Pete White led American Electric Power the way he lived his life, as a service to others, and as a steady, effective chief executive officer. White, who served as chairman and CEO from 1976 to 1991, died on July 4 in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He was 94.
Described as gracious, thoughtful and a calming presence as CEO, White led AEP through some difficult and complex times, such as finalizing the purchase of Columbus and Southern Ohio Electric; the move of the corporate headquarters from New York City to Columbus; and the successful transition of the Zimmer plant project from a nearly complete nuclear reactor to a coal-fired power plant.
“The entire AEP family mourns the passing of this truly great person,” said Nick Akins, chairman, president and chief executive officer of AEP. “Pete’s dedication to his family, his profession and his community were obvious to all who knew him.
“I always enjoyed my visits with Pete. He was a walking history of AEP, and a true gentleman in every sense,” Akins said. “AEP would not be the company it is today without his steady leadership for so many years. Whenever we talked, he was always amazed by the changing environment we face, while I always marveled at what he dealt with and the amount of change during his time with the company. I will truly miss his warm personality and the rich conversations that we shared. Our hearts go out to his family.”
The Transmission Operations Center in New Albany bears White’s name. He helped cut the ribbon to dedicate the facility in 2008. Under White’s leadership the first TOC was developed at 1RP in the 1980s. White also oversaw the doubling of the miles of AEP’s 765 kV transmission lines.
He spent his entire professional career at AEP, from his start as an assistant engineer in 1948 to his retirement as chairman in 1992. He served in management roles in New York, Virginia and Ohio.
White was an assistant to Philip Sporn, who was then president of AEP, and as a promising young executive was sent to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Sloan Fellow. In 1961 he moved into management in Lynchburg, Va. – an assignment White recalled, “as satisfying a job as I ever had.” He became executive vice president and COO of Appalachian Power in 1969. White moved back to headquarters in New York in 1973 as senior executive vice president of operations.
“Everyone liked (Pete White). I don’t know anybody, anybody who didn’t like Pete White,” said John Dolan, former vice chairman and chief engineer of AEP, in the book “A Century of Firsts.”
Born in 1926 in Chesapeake, Va., Willis S. “Pete” White attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute majoring in electrical engineering. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1945 before the end of World War II. He was an amateur musician and played the trombone and piano. He was a member of Virginia Tech’s marching band and sang with the AEP choir when he worked for the company in New York. He was a supporter of the Roanoke and Columbus symphonies.
Service was a big part of White’s life outside of AEP. He was a campaign chairman for the United Way of Franklin County, chairman of the Greater Columbus Convention Center Board of Trustees, a trustee of Children’s Hospital, an emeritus trustee of Riverside Methodist Hospital, a board member of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, and a board member of OhioHealth. He was the first American chairman of CIGRE (the International Council on Large Electric Systems, headquartered in Paris), a director of several companies and organizations including the Bank of New York Mellon, Irving Trust Company, the Edison Electric Institute, the National Association of Manufacturers, and chairman of the Board of Trustees of Battelle Memorial Institute. President George H. W. Bush appointed White as a private-sector representative to the U.S. Presidential Economic Delegation to Poland.
White also served on the board of the Ohio Methodist Theological Seminary, the Board of Visitors at Virginia Tech and as director of the Virginia Tech Foundation, and trustee of Randolph-Macon College. Virginia Tech awarded him the university’s Distinguished Alumni Award, the Ruffner Medal for service, and the College of Engineering’s Distinguished Service Award. The College of Engineering named its Chair for Innovation in Engineering Education in White’s honor.
Mr. White is survived by his wife, Adele McComas White, and her children, Cathleen McComas and Patrick McComas of Columbus; his brother Norman T. White of Chesapeake, Va.; his children, Willis S. White III, of Jacksonville, Fla., Marguerite W. Spangler and her husband Dr. Pat W. Spangler of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Cynthia White-Haight of Ponte Vedra, Fla.; as well as grandchildren Dr. M. Lee Spangler, II of Waterford, Va., Nicholas W. Spangler of Brentwood, Tenn., Alexander J. Haight and Charles Z. Haight of Kent, Ohio, and two great grandchildren, Owen and Collins Spangler. In addition to his parents, his first wife, LaVerne B. White, and his sister, Doris White Jones, preceded him in death.
