Trump highlights Alabama Power as a company leading on reopening American economy

President Donald Trump on Tuesday afternoon gave a national address in which he highlighted Alabama Power Company.

Trump, speaking from the Rose Garden, announced some of the select companies from across the country that will be advising his administration on how to best reopen the American economy.

Companies chosen will be divided by sector into what Trump has deemed “Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups.”

At the podium, he named Alabama Power as one of just 12 entities in the energy group. Southern Company, which owns Alabama Power, was also separately named to this same group. He described Alabama Power and Southern Company as, “Big ones. Great ones.”

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Big @realDonaldTrump shoutout for @alabamapower pic.twitter.com/mS7tZg4gk8

— Sean Ross (@sean_yhn) April 14, 2020

According to a release from the White House, Alabama Power chairman, president and CEO Mark Crosswhite will represent the company in this effort.

This release further detailed that another Birmingham-based company and executive will be serving in a group.

Altec — and its chairman and CEO, Lee Styslinger, III — was named to the telecommunications group.

Alabama Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh, one of Trump’s official reelection campaign chairmen in the state, tweeted out her support for Crosswhite and Styslinger being named as part of the president’s elite team to get America back to work.

Thank you @POTUS for including 2 great business leaders from Alabama – Mark Crosswhite & Lee Styslinger! @realDonaldTrump we have your back & can’t wait to do our part to get America’s economy roaring again. #KAG2020 ?? https://t.co/OptLjSXsP6

— Twinkle Cavanaugh (@TwinkleforAL) April 15, 2020

Speaking of the leaders in the Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, including Crosswhite and Styslinger, Trump described them as “the best and the smartest, the brightest.”

Alabama Power is well known nationwide for the economic development work it accomplishes in the Yellowhammer State. The company is consistently lauded by site selection and economic development publications for its prowess in helping grow Alabama jobs.

Earlier this year, Crosswhite was appointed as an executive committee member of the Council on Competitiveness and commissioner on the National Commission on Innovation and Competitiveness Frontiers. He is also the immediate past chairman and a current executive committee member of the Business Council of Alabama.

“The governors are going to be opening up their states. They’re going to declare when — they’re going to know when. Some can open very, very shortly — if not almost immediately. We’ll give a date. But the date is going to be in the very near future,” Trump said on Tuesday.

This came the same day that Governor Kay Ivey held a press conference in which she spoke about how Alabama was approaching reopening its economy. A subcommittee formed by Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth is set on Friday to deliver its report on doing just that. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh (R-Anniston) last week unveiled a proposal that would phase in getting back to work starting on May 1 “at the latest.” Ainsworth has also set May 1 as a target date, with both leaders emphasizing that data will determine the ultimate date.

Trump on Tuesday added, “I don’t want to mention states, but there are numerous states that are in great shape right now. They’re viewing the rest of the country like ‘we don’t even believe this is happening.’ We have a lot of those states. They’re set to open, practically, now. I mean, they would be open now. We’re going to let them open sooner than the date. We’re going to pick a date. We’re going to get a date that’s good. But it’s going to be very, very soon — sooner than the end of the month.”

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn