy’s community outreach on jobs, equity and the environment, he co-chaired Detroit’s Workforce Development Board with a goal of to connect 100,000 Detroiters with meaningful jobs.

Thomas is of counsel with the global law firm Jones Day, which she joined in 1982 and served as a partner from 1991 to 2022. In addition to ample experience working on mergers and acquisitions, Thomas served as the head of the firm’s corporate governance team. Thomas is experienced in shareholder activism, public and private mergers and acquisitions, and executive compensation and served as Partner-in-Charge of the Firm’s Southeast U.S. Region from 2014 through 2022.

Thomas currently serves on the Board of Directors of American Software, Inc. and previously served on the Board of Directors of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., Atlantic Capital Bancshares, and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. In 2016, Thomas was named one of the top 100 directors by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).

Additionally, Thomas is a Fellow of the American College of Governance Lawyers and is a Trustee of the Georgia Research Alliance. She also is a Trustee of Washington & Lee University and The Woodruff Arts Center. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta and is a former Trustee of Furman University and a former director of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

Deckers Brands, a leading lifestyle and footwear company, recently celebrated its sixth biannual Art of Kindness (AOK) week of volunteering. The event brought together employees from across the globe to make a collective impact on their local communities.

During the Spring AOK week, Deckers employees volunteered a record-breaking number of over 6300 hours at 102 global organizations and nonprofits, exceeding the prior AOK’s record. The event witnessed employees enthusiastically participating in a variety of activities, including volunteering at food banks, cleaning up local parks, and working with youth programs.

Deckers Brands CEO, Dave Powers, expressed his gratitude to the employees, saying, “Nothing makes me prouder than seeing our team come together to give back to the communities we call home. The unwavering commitment and hard work demonstrated during our Spring AOK week showcase the true spirit of Deckers Brands – a commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Our team’s dedication to giving back is a shining example of what can be accomplished when we work together towards a common goal. Additionally, we see firsthand the value of service on our employees’ lives and recognizing that the effect of this giving has a resounding benefit on our employees’ mental wellbeing.”

Several employees were quoted sharing their thoughts on the AOK week. Adam Druckman shared, “AOK always reminds me what an incredible organization Deckers is. Seeing everyone rolling up their sleeves and doing kind things for others is inspirational. Thanks to the Deckers Team worldwide for their service!!! I particularly enjoyed working with Abe at the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade and Barbara Allcock at the Flower Empower event. Onward Together!”

Josh Curry added, “I have gotten the volunteer bug. I jumped and launched a food drive and have been working closely with the manager handing donations to a network of centers that need items. It has been great, and I love doing good.”

Jamie Jaynes also shared her enthusiasm “I always love volunteering at different organizations in the community as it really does give you insight into how much we should truly be grateful for all that we have in our lives, and how much these organizations are the true lifeblood of the community. It really does drill in that there is a need for volunteers to help keep the ‘cogwheels spinning.’ One of the volunteer opportunities I had was at PATH, they provide services and food for the homeless. I helped with food prep for some meals the organization was going to provide to people. I can see how much effort and love that these organizations provide just so that people have meals in their tummies! All in all, so rewarding!”

Deckers Brands’ biannual Art of Kindness week is a significant event for the company and demonstrates the values that the company holds dear, including service to others, community, and kindness. The highly anticipated event provides an opportunity for employees to come together and give of themselves. The record-breaking number of volunteer hours during this Spring AOK week is a testament to the passion and commitment of Deckers Brands’ employees to make the world a better place.