A Celebration of life, and burial will be held in Columbus. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Kobacker House Hospice, Trinity United Methodist Church in Columbus, and Alive Hospice in Murfreesboro.
How do you remember Pete White? Please leave a memory in the comments.
Pete White, former chairman and chief executive officer of American Electric Power, died July 4 in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He was 94.
White’s obituary can be found here: Obituary | Willis S. “Pete” White, Jr. of Columbus, Ohio | Woodfin Funeral Chapel (woodfinchapel.com)
White was chairman and CEO from 1976 to 1991. He led AEP during the move of the headquarters from New York City to Columbus and the successful transition of the Zimmer plant project from a nearly complete nuclear plant to coal-fired power.
Indiana
Steven Vaughn, 73, Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, died 5/7/2021
Ralph McCann, 86, Breed Plant, Fairbanks, IN, died 4/17/2021
Mary Barrington, 95, Ft Wayne One Summit Square, Ft. Wayne, IN, died 3/26/2021
Michael Parcher, 78, South Bend Svc Ctr, South Bend, IN, died 4/7/2021
John Troeger, 85, Elkhart Ofc/Svc Bldg, Elkhart, IN, died 4/11/2021
William Young, 90, Spy Run Bldg. #3, Ft. Wayne, IN, died 3/25/2021
Linda Fry, 77, Muncie Srv Ctr, Muncie, IN, died 4/21/2021
Clara Whan, 86, Ft Wayne One Summit Square, Ft. Wayne, IN, died 5/11/2021
Ronald Ronk, 86, Marion Svc Ctr-Bldg#1, Marion, IN, died 4/24/2021
Kermit Gorrell, 95, Spy Run Bldg. #3, Ft. Wayne, IN, died 4/4/2021
Audrey Miller, 91, Ft Wayne One Summit Square, Ft. Wayne, IN, died 3/18/2021
Franklin Maddox, 85, Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, died 3/23/2021
Kentucky
Larry McDowell, 83, Big Sandy Plant, Louisa, KY, died 4/10/2021
Louisiana
James Vincent, 85, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 5/5/2021
Dexter Johnson, 80, Plaquemine District Ofc/Plt, Plaquemine, LA, died 3/19/2021
Walter Williams, 66, Dolet Hills Lignite, Mansfield, LA, died 3/20/2021
Michigan
Daniel Krause, 68, Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, died 3/24/2021
Robert Smith, 74, Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, died 5/1/2021
Rosemarie Foltz, 76, Cook Info Ctr (Vstr Ctr), Bridgman, MI, died 4/16/2021
Missouri
James Anderson, 83, AEP River Operations – Cape, Cape Girardeau, MO, died 4/1/2021
Ohio
George Blizzard, 72, Gavin, Cheshire, OH, died 4/17/2021
Philip Hill, 71, Gavin, Cheshire, OH, died 5/5/2021
Robert Parr, 73, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 4/18/2021
Kenneth Reigle, 74, Conesville Plant, Conesville, OH, died 3/19/2021
Gary Kunkler, 73, Mound St Svc Ctr, Columbus, OH, died 4/23/2021
Allen Housley, 73, Canton General Svc Ctr, Canton, OH, died 4/20/2021
Duane Jones, 77, Muskingum River, Waterford, OH, died 3/29/2021
John Drosak, 78, Canton Estrn Reg Ofc, Canton, OH, died 4/3/2021
Ronnie McCalla, 76, Mound St Svc Ctr, Columbus, OH, died 3/27/2021
Edsel Staten, 93, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 4/16/2021
Anthony Welsch, 89, Steubenville Service Center, Steubenville, OH, died 4/4/2021
W. G. “Bo” Smith, 82, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 3/31/2021
Gerald Stillings, 85, Central Operations Center, Groveport, OH, died 3/18/2021
Dix Burke, 86, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 3/28/2021
John Nugent, 84, Zanesville Office, Zanesville, OH, died 4/8/2021
Ned Carter, 88, Conesville Plant, Conesville, OH, died 4/28/2021
Richard Perry, 79, Athens Ofc & Svc Center, Athens, OH, died 4/7/2021
