AEP Retirees & Alumni

Arkansas

Dale Barnes, 58, Greenwood, Greenwood, AR, died 10/19/2019

Brenda James, 69, Nashville, Nashville, AR, died 8/13/2019

Billie McDonald, 81, Fayetteville, Fayetteville, AR, died 10/13/2019

District of Columbia

Bruce Beam, 85, Governmental Affairs, Washington, DC, died 7/26/2019

Indiana

Russell Abel, 94, Muncie Office, Muncie, IN, died 9/2/2019

Steuben Cain, 92, Breed Plant, Fairbanks, IN, died 11/11/2019

Mark Cowans, 48, Dale Station, Dale, IN, died 10/13/2019

Linda Demorrow, 77, South Bend Office, South Bend, IN, died 10/22/2019

Wanda Housel, 86, Winchester Service Center, Winchester, IN, died 8/20/2019

John McHolland, 92, Muncie Service Center, Muncie, IN, died 8/5/2019

Maxine Peck, 93, One Summit Square, Ft. Wayne, IN, died 11/7/2019

Jr. Rynearson, 91, South Bend Office, South Bend, IN, died 8/15/2019

Alice Shoemaker, 96, Decatur Office, Decatur, IN, died 7/29/2019

Carl Titzer, 57, Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, died 11/16/2019

Thomas Yurkovic, 100, One Summit Square, Ft. Wayne, IN, died 8/2/2019

Kentucky

James Boyer, 84, Ashland Office, Ashland, KY, died 9/27/2019

Kendrick Brashear, 91, Hazard Office, Hazard, KY, died 10/22/2019

William Frazier, 79, Ashland Office, Ashland, KY, died 11/26/2019

Simon Lunce, 73, Hazard Service Center, Hazard, KY, died 8/28/2019

John Turnley, 94, Pikeville Service Center, Pikeville, KY, died 9/17/2019

Louisiana

Derrick Ellis, 53, Shreveport Office, Shreveport, LA, died 9/30/2019

James Heard, 78, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 11/22/2019

Donsald Huckabee, 87, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 8/5/2019

Oscar McCarty, 89, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 9/16/2019

Sally Mebane, 80, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 10/7/2019

Melvin Morris, 87, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 8/7/2019

William Owsley, 94, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 7/26/2019

Max Salter, 84, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 8/27/2019

Edith Sloane, 92, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 11/25/2019

Francine Smith, 92, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 11/3/2019

Carl Stephens, 86, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 10/10/2019

Michigan

Bernard Clark, 58, Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, died 8/6/2019

Stephen Fulton, 68, Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, died 10/3/2019

Frank Granzotto, 93, Three Rivers Service Center, Three Rivers, MI, died 8/31/2019

Marie Jakubowski, 103, Three Rivers Service Center, Three Rivers, MI, died 12/3/2019

John Ripak, 81, Buchanan Nuclear Office, Buchanan, MI, died 10/19/2019

Leonard Shell, 92, Buchanan Office/Service Center, Buchanan, MI, died 7/20/2019

L Wallace, 85, Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, died 10/21/2019

Michael Zantello, 57, Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, died 10/21/2019

Missouri

Floyd Bowers, 72, AEP River Operations – Cape, Cape Girardeau, MO, died 9/8/2019

New York

Rita Malavasi, 104, Rockefeller Center, New York, NY, died 10/26/2019

Ohio

Cordelia Armstrong, 94, Portsmouth Service Center, Portsmouth, OH, died 10/8/2019

Garnet Ayers, 90, Central Ohio Coal, Cumberland, OH, died 9/8/2019

Howard Ball, 85, Muskingum River, Waterford, OH, died 11/20/2019

David Beresford, 79, Cardinal Plant, Brilliant, OH, died 8/25/2019

Cecil Brinager, 79, Athens Office & Service Center, Athens, OH, died 9/22/2019

Jerry Bruhn, 86, Portsmouth Service Center, Portsmouth, OH, died 8/3/2019

Oral Burton, 90, Lancaster Office Building, Lancaster, OH, died 11/30/2019

Richard Byron, 87, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 11/14/2019

