Alabama Power withdraws from Business Council of Alabama

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Alabama Power

It’s official: Alabama Power has cut the cord from the Business Council of Alabama (BCA).

Alabama Political Reporter first reported the move Monday, saying the energy powerhouse delivered a letter to BCA Monday morning stating the company was withdrawing its membership from the organization, “effective immediately.”

“[W]e have become concerned that membership in BCA has become a liability rather than a benefit,” wrote Alabama Power CEO Mark Crosswhite in a letter to BCA Chairman Perry Hand and Executive Committee. He continued, “To be candid, BCA has needlessly alienated federal and state officials, failed to communicate with its own members, squandered our collective corporate goodwill, allowed its financial health to decline, and become a divisive force in our State.”

The news is hardly shocking for those who have followed the Alabama Power-BCA relationship. For months, the relationship has been strained as first evidenced when Alabama Power officials made a surprise move in August, deciding the company would not support the Business Council of Alabama (BCA) Governmental Affairs Conference in Point Clear later that month..

Neither BCA, nor its employees attended the annual event as the company did not support BCA’s leadership in CEO Bill Canary and said they’re disappointed he’s failed to deliver on the association’s legislative priorities.

There’s chatter more companies will soon follow in Alabama Power’s footsteps and also​ ​withdraw from the BCA. A source familiar with the situation, says​ ​Blue Cross and Regions​ ​will announce their exits next.

Read Alabama Power’s full letter to BCA below:

Dear Perry:

Alabama Power Company has been a member of the Business Council of Alabama since BCA’s inception, and over that time has been a significant supporter of the organization. More recently, however, we have become concerned that membership in BCA has become a liability rather than a benefit. To be candid, BCA has needlessly alienated federal and state officials, failed to communicate with its own members, squandered our collective corporate goodwill, allowed its financial health to decline, and become a divisive force in our State.

Since August 2017, we have expressed our concerns over the direction of BCA to the staff and officers of BCA’s Executive Committee. Simply put, we believe the to remedy these issues BCA needs new leadership and a thorough review of the governance of the organization. Despite repeated assurances that our concerns will be addressed, there has been no meaningful response. At this point, further discussions would be fruitless and a waste of everyone’s time. Accordingly, Alabama Power is withdrawing from BCA, effective immediately.

Sincerely yours, Mark Crosswhite

cc: Executive Committee