Pedro Cherry
Senior Vice President, Metro Atlanta Region • Georgia Power
Pedro Cherry serves as senior vice
the state. The department has been
president of Metro Atlanta Region
internationally recognized as one of
for Georgia Power. In this role, he is
the top economic development organi-
responsible for the company’s opera-
zations in the world, generating more
tions, sales, customer service, eco-
than 121,000 new jobs and $24 billion
nomic and community development and
in capital investment over the past
external affairs activities for 1.2 million
decade.
customers across 29 counties in metro
Atlanta.
Cherry worked as an engineering and
Cherry began his career with Southern Company in
Before joining Southern Company,
business analyst for Carolina Power and Light Corp.
1997, working for Southern Energy Inc., the subsidiary that
Cherry earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engi-
later became Mirant Corp. While there, Cherry held positions
neering and an MBA in operations management and
of increasing responsibility, serving as vice president of inter-
finance from Auburn University. He serves on the board of
national finance before returning to Southern Company in
the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, the Georgia
2006. He served as finance manager for Southern Generation/
Transportation Alliance, the Atlanta Convention and Visitors
Southern Power and then as assistant to the chief financial
Bureau and the Latin American Association, and is vice chair
officer of Southern Company. In 2010, Cherry became Metro
of the Atlanta Aerotropolis Alliance. He is also an adviser
West Region manager for Georgia Power, with responsibility
to the board of directors for the Georgia Department of
for serving 175,000 customers in Cobb, Cherokee, Douglas
Economic Development, and is on the board of directors
and Paulding counties, as well as part of Fulton County. Prior
for Junior Achievement of Georgia, Great Promise Kids and
to his current role, Cherry served as vice president of com-
the State of Georgia Children’s Cabinet. Cherry is a member
munity and economic development for Georgia Power. In this
of the Georgia Economic Developers Association, CFA Institute,
role, he led the company’s efforts to recruit new industry to
Association for Financial Professionals, NAACP and Auburn’s
Georgia and improve the marketability of communities in
Alumni Engineering Advisory Council.