Feb. 18, 2016–Andy Newton/President & CEO, Southern Light

Andy Newton is a founding member of Southern Light where he has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since its inception in 1998. In that capacity, he stewards the overall operations and strategic guidance of the company. Southern Light is currently the leading provider of fiber optic networks and high-capacity transport solutions along the Gulf Coast with over 5500 miles of fiber networks. The company has been listed in “America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies” by Inc. Magazine during each of the last nine years. In the 2007 edition of that publication, Southern Light was ranked 151 in the country and number 1 in Alabama. In 2010, Southern Light was named the “Innovator of the Year” by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2015, Fortune Magazine ranked Southern Light the 51st Best Place to Work for Women.
Andy is active in the Gulf Coast community serving on such boards as the Alabama School of Math and Science Foundation Board, Downtown Mobile Alliance, University of South Alabama School of Computing, and UMS-Wright Preparatory School.
He is an Alabama native and received a degree in Economics from Birmingham Southern College.