Francis Schilling, 83, Muskingum River, Waterford, OH, died 4/25/2021
Alex Lazar, 94, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 3/26/2021
Oklahoma
Sidney Russell, 89, Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, died 4/15/2021
James Bischoff, 85, Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, died 4/20/2021
Texas
Roger Behrens, 89, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 3/28/2021
Robert Burley, 96, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 3/27/2021
Michael Cearley, 74, Pharr North Service Center, Pharr, TX, died 4/11/2021
Mary Niccum, 94, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 4/11/2021
Frank Najera, 86, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 4/4/2021
V Padilla, 89, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 4/16/2021
Boniface Parma, 85, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 4/21/2021
Leonard Wright, 81, Longview, Longview, TX, died 4/20/2021
Jerry McKinney, 77, Welsh Plant, Pittsburg, TX, died 4/12/2021
Mary Cagle, 83, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 5/10/2021
James Duke, 84, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 5/6/2021
E Spears, 87, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 4/27/2021
Virginia
Richard Fortune, 67, Lynchburg Svc Ctr, Lynchburg, VA, died 3/18/2021
John Altice, 74, John W. Vaughan Center, Roanoke, VA, died 4/6/2021
Norman Fowler, 78, Lynchburg Svc Ctr, Lynchburg, VA, died 3/20/2021
Thomas French, 84, Bluefield Va Srv Ctr, Bluefield, VA, died 4/13/2021
Felix Vasser, 95, Smith Mountain Hydro, Sandy Level, VA, died 4/13/2021
West Virginia
Steven Ward, 66, Amos Plant, Winfield, WV, died 5/5/2021
James Thomas, 82, River Trans Division, West Columbia, WV, died 5/10/2021
Lewis Melchiori, 90, Kammer, Moundsville, WV, died 4/24/2021
Robert Nelson, 80, Bluefield Office, Bluefield, WV, died 5/16/2021
Donald Jones, 88, Central Machine Shop, South Charleston, WV, died 5/11/2021
Indiana
Leslie King retired 4/29/2021 from Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN after 37 years
Phillip Rentschler retired 4/19/2021 from Northeast Svc Center, New Haven, IN after 35 years
Glenda Shroyer retired 4/24/2021 from South Bend Svc Ctr, South Bend, IN after 13 years
Gary Barton retired 5/1/2021 from Ardmore Trans TC Serv Center, Ft Wayne, IN after 19 years
Louisiana
Timmy Stanley retired 4/20/2021 from Lieberman Power Plant, Mooringsport, LA after 37 years
Kenneth Davis retired 4/26/2021 from Dolet Hills Lignite, Mansfield, LA after 35 years
Michigan
David Gagliardo retired 4/23/2021 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI after 11 years
Fred Krieger retired 5/13/2021 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI after 10 years
Debra Denney retired 5/11/2021 from Michiana SC, Niles, MI after 41 years
Benjamin Sheets retired 5/8/2021 from Michiana SC, Niles, MI after 25 years
Ohio
Thomas Schweikert retired 5/18/2021 from Muskingum River, Waterford, OH after 35 years
John Rozenek retired 4/30/2021 from Belmont Ofc & Svc Bldg, St. Clairsville, OH after 34 years
Frederick Rogers retired 5/15/2021 from Steubenville Service Center, Steubenville, OH after 43 years
Donald Coffey retired 5/15/2021 from 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH after 20 years
Timothy Bowman retired 4/30/2021 from Marietta Service Center, Marietta, OH after 39 years
Ronald Fannon retired 5/17/2021 from Picway Plant, Lockbourne, OH after 31 years
Joseph Hughes retired 5/5/2021 from Cambridge Transmsn Svc, Cambridge, OH after 42 years
Raymond Zitney retired 4/20/2021 from Canton Estrn Reg Ofc, Canton, OH after 35 years
