Regions Bank, PowerSouth withdraw from Business Council of Alabama

One day after Alabama Power withdrew from the Business Council of Alabama, Regions Bank confirmed it has left the organization.

One day after Alabama Power withdrew from the Business Council of Alabama, Regions Bank and PowerSouth confirmed they have also has left the organization.

In an email to AL.com, Evelyn Mitchell, Regions' senior vice president, said the company exited the BCA "after careful and thoughtful review," effective immediately.

"We remain committed to supporting public policy and economic development initiatives that benefit Alabama and will direct our resources toward other efforts to strengthen the business climate and support economic growth in the state," Mitchell said.

The Business Council had no comment on the two exits which have rocked the organization representing the business community before the Alabama Legislature and the U.S. Congress.

PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, based in Andalusia, withdrew from the BCA on Monday.

"We feel the BCA has lost direction and no longer provides us value," said Christi Scruggs, media and communication coordinator for PowerSouth. "We have lost confidence in their leadership."

PowerSouth is a wholesale provider for 16 electric cooperatives and four municipal electric systems in Alabama and northwest Florida, according to its website.

On Monday, founding BCA member Alabama Power announced it was withdrawing from the BCA "effective immediately."

In a letter to BCA Chairman Perry Hand, Alabama Power CEO Mark Crosswhite said the organization had "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."

BCA said Alabama Power has not been a member since April because of nonpayment of dues.

In his response, BCA Chairman Perry Hand said the executive committee would not "in good conscience" be able to meet "deadline dates (Alabama Power had) prescribed to our Executive Committee," regarding President and CEO Bill Canary's exit.

Alabama Power asked that Canary be removed by May 1 or June 1; the executive committee said it is working on a transition plan aimed at having a "a new CEO installed no later than Jan. 1, 2019.

Updated at 5:06 p.m. to say that PowerSouth withdrew from the BCA. AL.com's Mike Cason contributed to this report.

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