Big Bets: Decisions & Leaders That Shaped Southern Company - Hardcover

Dub Taft; Sam Heys

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0615464866 ISBN 13: 9780615464862

Publisher: Southern Company, 2011

Synopsis

Big bets are pivotal decisions leaders make when the stakes are high decisions that forge a successful path or retrieve a lost cause at a critical crossroads. Big bets can determine a company's destiny or reshape its future. A century ago, James Mitchell engineer, builder, entrepreneur, and man of the world traveled to the impoverished American South and made the first big bet for Southern Company. Mitchell was so inspired by the hydro potential of Alabama s rivers that he dreamed of developing a series of dams to electrify the Southeast. To bring his dream to life, he sketched out a regional power network, raised money from British investors, and created the first of the three forerunner holding companies that would play prominent roles in Southern Company's history. In the century since, Southern Company and its predecessor companies have faced every conceivable impediment to progress natural and manmade disasters, a hostile takeover, federal invasions, financial ruin, and numerous threats and attempts to pull its business apart and scramble the pieces. Rather than being destroyed by these challenges, Southern Company grew strong, more resilient, and more committed to its mission. That Southern Company has not only survived for a century but also empowered the South to thrive is a reflection of the leaders who emerged to shepherd the company safely into tomorrow. Some had to deal with adversity at every turn. Some had to envision a different future to seize new opportunities. All had to make critical decisions when the moment mattered most. This is their story, the story of the dreams they pursued, the troubles they encountered, and the big bets they made.

About this title

About the Author:

Dub Taft & Sam Heys have been associated with Southern Company through many of its transformations over the past four decades. Taft retired in 2011, following a 40-year career as a writer, editor, and communication manager. Heys continues as a writer and editor for Southern Company and is co-author of The Winecoff Fire: The Untold Story of America s Deadliest Hotel Fire.

About this edition

• Publisher: Southern Company
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0615464866
• ISBN 13: 9780615464862
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 534