Clifford Moritz retired 5/21/2021 from Canton Ne Svc Ctr, Canton, OH after 36 years
Eric Halsey retired 5/12/2021 from Canton South Svc Ctr, Canton, OH after 35 years
Charles Corregan retired 5/13/2021 from Canton South Svc Ctr, Canton, OH after 41 years
Rhonda Eagon retired 5/1/2021 from Canton General Svc Ctr, Canton, OH after 34 years
Mark Pendleton retired 4/30/2021 from AEP Transmission New Albany HQ, New Albany, OH after 40 years
Ted Everman retired 5/8/2021 from AEP Transmission New Albany HQ, New Albany, OH after 39 years
Terry Curtis retired 4/30/2021 from Grandview Service Center, Columbus, OH after 14 years
Allan Smith retired 5/3/2021 from AEP Transmission NewAlbany HQ2, New Albany, OH after 31 years
Donald Coffey retired 5/15/2021 from 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH after 20 years
Timothy Bowman retired 4/30/2021 from Marietta Service Center, Marietta, OH after 39 years
Oklahoma
Randy Jones retired 5/8/2021 from Northeastern Stn 3&4, Oologah, OK after 39 years
Douglas Standlee retired 5/21/2021 from Northeastern Stn 3&4, Oologah, OK after 36 years
Ronald Moyers retired 5/4/2021 from Northeastern Stn 1&2, Oologah, OK after 30 years
Texas
Dennis O’Dell retired 5/1/2021 from Meter Services, Abilene, TX after 33 years
Mark Young retired 4/26/2021 from Kingsville CDC, Kingsville, TX after 44 years
Charles Moore retired 4/30/2021 from Cisco, Cisco, TX after 41 years
James Alford retired 5/18/2021 from Pirkey Plant, Hallsville, TX after 36 years
John Marshall retired 5/15/2021 from Transmission Oklaunion HVDC, Vernon, TX after 19 years
Noe Garcia retired 4/21/2021 from Lon Hill Service Center, Corpus Christi, TX after 35 years
Miguel Zepeda retired 4/30/2021 from Laredo Service Center, Laredo, TX after 39 years
Stephen Spann retired 4/24/2021 from Welsh Plant, Pittsburg, TX after 11 years
Mark Young retired 4/26/2021 from Kingsville CDC, Kingsville, TX after 44 years
Charles Moore retired 4/30/2021 from Cisco, Cisco, TX after 41 years
James Alford retired 5/18/2021 from Pirkey Plant, Hallsville, TX after 36 years
John Marshall retired 5/15/2021 from Transmission Oklaunion HVDC, Vernon, TX after 19 years
Miguel Zepeda retired 4/30/2021 from Laredo Service Center, Laredo, TX after 39 years
Virginia
Carol Huffman retired 5/1/2021 from Roanoke Main Office, Roanoke, VA after 34 years
Janet Holdren retired 5/1/2021 from Roanoke Main Office, Roanoke, VA after 48 years
West Virginia
David Hammond retired 5/8/2021 from Mitchell Plant, Cresap, WV after 15 years
Gary Carter retired 5/3/2021 from Beckley Service Center, Beckley, WV after 25 years
Michael Lovejoy retired 5/1/2021 from Amos Plant, Winfield, WV after 31 years
Timothy Pennington retired 5/2/2021 from Amos Plant, Winfield, WV after 37 years
Patrick Conley retired 5/7/2021 from Amos Plant, Winfield, WV after 33 years
Jerry Hawley retired 5/18/2021 from Amos Plant, Winfield, WV after 37 years
Lewis Bee retired 4/30/2021 from Mitchell Plant, Cresap, WV after 42 years
David Ball retired 5/1/2021 from Mountaineer Plant, New Haven, WV after 35 years
Donna Willey retired 5/18/2021 from Mountaineer Plant, New Haven, WV after 42 years
Richard Bailey retired 5/1/2021 from River Trans Division, West Columbia, WV after 43 years
Laura Adkins retired 5/1/2021 from N Charleston Svc Ctr, Charleston, WV after 44 years
David Hammond retired 5/8/2021 from Mitchell Plant, Cresap, WV after 15 years
American Electric Power is making changes to expand the skills and experience of the company’s leadership team. These changes are effective July 31, 2021.
