- link Copy URL - [ Share on X ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Juanita Baranco Honored by Southern Company in This Year's Evening of Excellence https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/396841?absolute=1&via=3blnews "Share on X") - [ Share on linkedin ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/396841?absolute=1 "Share on Linkedin") - [ Share on facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/396841?absolute=1 "Share on Facebook") - [ email Share via email ](mailto:?subject=Juanita Baranco Honored by Southern Company in This Year's Evening of Excellence&body=ESG News from Southern Company https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/396841?absolute=1 "Share via email") [Corporate Responsibility](/categories/corporate-responsibility) # Juanita Baranco Honored by Southern Company in This Year's Evening of Excellence Oct 5, 2022 12:45 PM ET ![Juanita Baranco in a purple jacket](https://3blcdn.com/styles/carousel_2x/s3/2026-08/1664805614948_1786610983.jpeg) It was our pleasure to honor this year’s Evening of Excellence Honoree Juanita Baranco. Juanita served on Southern Company’s Board of Directors and is the co-founder of Baranco Automotive Group, one of the first African-American-owned car dealership in metro Atlanta. At Southern Company, our commitment to equity is not just in our words but our actions. Juanita’s leadership through educational advancement, economic development and services are the actions moving us boldly forward towards equity. We invite you to get to know this year’s honoree: **About Juanita Powell Baranco** Lawyer and entrepreneur Juanita Powell Baranco was born in the District of Columbia. Raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, Baranco earned her B.S. and J.D. from Louisiana State University. Before turning to business, Baranco had a successful law career, including serving as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Georgia. She is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Baranco Automotive Group, which she co-founded with her husband, Gregory Baranco, in 1978. Baranco Automotive Group was one of the first African-American-owned car dealerships in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Baranco’s extensive involvement in education has led her to serve as the Chairman of the DeKalb County Education Task Force and as a member of the Georgia State Board of Education from 1985 to 1991. She was appointed by Governor Zell Miller to the Board of Regents and in 1995 became the first African-American woman to chair the board. She served on the Board of Trustees of Clark Atlanta University for twenty years, including ten years as board chair. She previously served on the Board of Directors of Georgia Power Company and Southern Company. Her business and community activities have been recognized with numerous awards including recognition by the Dow Jones Company for entrepreneurial excellence; the first Trumpet Award from Turner Broadcasting System for entrepreneurial excellence; Entrepreneur of the Year by the Atlanta Business League; the DECCA Award from the Atlanta Business Chronicle; the YWCA’s Women of Achievement Award; and most recently the Blanchard Award for Outstanding Stewardship and Ethics in Business. Baranco has been featured in Essence magazine as one of best businesswomen in Atlanta and was also a finalist for the 2003 Time magazine Quality Dealer Award. She is a member of the American Bar Association and the State Bar Associations of Georgia and Louisiana. From [![Red, green, and blue triangle logo above grey text which reads, "Southern Company"](/sites/default/files/Clients/053122_-_Southern_company_logo.png)](/profiles/southern-company) ### More from Southern Company ###### [Southern Company Ranked No. 1 in Industry on FORTUNE’s 2026 World’s Most Admired Companies List](/news/southern-company-ranked-no-1-industry-fortunes-2026-worlds-most-admired-companies-list) Jan 21, 2026 3:55 PM ET ###### [Georgia Power, Waffle House Complete Pilot of State-of-the-Art HVAC Solution](/news/georgia-power-waffle-house-complete-pilot-state-art-hvac-solution) Jan 14, 2026 3:05 PM ET ###### [Southern Company Ranked As the No. 1 Employer in the US on 2025 Military Times Best for Vets: Employers List](/news/southern-company-ranked-no-1-employer-us-2025-military-times-best-vets-employers-list) Dec 16, 2025 5:35 PM ET ###### [Elevating Our Communities at Southern Company](/news/elevating-our-communities-southern-company) Dec 11, 2025 9:45 AM ET ###### [Investing in People: How Southern Company Is Strengthening the Communities We Serve](/news/investing-people-how-southern-company-strengthening-communities-we-serve) Dec 10, 2025 4:00 PM ET ###### [Powering Georgia’s Growth, the Truth About Large Energy Users](/news/powering-georgias-growth-truth-about-large-energy-users) Nov 24, 2025 4:35 PM ET ###### [Southern Company Ranked No. 2 on 2026 Military Friendly Employer List](/news/southern-company-ranked-no-2-2026-military-friendly-employer-list) Nov 11, 2025 2:25 PM ET ###### [Southern Company Ranked As Top U.S. Energy Company in Newsweek’s World’s Most Trustworthy Companies 2025 List](/news/southern-company-ranked-top-us-energy-company-newsweeks-worlds-most-trustworthy-companies-2025) Oct 30, 2025 2:55 PM ET