David Cain, 90, 850 Tech Center Building, Gahanna, OH, died 10/18/2019

David Callander, 69, Telecommunications, Groveport, OH, died 9/16/2019

Harriett Carter, 82, Columbus Region Office, Columbus, OH, died 9/1/2019

Robert Casto, 88, Muskingum River, Waterford, OH, died 8/14/2019

Macklin Christy, 79, Chillicothe Service Center, Chillicothe, OH, died 11/23/2019

A Clark, 80, John E. Dolan Lab, Groveport, OH, died 7/25/2019

Bernice Cole, 69, 850 Tech Center Building, Gahanna, OH, died 9/13/2019

Linda Cunningham, 80, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 10/4/2019

Jr. Daristotle, 87, Lancaster Office Building, Lancaster, OH, died 10/14/2019

David Dearth, 80, Chillicothe Office, Chillicothe, OH, died 8/14/2019

David Diamond, 81, 850 Tech Center Building, Gahanna, OH, died 8/27/2019

Gerald Doyle, 74, Findlay Service Center, Findlay, OH, died 10/30/2019

William Drayton, 76, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 11/24/2019

Albert Drozda, 99, Canton Eastern Region Office, Canton, OH, died 11/1/2019

Robert Fick, 91, Chillicothe Office, Chillicothe, OH, died 11/11/2019

Donald Fout, 74, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 12/3/2019

Susan Gibbons, 71, Canton Eastern Region Office, Canton, OH, died 9/3/2019

Dana Gibson, 87, Cardinal Plant, Brilliant, OH, died 11/19/2019

Lionel Gilmore, 78, Gavin, Cheshire, OH, died 10/22/2019

James Hayes, 75, Chillicothe Station and Meter/T&D, Chillicothe, OH, died 8/18/2019

James Henderson, 73, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 9/9/2019

Randall Hevener, 64, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 9/13/2019

Marilyn Hughes, 89, Wellston Office & Service Center, Wellston, OH, died 11/5/2019

Raymond Humphrey, 77, Mound St Service Center, Columbus, OH, died 10/2/2019

Earl Icard, 83, John E. Dolan Lab, Groveport, OH, died 9/8/2019

James Jauert, 74, Central Operations Center, Groveport, OH, died 8/22/2019

Christopher Jones, 48, Mound St Service Center, Columbus, OH, died 10/28/2019

Vergil Kelley, 89, Hillsboro Service Center, Hillsboro, OH, died 8/2/2019

Lawrence King, 86, Gavin, Cheshire, OH, died 10/12/2019

Barbara Kissler, 84, 825 Tech Center Building, Gahanna, OH, died 8/10/2019

Thomas Leeth, 72, Fremont Service Center, Fremont, OH, died 11/20/2019

Tommie Lipson, 84, 850 Tech Center Building, Gahanna, OH, died 11/15/2019

Robert McAllister, 90, Conesville Plant, Conesville, OH, died 9/30/2019

Lowell McCoy, 70, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 9/27/2019

Deborah McCutcheon, 64, Muskingum River, Waterford, OH, died 9/18/2019

Virgil McKnight, 91, Athens Office & Service Center, Athens, OH, died 11/1/2019

George Moore, 90, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 11/1/2019

Gary Morris, 72, Columbus NW Service Center, Columbus, OH, died 8/17/2019

Richard North, 73, Muskingum River, Waterford, OH, died 8/1/2019

Chad Orwig, 43, Delaware Service Center, Delaware, OH, died 10/22/2019

George Pabin, 70, Conesville Plant, Conesville, OH, died 10/23/2019

John Park, 69, Gavin, Cheshire, OH, died 10/22/2019

Betty Paul, 90, Canton Eastern RegionOffice, Canton, OH, died 11/1/2019

Patricia Poling, 83, 850 Tech Center Building, Gahanna, OH, died 9/13/2019

Robert Redd, 82, Minerva Annex, Columbus, OH, died 8/10/2019

Thomas Riley, 71, Minerva Annex, Columbus, OH, died 10/23/2019

Alice Samartgedes, 88, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 6/26/2019