“Leadership development and succession planning are critically important for the ongoing success of our culture and company. These changes provide opportunities to expand the experience of this talented team of leaders and will bring new insights and creativity to strategic parts of the business. This is critical as we continue our transformation to clean energy resources and investing in smarter, more efficient infrastructure to serve customers,” said Nick Akins, chairman, president and chief executive officer of AEP.
- Toby Thomas, currently president and chief operating officer for Indiana Michigan Power, has been named senior vice president, Energy Delivery. He will report to Lisa Barton, executive vice president and chief operating officer. These individuals will report to Thomas:
- David Ball, managing director, Energy Delivery Operations
- David Ferguson, managing director, Energy Delivery Finance
- Scott Moore, vice president, Energy Delivery Projects & Construction
- Darren Shepard, vice president, Energy Delivery Engineering
- Scott Smith, senior vice president, Transmission Field Services
- As an element of the company’s succession planning efforts, Mark McCullough, executive vice president, Energy Delivery, is retiring.
“I want to thank Mark for his 40 years of service and leadership at AEP. He has spent his entire career working to enhance the culture and effectiveness of AEP’s generation and transmission organizations. His many contributions include developing very strong leadership teams to continue those efforts. We wish Mark and his family all the best,” Akins said.
Additional leadership and organizational changes include:
- Steve Baker, vice president, Distribution Region Operations, PSO, has been promoted to president and chief operating officer for Indiana Michigan Power.
- Jennifer Leber, director, Reliability & Grid Modernization, PSO, will succeed Baker as vice president, Distribution Region Operations, for PSO.
- Raja Sundararajan, president and chief operating officer for AEP Ohio, has been named to a new position – senior vice president, Regulatory and Customer Solutions, reporting to Charles Patton, executive vice president, External Affairs. Phil Dion, vice president and interim Chief Customer Officer, and Matt Satterwhite, vice president, Regulatory Affairs, will report to Sundararajan.
- Marc Reitter, vice president, Regulatory & Finance for AEP Ohio, has been promoted to AEP Ohio president and chief operating officer.
- Lisa Kelso, director, Regulatory Services for AEP Ohio, will succeed Reitter as vice president, Regulatory & Finance.
- Communications & Marketing and AEP’s Washington Office will continue to report to Patton. Human Resources and Labor Relations also will report to Patton until a new chief human resources officer is selected.
- Karen Ashley, chief diversity and inclusion officer, has decided to leave the company after five years of service.“AEP remains committed to our diversity and inclusion efforts. Building on our differences and similarities makes us stronger as a company. Karen’s leadership has helped us to continue creating a culture where everyone feels valued, respected and has a sense of belonging. She’s helped us strengthen our skills, have open, transparent conversations and learn more about each other’s perspectives. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors,” Akins said.
- Janelle Coleman, vice president, Corporate Philanthropy & Community Engagement, has been named to a new, expanded role – vice president, Community Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion. Coleman will assume responsibility for AEP’s Diversity and Inclusion program in addition to her current oversight of AEP’s philanthropic engagement and her role as president of the AEP Foundation. Coleman’s new position will be part of the Human Resources organization. She will report to Patton until the new chief human resources officer is selected.
- AEP’s Ohio-based External Affairs team will be realigned to report to Patton.
- Maria Haberman has been promoted to managing director, Ohio Governmental Affairs, reporting to Patton.
- Tom Froehle, vice president, External Affairs, is retiring from AEP after 11 years of service.
“Tom has enhanced our working relationship with Ohio lawmakers over the last decade as we managed the transition to competitive markets and other challenges. We wish Tom and his family all the best,” said David Feinberg, executive vice president and general counsel. Oversight of Corporate Sustainability and NERC Compliance will report to Feinberg.
American Electric Power is making several executive leadership changes to better support the company’s strategic priorities. These changes will take effect July 1, 2021:
- Therace Risch has been promoted to executive vice president and chief information & technology officer. Steve Swick, chief security officer, and the cybersecurity and physical security teams will now report to Risch.
