AEP Retirees & Alumni

The grassy area in the foreground of this photo is a site for AEP’s right-of-way vegetation management research. Behind it, you can see the original New Albany Transmission Headquarters, with the second office building under construction.

(Story by Linda O’horo)

Utility companies are increasingly evaluating the substitution of regionally appropriate, native plants for construction site restoration to promote sustainability and lower operations and maintenance expenses. Increasingly, AEP has been researching and implementing vegetation projects at a number of sites across its footprint.

As part of AEP’s ongoing vegetation management research, Right-of-Way Vegetation Management demonstration plots are being created near the AEP Transmission Headquarters buildings in New Albany, Ohio. Eventually, the demonstration plot area will be open to the public.

“Research indicates that the substitution of appropriate native plants in right-of-way areas can inhibit the invasiveness of trees and other vegetation which eventually increases vegetation management work to ensure reliability,” saidTim Lohner, Ph.D., consulting environmental specialist, AEP Water and Ecology Services.

“Native plants tend to establish stable, ‘competitive’ covers with deeper roots, which help prevent the establishment of trees and other ‘problem’ vegetation. There is also better erosion control. In addition, we can select native seed mixes which attract and support the habitats of insect pollinators, birds and other wildlife.”

Although there may be a bit more initial work related to use of native plants, less maintenance is required over time resulting in substantial cost savings and reduced reliability risks from overgrown vegetation getting into power lines and equipment.

“We are excited that we will have the opportunity to provide this site where we can test various seed mixes for construction site restoration. There we can provide an easily-accessible and educational demonstration for AEP employees, contractors and the public about native plants and AEP’s related sustainability efforts,” said Lisa Barton, executive vice president, AEP Transmission.

Temporary vegetation planted this fall will be replaced with a final seed in the spring. Seed mixes designed for use at solar facilities may also be tested.

AEP Environmental Services is recommending that simple, regionally appropriate, native seed mixes be used, when possible, after construction at landfill, pond closure and solar project sites.

Customer Service Week focuses on the importance of customer service and the people who serve and support customers on a daily basis.

(Story by Shanelle Hinkle-Moore)

AEP’s Customer Operations Centers (COCs) are holding various employee activities to celebrate Customer Service Week from October 8-12. This international celebration focuses on the importance of customer service and the people who serve and support customers on a daily basis.

The national theme this year is “Excellence Happens Here.” The theme recognizes the area where customers and service professionals come together. From the call center to the executive suite, from the loading dock to the home office, from behind the wheel to in front of a monitor. Where service happens is where excellence happens.

While COCs are often known for their call center work, they also provide a variety of other services. This includes bill print and insert services, back office collection work, technical support, back office billing, managing customer functions, inquiries on operating company websites, and much more.

Customer Operations work groups are located across AEP’s 11-state service territory. They provide direct and indirect customer service through:

• Call centers located in Corpus Christi, Texas; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Groveport, Ohio; Hurricane, West Virginia; Shreveport, Louisiana, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• Billing and account operations;
• Bill print and insert operations;
• Credit policy and payment administration;
• Providing customers with self-service options through the Internet;
• Managing customer interactions through operating company websites, email, and the Internet; and
• Technical and back office support.

Kentucky Power President Matt Satterwhite, left, presented Ashland Servicer Mark Elkins, center, with the AEP Hero Award for his efforts in assisting Pikeville Technician Josh Smith, right, during a medical emergency. Photo by Allison Barker.

(Story by Allison Barker)

As a Kentucky Power Company servicer, Mark Elkins covers a familiar but vast territory. He can go weeks without visiting the same communities. So when he found himself working in Salyersville around lunchtime one day and spotted a Kentucky Power truck parked alongside the road, he thought he might get a co-worker to join him for lunch.

Instead, he became a hero when he found Pikeville technician Josh Smith collapsed on the ground by his truck in desperate need of medical attention. Elkins has received the AEP Hero award for his efforts in assisting Smith.

“As I was lying on the ground praying, God placed a peace over me and the next thing I know Mark is there to help,” Smith said. “I thank Mark for everything he did for me. … My wife, Tasha, now understands what it means to be a part of the AEP family.”

Smith, 30, was suffering from a medical condition that caused internal bleeding. When he started feeling discomfort, he pulled his truck off the road, where he got physically sick, collapsed and started to lose blood. He was able to call 911 but was so disoriented that he could not describe to emergency services his location. When Elkins found him, he was semi-conscience and hidden by tall weeds so passing motorists had no idea he was experiencing a medical emergency.

“As I lay on the ground praying, I started to feel better and thought that I could drive to a gas station near my location, maybe wash my face and everything would be good again,” Smith said. “When I stood up, I began to feel dizzy and held on to the door of the truck, and the longer I stood the weaker I got.

“I looked at the ground where I was sitting and noticed the color red, I decided I shouldn’t drive and I needed help, so I got my cell phone out of my pocket and proceeded to lay on the ground and call 911.

“Mark walks around the truck … took over and was able to give directions to our location. He followed the ambulance to the hospital and stayed with me until my wife arrived.”