Denzil Southall, 75, Socco-Meigs Mine, Albany, OH, died 8/16/2019

Bonnie Stickdorn, 95, Zanesville Office, Zanesville, OH, died 11/22/2019

Cyril Stickel, 94, Picway Plant, Lockbourne, OH, died 10/26/2019

Raymond Thomas, 87, Canton Eastern Region Office, Canton, OH, died 7/23/2019

Charles Unger, 94, Canton Eastern Region Office, Canton, OH, died 9/13/2019

Harry Ward, 83, Gallipolis Service Center, Gallipolis, OH, died 9/8/2019

Charles Williams, 70, Arena Building, Columbus, OH, died 9/1/2019

Wayne Yeater, 75, Canton South Service Center, Canton, OH, died 7/25/2019

Oklahoma

Frank Harwick, 77, Mid Metro, Tulsa, OK, died 8/10/2019

Linda Hudson, 71, Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, died 7/24/2019

Oren Kanada, 66, Okmulgee Operations, Okmulgee, OK, died 6/1/2019

Robin Lawson, 63, Southwestern Station, Washita, OK, died 11/10/2019

Elizabeth Letters, 96, Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, died 7/25/2019

James Lewis, 88, Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, died 11/6/2019

Gary Long, 85, Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, died 8/13/2019

William Magness, 78, Okmulgee Operations, Okmulgee, OK, died 9/23/2019

Judy Price, 75, Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, died 8/25/2019

Harold Wadley, 74, Tulsa Square One, Tulsa, OK, died 10/11/2019

Susan Williams, 55, Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, died 11/26/2019

Texas

Goldie Baker, 80, San Angelo Services, San Angelo, TX, died 11/18/2019

Charles Beken, 91, Home Office, Corpus Christi, TX, died 11/16/2019

T Bell, 70, Fort Phantom Power Plant, Abilene, TX, died 8/14/2019

RD Cave, 91, Home Office, Corpus Christi, TX, died 7/29/2019

Don Condron, 86, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 11/22/2019

Donald Derrick, 81, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 7/24/2019

Raymond Elledge, 75, Harlingen Area Office, Harlingen, TX, died 11/26/2019

James Gallaway, 85, Home Office, Corpus Christi, TX, died 9/9/2019

Elmo Garza, 61, Corpus Christi Service Center, Corpus Christi, TX, died 8/29/2019

R Harrison, 83, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 8/19/2019

John Haynes, 79, CSW Center, Dallas, TX, died 8/20/2019

Thomas Hubble, 90, Home Office, Corpus Christi, TX, died 11/6/2019

Peggy Hurt, 81, Home Office, Corpus Christi, TX, died 8/27/2019

Julian Lopez, 95, Home Office, Corpus Christi, TX, died 11/7/2019

Lajuana Mills, 91, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 11/25/2019

James Mosley, 76, Home Office, Corpus Christi, TX, died 11/3/2019

Barbara Neie, 87, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 10/31/2019