- Chuck Zebula has been named executive vice president, Portfolio Optimization. In his new role, he will be responsible for AEP’s corporate asset strategy and operational and performance management functions. Previously, he served as executive vice president, Energy Supply. Steve Haynes and his team will now report to Zebula.
- Greg Hall has been promoted to executive vice president, Energy Supply. In his new role, he will oversee AEP’s competitive businesses including AEP Generation Resources, AEP Energy, AEP OnSite Partners, and AEP Renewables. Previously, he was president of AEP Energy Partners.
- In addition, the position of Brian Tierney, executive vice president, Strategy, is being eliminated and he will be leaving AEP after 23 years of service. He currently is responsible for strategic initiatives and operations and performance transformation. Previously he was chief financial officer, responsible for corporate accounting, finance, fleet services, investor relations, planning and strategy, procurement/supply chain, and risk management. He has held a variety of management positions across the company.
“I want to thank Brian for his leadership. He has helped AEP build a strong financial foundation and improve shareholder value through his strategic focus, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” said Nick Akins, AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer.
“These changes allow us to expand the experience of our leadership team in key areas of the business and ensure we have the right technologies, competitive solutions and strategic direction to enhance service for customers, ensure grid security and support ongoing earnings growth.”
Before joining AEP in 2010, Dave Gray was a regional manager at a concrete company. Gray lost his job when the business went under. He bounced back by landing a maintenance apprentice position at the Conesville power plant and envisioned a stable job there for the rest of his career.
“Driving into work very my first day at AEP I remember talking to my father,” Gray said. “He said I’d never have to worry about that again. Everybody needs electricity. That plant will be there forever. And then ten years later it happened again.”
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| Dave Gray joined AEP in 2010 as a maintenance apprentice. He later went on to become a maintenance supervisor at Conesville Plant, leading a team of as many as 30 employees. |
Gray and Les Davis were among the employees affected when the facility closed in May 2020. Gray – a maintenance supervisor with a team of as many as 30 – and Davis – an electrical team leader who joined AEP in 2006 as a control technician and worked his way up to frontline supervisor – were two of the last to walk to out of the plant.
Ryan Forbes, who was plant manager at Conesville before joining AEP Ohio, had worked alongside Gray and Davis for more than a decade. The plant reduced its workforce from over 230 in recent years to as low as 80 when operations ceased, and Forbes said it took resilience to be a leader during those times. He saw the value and impact Gray and Davis could bring to any group fortunate enough to have them.
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| Les Davis was an electrical team leader at Conesville Plant. He joined AEP in 2006 as a control technician and worked his way up to frontline supervisor. |
“Dave and Les were meaningful to the plant and our culture as we neared closure. They kept their teams focused and managed morale,” Forbes said. “They were some of the last leaders remaining. They hung in there until the job was done and I respected that very much.”
A new home eventually came in our Project Management Office (PMO). Though Forbes says Gray and Davis are quick studies as project managers, the transition has not been easy. At Conesville they grew accustomed to a controlled environment where every single variable was located inside the perimeter fence. They were self-sufficient and were able to orchestrate most planning on their own. Now they are dealing with many different entities across the state and establishing new relationships from the ground floor.
“Distribution is a totally different business than generation. There are very few similarities,” Forbes said. “It’s almost like working for a totally different company. That’s how big the learning curve is.”
The change has been especially tough during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gray and Davis have yet to step foot inside an AEP Ohio facility; they haven’t met anyone they work with in person (including their supervisors); they’ve only experienced their co-workers buttoned-up online personas. According to Davis, it’s hindered his ability to learn and fully understand the culture and personality of AEP Ohio.
“It’s definitely been difficult. Sometimes I’ve been a nervous wreck,” Davis said. “I used to be only a five-minute walk from everyone I worked with. You start to realize how much you take human contact for granted.
“Whenever ninety-five percent of meetings happen on Webex, everyone is very professional all the time. You start to wonder, ‘Does anyone ever have any fun around here?’ I can’t wait for that to happen in real life.”
As COVID restrictions ease and a sense of normalcy returns, it’s only a matter of time before Gray and Davis hit their stride. They knew it wouldn’t be a simple transition but placed faith in Forbes’ confidence in them.
