The Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United’s board of directors this week appointed Conrad Webb Rafield III as its chairman.

Rafield, who joined the board in 1979, is its longest serving member. He succeeds Claude B. Nielsen, who is retiring after serving as chairman since 2000.

A Birmingham native and resident, Rafield is president and owner of Rafield Investment Co., and a founding partner of Red Mountain Entertainment, a Live Nation Company. He has a degree from UAB and serves on several boards in healthcare and education.

In addition, Alexia B. Borden and Michael A. Suco were also elected to the board.

Borden is senior vice president of customer and community engagement for Alabama Power, with responsibility for overseeing customer operations and the local community affairs initiatives across the company’s six geographic business divisions.

Suco was named president and CEO of Coca-Cola United last year after more than 25 years serving in numerous executive and senior leadership positions in Alabama and Georgia.