Kenneth Odell, 88, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 8/9/2019

J Peiser, 89, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 10/27/2019

Arnold Rivas, 69, EleCenteric System Ops, Corpus Christi, TX, died 9/7/2019

Anita Schulz, 62, Home Office, Corpus Christi, TX, died 9/13/2019

W Shelton, 82, Home Office, Corpus Christi, TX, died 7/29/2019

Beverly Speckels, 77, Ballinger, Ballinger, TX, died 9/15/2019

Wanda Stevens, 93, Home Office, Corpus Christi, TX, died 8/19/2019

Virginia

Fielden Anderson, 86, Galax Office & Service Center, Galax, VA, died 9/8/2019

John Blankenship, 87, Abingdon Service Center, Abingdon, VA, died 11/7/2019

Larry Bowers, 64, Glen Lyn Plant, Glen Lyn, VA, died 8/27/2019

Ray Eskew, 92, Abingdon Service Center, Abingdon, VA, died 10/6/2019

Garland Hackney, 90, Clinch River Plant, Cleveland, VA, died 8/15/2019

Jr. Hardy, 100, Grundy Office & Service Center, Grundy, VA, died 10/21/2019

James Loving, 94, John W. Vaughan Center, Roanoke, VA, died 10/6/2019

James Maile, 86, Roanoke Main Office, Roanoke, VA, died 8/21/2019

Kenneth Meadows, 61, Glen Lyn Plant, Glen Lyn, VA, died 10/7/2019

Gordon Parker, 75, Roanoke Main Office, Roanoke, VA, died 9/15/2019

Glenn Reynolds, 89, Roanoke Main Office, Roanoke, VA, died 11/5/2019

Lee Vaught, 85, John W. Vaughan Center, Roanoke, VA, died 11/10/2019

Sarah Wright, 56, Roanoke Main Office, Roanoke, VA, died 9/22/2019

West Virginia

Nancy Bailey, 90, Huntington Office, Huntington, WV, died 9/5/2019

Robert Bowman, 75, Kammer, Moundsville, WV, died 8/14/2019

Lynda Browning, 81, N Charleston Service Center, Charleston, WV, died 10/30/2019

Charles Burchett, 84, Williamson Service Center, Williamson, WV, died 8/26/2019

Lewis Burns, 81, N Charleston Service Center, Charleston, WV, died 9/22/2019

Gregory Casto, 68, Mountaineer Plant, New Haven, WV, died 7/30/2019

Fred Ensminger, 91, Mitchell Plant, Cresap, WV, died 9/8/2019

Frederick Garcia, 78, Kammer, Moundsville, WV, died 8/31/2019

Carl Gibson, 77, Bluefield Service Center, Bluefield, WV, died 11/10/2019

Cecil Gibson, 76, Amos Plant, Winfield, WV, died 10/24/2019

Linda Hess, 72, Bluefield Office, Bluefield, WV, died 9/29/2019

Kenneth Keatley, 92, Beckley Service Center, Beckley, WV, died 9/26/2019

Max Knopp, 72, Sporn Plant, New Haven, WV, died 11/6/2019

Kenneth Landers, 77, Amos Plant, Winfield, WV, died 7/20/2018

Richard McKinney, 89, Bluefield Office, Bluefield, WV, died 10/9/2019

John Miller, 73, Kammer, Moundsville, WV, died 9/22/2019

Luther Mills, 96, Welch Service Center, Welch, WV, died 7/27/2019

Lenders Oxyer, 75, Milton Office & Service Center, Milton, WV, died 11/12/2019

Theodore Payne, 87, N Charleston Service Center, Charleston, WV, died 8/6/2019

Shirley Price, 80, Hurricane Call Center, Hurricane, WV, died 8/28/2019

Sharon Smith, 79, River Transportation Division, West Columbia, WV, died 7/25/2019

Darrell Stone, 73, Amos Plant, Winfield, WV, died 11/17/2019

Roger Todd, 76, Kammer, Moundsville, WV, died 9/9/2019

James Walters, 65, Kammer, Moundsville, WV, died 8/10/2019

Ronald White, 77, N Charleston Service Center, Charleston, WV, died 10/7/2019

Arnold Yost, 96, Beckley Service Center, Beckley, WV, died 8/17/2019

Simmerer had a concussion after hitting the roof of his garage.

It was a fair November day four years ago when Brad Simmerer decided it was time to clean out the gutters on his two-story home north of Columbus.

Ridding his gutters of leaves was a task that Simmerer, network analyst lead for Telecommunications, completed many times before. He set up his 24-foot extension ladder, his wife serving as a spotter, and followed the rules of ladder safety – maintaining three points of contact, extending the ladder above the roofline, ensuring it was on stable, level ground.

Simmerer, who was 48 at the time, expected this to be a routine day of home maintenance.

After cleaning a few sections of gutter, Simmerer’s wife went inside to check on one of their children. Instead of waiting for her to come back, he decided to carry on without her spotting the ladder; after all, he had done this for years.