“Dave and Les are highly engaged employees and will do what it takes to make any of our business units successful,” Forbes said. “They didn’t have to stay. But when the chips were down they did. Their loyalty and inner strength were qualities we wanted to keep at our company.”
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| North Central Wind is being developed in Oklahoma as part of AEP's renewable energy investments. |
American Electric Power is proud to issue our 2021 Corporate Accountability Report, an annual assessment of our performance as a public company and a community partner. This Report marks AEP’s 15th year of sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure, demonstrating our commitment to reporting on the company’s progress towards a sustainable energy future.
The report’s theme, “Building a Clean Energy Future Together,” highlights our work in delivering clean, reliable and affordable energy to our customers and empowering change in the communities we serve.
“More than ever, we are committed to delivering a sustainable energy future that is inclusive, reliable and clean,” said Nick Akins, chairman, president and chief executive officer of AEP, in the report’s introduction. “We are amplifying our advocacy for social justice in our communities and supporting change and equity through visible actions. No matter the challenge, our plan puts people first. Together, we will achieve environmental sustainability, and work to actualize economic empowerment and social justice. Together, we will transition to a clean energy future.”
“I am proud of AEP’s longstanding commitment to sustainability and ESG disclosure,” said Sandy Nessing, managing director, corporate sustainability. “I’ve witnessed the evolution of our sustainability journey since its inception in 2006. We have made tremendous progress through the years to empower customers to use energy more efficiently while reducing our carbon footprint and building stronger communities. AEP’s transformation to a clean energy future comes down to our people, the choices we make, and our commitment to engaging stakeholders for the best outcomes. There is still work to be done but we have a lot to be proud of.”
Highlights of the 2021 Report include:
- Future Forward Strategy – Our new Future Forward strategy to transform our generating capacity portfolio from a majority coal-fueled resource base to a majority renewable portfolio by 2030. We are proposing to add nearly 16,600 megawatts of new, clean wind and solar generation, growing our renewable generating portfolio to 51% of our total capacity.
- Zero Harm – 2020 ranks among our best years for safety performance. Our five-year safety and health transformation achieved a 34% reduction in our DART rate (Days Away, Restricted or Job Transfer). We celebrate these achievements – zero employee fatalities and improved safety performance – as we continue our relentless pursuit of Zero Harm.
- Response, Support & Resilience to COVID-19 – The strength, resilience and agility of our employees and company met and exceeded the unprecedented challenges of 2020. Our workforce remained committed to keeping our economies and communities connected as efficiently and safely as possible, while remaining dedicated to continued operational excellence, zero harm and financial discipline.
- Addressing Racism & Bias – We launched “Seize the Moment” in 2020 to accelerate the achievement of our diversity, equity and inclusion goals. This included frank conversations about racism, organized town hall webcasts and safe space conversations, among other efforts.
- Social & Racial Justice Grant – Announced the launch of a $5 million Delivering on the Dream: Social and Racial Justice grant program through the AEP Foundation. The program funds organizations that are doing meaningful work to advance equity and racial justice in our communities.
- ESG Data Center – AEP’s ESG Data Center includes 250+ of the most relevant metrics we are commonly asked to disclose. In addition to the Data Center, we developed an ESG Strategy & Performance Report that features how we manage our ESG performance, disclosure and governance. In addition, it’s a collation of our Data Center, SASB report, GRI report and access to our Climate Impact Analysis Report – a TCFD report.
View the 2021 Corporate Accountability Report and learn more about AEP’s sustainable development strategy.
Amid loud and angry squawking from proud falcon parents, the peregrine falcon chick was briefly removed from the nest atop Indiana Michigan Power Center (IMPC) to receive its identification band and named BeeGee.
For the ninth consecutive year, falcon father Jamie and mother Moxie, watched protectively this morning during the banding ceremony hosted at IMPC in partnership with the Indiana Audubon Society, Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation (based in Fort Wayne) and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Brad Bumgardner, executive director of the Indiana Audubon Society, banded the chick, bringing to 64 the number of chicks hatched and banded atop IMPC since 1996.