Elkins said he is humbled by the Hero Award and dismisses any praise for helping a co-worker. He says, “I was just at the right place at the right time. It was a bad situation and the bottom line is we got him the help he needed. I’m not in this area every day. I believe that I was guided that way.”

Kentucky Power President Matt Satterwhite, however, disagrees and said Elkins’ actions are worthy of praise.

“Had Mark not been there to help Josh, there is no telling if anyone would have stopped and if Josh would be with us today,” Satterwhite said. “Josh needed to get to the hospital for his internal condition and could have sustained injuries in the catatonic state he was in on the side of the road with oncoming traffic. Mark prevented a life-threatening situation from becoming even more critical.”

Elkins’ actions aiding a co-worker in need follow a 2016 incident when Elkins found a young child about to enter a busy street without any adult in the area. He called authorities and waited for their arrival to ensure the child’s safety.

“Mark again demonstrated the best in Kentucky Power’s employee family, by being his brother’s keeper, by staying alert and by looking to serve others,” Satterwhite said.

Elkins says he’ll never forget either incident, nor will he forget the first visit with Smith after he was admitted to the hospital.

“First thing I saw was his wife, Tasha,” Elkins said. “She was naturally thanking me. I appreciated it but I told her when I walked in this door and saw his smile, that’s what was important.”

Both Smith and Elkins say their safety training at Kentucky Power helped them know how to respond in an emergency like this.

“As soon as I saw Josh, I knew it was out of my hands so I dialed 911,” said Elkins, a 15-year AEP employee. “I didn’t panic. There was no use for me to ask a lot of questions. That would have just delayed things. My advice is if a situation is out of your hands, get help. Don’t waste time.”

Smith joined Kentucky Power in 2013. He said safety training helped him make the decision to not drive out of concern for others.

“Safety is in everything we do,” Smith said. “Knowing that I wasn’t okay and needed assistance, all came from the safety training that I have been exposed to as an employee at AEP.”

AEP Transmission employees (shown left to right) Gilbert Silvas, Roel Garcia, Carlos Zepeda and Jonathan Gonzalez received the AEP Hero Award for rescuing a Corpus Christi resident who was stranded on the roof of her flooded vehicle during a storm this past summer.

(Story by Linda O’Horo)

AEP Transmission Line Crew Supervisor Jonathan Gonzalez and Transmission Line Mechanics Gilbert Silvas, Roel Garcia, and Carlos Zepeda recently received the AEP Hero Award from Transmission leadership for their heroic efforts rescuing a woman stranded on the roof of her car in rising waters in July.

Shawn Robinson, managing director, Transmission Field Services (Line-West), nominated the crew for this corporate award, which he presented to them during a recent visit to the Lon Hill Service Center.

Read the entire story here.

“There’s a lot of good work our employees do out there every day, and we just want to take the time to recognize a few employees, encourage them, and let them know we appreciate them when they step out of their way and do things like this,” Robinson said. “This is about being a brother’s keeper, which we talk about internally a lot, watching out for each other.

“But in our roles we deal with the public a lot. So in this case, it was not about the electrical system, but being a part of the community. They went above and beyond to help someone in need, so it’s just a great chance to recognize them.”

Garcia said he and his fellow crew members chose to do the right thing that day.

“We were just doing our jobs when we decided to look and see, and we saw a lady there,” Garcia said. “We helped her after putting our whole family perspective in mind. It didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, just the right thing to do. So this award is not something I expected, but it is appreciated. It was just the right thing to do.”

The “Power Shark” circles its opponents during the United Way of Elkhart County’s ninth annual Cardboard Boat Race.

(Story by Schnee Garrett)

ELKHART, Ind. — Will it sink or will it float? That was the ultimate question for several Indiana Michigan Power employees who competed in the United Way of Elkhart County’s ninth annual Cardboard Boat Race. The race was at the LaSalle Bristol pond in Elkhart.

For weeks prior to the race,  the Elkhart Service Center line department and a group of Customer Design Engineers from the South Bend Service Center constructed their boats. The vessel from Elkhart was named the “Power Shark” and “The Indefatigable” represented South Bend.

This year, the United Way of Elkhart County had a record-breaking 52 boats enter the race. Teams competed in several heats with the winning cardboard boat advancing to the championship race. Several I&M employees came out to cheer on their co-workers in the water.

I&M’s first boat in the water was “The Indefatigable,” paddled by Myron Stutzman and Matt Boland. The pair, representing South Bend, completed a lap around the pond but came in second. A few heats later, it was Jared Stork and Nate Jacob’s turn to get into the water with the “Power Shark.” The boat held up in the water, but the Elkhart team came in second.

However, both teams had one more battle in the pond. All of the cardboard boats that didn’t win their heat and could still float were invited back into the water for one final race. The I&M teams were looking to not just win the heat, but for bragging rights as well. In the race towards the final green buoy, “The Indefatigable” beat the “Power Shark.”

Both barns plan to create a new boat and compete next year. The event is touted as the largest cardboard boat race in the Midwest and is one of the largest fundraisers for the United Way of Elkhart County. The money raised will go towards helping several community partners in the area including the Boys and Girls Club of Elkhart County and the American Red Cross.