Simmerer doesn’t remember exactly what happened next, but he knows that as he was 20 feet in the air, the ladder slid out from under him. The crash came without warning, and it was unlike anything he expected. He did not fall sideways or backwards, as he always feared he might.

“I rode the ladder down,” he said. “I never thought the ladder would go out from under me.”

The ride down was not smooth, Simmerer crashed into the garage roof, bounced off and landed in the driveway.

Neighbors, who saw or heard the ladder fall, rushed to help.

“I thought I broke my shoulder. My back was also in a lot of pain,” Simmerer said. “I was hoping I wasn’t paralyzed. But then I could move my legs.”

An ambulance took him to a local hospital where doctors found that he had broken his left wrist and 10 ribs on his left side. There was also a large bump and cut on his head that led to a further diagnosis of a concussion.

“It put me out of work for six weeks,” he said, adding that it could have been much, much worse. “I got lucky.”

A neighbor made Simmerer this cookie as a ‘get well’ present.

Recovery wasn’t easy. Brad had to sleep in a chair for almost a month because he couldn’t get in and out of bed due to his broken ribs. He said it was at least six months before he felt fully recovered.

Brad wants everyone at this time of year, when people take out their ladders to clean gutters and hang holiday decorations, to take a moment and think about safety.

“Don’t be complacent,” he said. “I had done it for years without incident. You can get to the point where you think it won’t happen to me – it did.”

Ladder Safety Tips

Always inspect ladder prior to use.

• Hold or secure ladder
• Do not rest rungs against a round surface
• Use three points of contact when climbing or descending.
• Face the ladder, one person at a time on a ladder
• No material in your hands
• Belt off to a secured ladder if both hands are required to perform the task.
• Do not lean off of ladder; keep the center line of your body inside the rails of the ladder and always face the ladder.
• Beware of line of fire or changes of force that could cause the employee or ladder to fall.
• Always use a hand-line or rope. Never throw objects off or up the ladder.
• When pulling on lines such as service conductors, cable or rope, use limited force to avoid losing your balance if the line breaks, slips, or other equipment failure occurs. This situation poses the highest risk of injury.
• If bees or wasps are present, step safely down from the ladder.
• When working from a ladder where your feet are 12 feet or greater above the ground or the ladder support surface, a chin strap should be worn to keep your hard hat in place. This will reduce the risk of head injury if a fall does occur.

More than 140 electric, water and natural gas utilities and their trade associations across the US and Canada are working together to raise awareness of common utility imposter scams.

AEP has joined Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS), along with more than 140 electric, water and natural gas utilities and their trade associations across the United States and Canada to help raise awareness of common utility impostor scams.

The Consumer’s Guide to Imposter Utility Scams is designed to help you better protect yourself, your neighbors and your loved ones from the harmful impacts of a utility impostor scam. Please share this information with those in your community so that we can all work together to raise awareness of utility impostor scams — not just on Utility Scam Awareness Day, but all year long. Visit www.utilitiesunited.org for more information and tips about how you can protect yourself from scams.

Utility Scam Awareness Week, Nov. 17-23, will focus on “It Happened to Me, Don’t Let it Happen to You.”

Scammers typically use three tactics – phone, in-person or online – to target the money, property and personal information of electric, natural gas and water utility customers. Some helpful information you will find in the guide includes:

Signs of potential scam activity:   

• Threat to disconnect: Scammers may aggressively tell a customer his or her utility bill is past due and service will be disconnected if a payment is not made. Typically, the scammer will tell the customer that a disconnection will come within an hour.
• Demand for immediate payment: Scammers may instruct a customer to purchase a prepaid card. The scammer will ask the customer to return a call for immediate bill payment.
• Request for prepaid card: When the customer returns the scammer’s call, the scammer asks the customer for the number on the prepaid card. This allows the scammer to gain instant access to the card’s funds.