“The banding requires us to remove the chicks from their nest for a brief time, which is unexpected for the parents. They acted like any parent would trying to protect their young and expressed their displeasure until the chick was returned,” said Bumgardner. “The numbered band will help us track the movement of the Midwestern peregrine falcons, which after maturity can settle up to 200 miles from where they were raised.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and still practicing physical distancing concerns, I&M was unable to invite student groups to watch the banding, hear an educational presentation from Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation and name the chick like in previous years. That’s where the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne and our customers worked together to name the chick, BeeGee.
“Indiana Michigan Power is dedicated to enriching the lives of our youngest customers and the falcon chicks always spark their imagination and put a smile on their face,” said Kim Sabrosky, director of External Affairs for I&M. “We partnered with the kindergartners and first graders at the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne to come up with four female names and four males names. Then we posted those names on our social media platforms for our customers to select their favorite.”
After more than 1,000 votes on I&M’s social media channels, BeeGee is now the name of the newest female falcon chick.
The current pair of falcons, Moxie and Jamie, have been nesting atop the Indiana Michigan Power Center since 2012. Moxie, the mother, is from Canton, Ohio, and the father, Jamie, migrated to Fort Wayne from Port Sheldon, Michigan.
You can watch Moxie, Jamie and BeeGee in their nest high above Fort Wayne on the FalconCam 24/7 at www.IndianaMichiganPower.com/FalconCam
“I remember the boom. I remember the light and I just remember falling to the ground,” said Michele Ross, distribution dispatching manager at AEP Ohio, as she tells the story of being in an underground vault with a co-worker when an arc flash occurred. “I could see him, his face, and it just wasn’t good.”
Ross’s story is in one of the premier episodes of a new podcast series for AEP employees. Four episodes are included in the initial launch of The AEP Employee Podcast. You will hear your co-workers explain issues or tell stories in their own voices.
In the first episode, CEO Nick Akins discusses leading a major corporation through unpredictable and tumultuous times.
“I think everyone was pushed out of their comfort zone. If they weren’t, they really weren’t human,” Akins said of the past year. “I think one of the central issues that a CEO needs to understand and exhibit is what they don’t know.”
The new podcast will focus on a range of topics, from massive changes in our industry, to individual stories of interest, to confronting difficult truths that will illuminate our work and our co-workers.
Henry Brown, director of grid modernization at SWEPCO, speaks out about the stark prejudice he experienced as a black employee in 1975, and the things that still need to change at AEP.
“I began to learn very quickly that minorities didn’t go very high at SWEPCO,” Brown said. “I didn’t have a problem speaking up and voicing my opinion about that. And sometimes that wasn’t very well received. Well, often it wouldn’t be well received.”
In another episode, we learn what AEP’s cyber security employees are up against as they protect the company and its critical infrastructure from a cast of real threats.
“Ukraine was cyber compromised two years in a row,” said Steve Swick, vice president and chief security and privacy officer for AEP, “and threat actors, Russia, turned off the power each time. One year they shut it off twice.”
Future episodes will also take us outside of AEP to stories in the communities we serve and care about. New episodes are released every two weeks. To subscribe to the podcast, point your phone or other podcast listening device at AEP.com/EmployeePodcast. You’ll find links there to the Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher podcast services.
New to podcasting? Here’s information on getting started with podcasts.
Or if you just want to listen to the current episodes, you can do that at [http://corpcomm/podcast] or externally at https://theaepemployeepodcast.buzzsprout.com.
The series is hosted by Bailey Cultice, communications consultant principal. Cultice has led communication efforts for Safety and Health since she joined the company in 2017. This work has taken her to every part of AEP’s territory to film videos for the Safety and Health Channel. She’s also been heavily involved in AEP’s efforts to make driving safer through projects like The Driving Summit. Cultice is a second generation AEP employee. Her parents met while working at the Tanners Creek Plant in Lawrenceburg, Indiana and her father, Jim, worked in Generation for more than 40 years.
You can also play a part in the AEP podcast. Do you have an interesting story related to your time with the company? Is there a topic you’d like to know more about? If so, send us an email at podcast@aep.com.