How customers can protect themselves:

• Customers should never purchase a prepaid card to avoid service disconnection or shutoff. Utility companies do not specify how customers should make a bill payment, and they always offer a variety of ways to pay a bill, including online, phone, automatic bank draft, mail or in-person payments.
• If someone threatens immediate disconnection or shutoff of service, customers should hang up the phone, delete the email or shut the door. Customers with delinquent accounts receive an advance disconnection notification, typically by mail and included with their regular monthly bill.
• If customers suspect a scammer, they should double check by calling their local utility and not the phone number the scammer provides. If customers ever feel that they are in physical danger, they should call 9-1-1.

Like countless Americans who have served their country in the military, Hector Lugo’s motivation to enlist was fueled by a sense of duty to the United States.

“I was in high school in 1979 during the Iran hostage crisis,” he said. “Seeing those events unfold made me determined to defend my country.” 

Hector Lugo (far left) during U.S. Air Force training school.

With the diplomatic stand-off fresh in his mind, Lugo joined the U.S. Air Force in 1982 and became a nuclear weapons specialist. His duties included inspecting, storing and repairing nuclear weapons, using attention to detail to keep the delicate materials safe and stable until they were needed. In 1988, he was honorably discharged at the rank of senior airman. Lugo served four years in active duty and two years in reserves.

Lugo applies the same skills he learned in the Air Force in his current role as a safety and health consultant based in Corpus Christi, Texas. He’s charged with developing policies that keep AEP’s Transmission Field Service employees in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas safe as they maintain and repair equipment that keeps electricity flowing to customers.

He joined AEP in 1990 after he came across a wanted ad for a protection and control technician in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and decided to apply. His tenure with AEP has included various positions that took him from Indiana, to northwestern Ohio where he grew up, and then to Texas.

The skills and work ethic that veterans like Lugo bring to the table are why AEP is going beyond job postings and making a concerted effort to reach out to active duty members.

AEP’s Military Sourcing Specialist, Jason Bormann, is making those connections, spending most of his time traveling to military installations, transition centers and National Guard and Reserve units sharing career options at AEP with top military talent.

Bormann knows first-hand the benefits of hiring those with a military background. He served 22 years in the U.S. Army, spending 15 months in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and earning a Bronze Star. He retired in 2018 as a first sergeant with duties in air and missile defense and recruiting on his resume.

“Veterans want meaningful work and will sink their teeth into it until the task is done correctly,” Bormann said. “Many of the technical skills learned in the military fit in well with jobs performed in utilities.”

Beyond having job opportunities well-suited for those who have served, AEP offers benefits geared specifically toward veterans and those actively serving. These include pay differential for employees in the Reserves or National Guard who are ordered to active duty in emergency situations, and paid time off to attend funeral services for a service member with whom an employee has served.  

Jason Bormann (left) had many duties during his 22 year U.S. Army service, including a role as a drill sergeant.

AEP’s Military Veteran Employee Resource Group, which promotes the roles and contributions of veterans and active-duty military employees within the company, is also in the process of developing a mentorship program to help military hires acclimate to their new careers. 

Lugo shared he’s felt supported as a veteran by AEP throughout his career and has been empowered to use the talents he developed during his service in every role he’s played with the company.

“My time with the Air Force taught me to solve problems at the lowest level first and to not be intimidated by a challenge," Lugo said. "Which are lessons I’ve applied across my career."

The technical skills veterans possess are just one of the many qualities making them valued members of AEP’s nearly 18,000 employee workforce.

“Employees with a military background work well under pressure and are safety focused," Bormann said, "not to mention they’re the ultimate team players who are loyal and dedicated to their jobs."

While reflecting upon what being a veteran meant to him, Lugo demonstrated this sense of dedication and commitment to service that veterans embody in everything they do.

“During our enlistment, we put in long hours and faced tough conditions, but in doing that we made our families and loved ones safe,” Lugo said. “All of the sacrifices we made were worth it because we were serving our country.”

AEP’s 2020 Health & Welfare Benefits Guides for retirees are now available at the links below or on the ‘Benefits’ tab.  For those electing to receive this information at their home address, the information will be arriving the week of November 4^th.  The 2020 annual enrollment period started on Tuesday, October 22, and will continue through Tuesday, November 19.  For additional information log onto aepbenefits.com.  As a reminder, you must create a new user name and password, if you haven’t done so already.  If you have any questions or need assistance with logging in or making any changes to your 2020 benefits, please contact the AEP Benefits Center at 1-888-237-2363, option 1. 

2020 Annual Enrollment Guide for Retirees & Survivors Age 65 or Over

2020 Annual Enrollment Guide for Retirees & Survivors Under Age 65

Nick Akins discussed AEP's earnings, renewables strategy, and other topics on CNBC's 'Mad Money' Thursday night.

Nick Akins, chairman, president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power, appeared on CNBC's 'Mad Money' program Thursday night with host Jim Cramer.

Watch the video of the segment.

Akins is often a guest on Cramer's show and the two talked about AEP's third quarter earnings report, the growth of the company's stock price, renewable energy and a subject close to Akins' heart, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

Cramer asked Akins if the rise in AEP's stock price, from around $72 a share in January to about $95 a share on Thursday was more about the company's large dividend or, "really good growth?"

“We feel like we are robust in terms of what the electric industry is providing," Akins said. “The investments we are making are real investments that customers find value in.”

Cramer turned the conversation to AEP's renewables portfolio and the projected future growth of those generation assets, noting that coal as a percentage of power generation is edging downward.

"I wish people knew about this," Cramer said. "People seem to think that because (President Donald Trump) favors coal, that we are going back to coal, but coal seems to be going out of style."

Utilities are rebalancing their portfolios, Akins said, as technology and transmission investments have made renewables, like wind and solar, much more competitive, especially when backed up by natural gas, which provides on-demand generation to account for the intermittent nature of renewables.

"We serve the south central part of the U.S., and Oklahoma, Texas, and even in the Midwest, you have regions that have really good wind resources," Akins said. "And the energy cost is practically free."

Lastly, Cramer asked, "Did you ever expect to be a growth company?"

“Our focus is primarily in providing growth in dividends on a consistent basis for our shareholders, and typically we are seen as a staid industry," Akins said, "but it's not that way anymore. It really is focused on technology deployment and really being able to reinvest in our grid to ensure that the American way of life can continue."

The two also briefly chatted about the nominations for the Class of 2020 for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, of which Akins is a member of the board and gets to cast a ballot. Cramer was astounded that the Doobie Brothers, who currently lead in the AEP Now employee poll of the nominated artists for Akins to vote on, were not already in the Hall.

"Finally, the Doobies!" Cramer said. "They were not in? What a crime."

The Board of Directors of American Electric Power Co. today declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 70 cents a share on the company’s common stock, an increase of 3 cents per share.

AEP has increased the dividend an average of 6.3% over the past two years, in line with its 5% to 7% earnings growth range.

The dividend is payable Dec. 10, 2019, to shareholders of record as of Nov. 8, 2019, and is the company’s 438th consecutive quarterly common stock cash dividend. AEP has paid a cash dividend on its common stock every quarter since July 1910.

“Strategic investment in our regulated businesses, our commitment to customer service and our pursuit of innovative energy solutions continue to benefit both our investors and customers,” said Nick Akins, chairman, president and chief executive officer of AEP. “We’re proud to continue AEP’s tradition of delivering strong financial results and increased returns to our valued shareholders.”

By: Teresa Hamilton Hall

The Bluefield and Roanoke Chapters are active VREA participants. This photo was taken during a Bluefield VREA spring luncheon at the Bluefield Elks Lodge.

ROANOKE, Va. –  As a way to promote fellowship among retirees and long-term employees, AEP funds Veteran and Retired Employees Associations. The group is made up of active employees who have been employed by AEP for 15 or more years, along with the retirees and surviving spouses of any AEP Company.

Appalachian Power has active VREA chapters in Virginia and West Virginia. For information on the Roanoke Chapter, contact Patricia Short at pashort1130@comcast.net or Wayne Alexander at walexan894@aol.com. For West Virginia information, contact Wayne Pugh at wtpugh@suddenlink.net.