Veterans Cy Stickel and Harold “Butch” O’Brian at Washington, D.C. Both are Picway Plant retirees.
Two former co-workers from AEP’s retired Picway Plant spent a day of honor and celebration along with 85 other senior veterans. Cy Stickel and Harold “Butch” O’Brian were on the June 10 Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials dedicated to the men and women who served in America’s armed forces.
Stickel served in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II. He served as a medic, driver, company clerk and infantryman from March 1943 to January 1, 1946. O’Brian served as a U.S. Marine Corps rifleman in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970.
Both are AEP retirees. Stickel worked at Picway Plant, in Lockbourne, Ohio, from 1946 to 1984 as a shift supervisor. O’Brian was plant manager at Picway from 1986 to 1991 and held several Generation Engineering positions until his retirement in 2010.
O’Brian is also a volunteer at Honor Flight Columbus. He has helped in a number of ways including being a guardian on earlier flights, accompanying senior veterans.
“It is a lot different being honored than helping in the honoring,” O’Brian explained. “Both are rewarding, but the focus is so different. As an honoree, I had time to reflect on those service years during the trip. Being there with about 60 other Vietnam vets, including 36 Purple Heart recipients, is not easy to describe. We shared a lot.”
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington has more than 58,000 names of men and women who died in that war.
Stickel enjoyed his visit to the World War II Memorial, which opened in 2004. It pays tribute to those who have been called “The Greatest Generation” and won the war to protect democracy in America and across much of Europe.
“Having strangers come up and shake my hand, even giving little hugs while thanking me is a feeling that cannot be described,” Stickel said.
Honor Flight Columbus provides one-day trips to central Ohio’s senior veterans at no cost to the veteran. The June 10 flight was the 82nd trip made by the organization. Nearly 5,000 veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War have been on this trip of honor and celebration.
— Contributed by retiree Roger Dyer
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| Jeff Hancock (left) works out of the company’s Rocky Mount office. Jeff Richards is based in Roanoke. Photo courtesy of Tom Woodford. |
(Story by Teresa Hall)
LYNCHBURG, Va. — An elderly Virginia man got the critical medical help he needed thanks to two observant Roanoke District employees. The workers’ story is one that not only demonstrates the power of teamwork, but also the caring side of Appalachian Power employees.
Jeff Hancock, MRO servicer II, was preparing to work a disconnect and mentioned the account to his colleague, Jeff Richards, a fellow MRO Servicer II.
Richards was familiar with the customer and told Hancock that he was elderly and possibly suffering from dementia.
When Hancock got to the Bedford County residence, he talked with the customer about his bill. “I deduced from the conversation that he did not fully understand what I was talking to him about,” Hancock said.
The man’s wife, who also was present in the home, did not seem to understand what was happening either. Hancock was deeply concerned about the couple’s health and safety, so he decided not to disconnect service and to seek help instead.
Hancock spotted the couple’s neighbors working outside and approached them about the situation.
“I was able to obtain contact information for the couple’s daughter and called her,” Hancock said. “She was thankful and informed me she would be on the way from D.C.
“She did not know things had gotten as bad as they were and was thankful for our help in letting her know and not disconnecting their electric service. She was able to settle the account and, more importantly, address the health concerns of her father,” Hancock said.
Later, Hancock ensured that a note was attached to the account and contacted Richards, who reached out to Tom Woodford, customer services account representative senior. Woodford followed up with the daughter the next day to ensure she had everything she needed.
“This is clearly a situation where these guys were focused on doing the right thing,” said Woodford, who shared the employees’ story at a recent Nick’s Network meeting. “Jeff Hancock and Jeff Richards didn’t have to go the extra mile, but they did. And their actions made a difference in the lives of this couple and family, and demonstrated what it truly means to embrace the customer experience.”
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| From left to right: Bob Powers, vice chairman AEP; Nick Akins, AEP chairman, president and CEO; Meihuan Fulk, principal engineer, AEP Transmission; Richard Gutman, staff engineer, AEP Transmission; Tom Kuhn, president, EEI; and Lisa Barton, EVP, AEP Transmission. |
(Story by George Promenschenkel)
For the second year in a row, AEP Transmission has won the prestigious Edison Award presented by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI). The award, which is given out annually, honors “distinguished leadership, innovation and contribution to the advancement of the electric industry for the benefit of all.”
This year, AEP Transmission won for its Robison Park-Sorenson rebuild project using Breakthrough Overhead Line Design (BOLD™) technology in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. When energized in November 2016, Robison Park-Sorenson became the world’s first operating BOLD transmission line. The project replaced a 1940s era 138-kV line with a double-circuit 138/345-kV BOLD line, providing five times the megawatts of the earlier line to flow in the same corridor. The line has helped ease grid congestion and other issues in the Ft. Wayne area.
“Our industry is making important investments in innovative new technologies that are helping to improve reliability, energy grid resiliency, and services for customers,” said EEI President Tom Kuhn. “AEP’s BOLD project is another great example of the industry implementing innovative solutions.”
“BOLD is the result of imaginative thinking and long hours to put those ideas to work solving real-life transmission challenges,” said Lisa Barton, executive vice president-AEP Transmission. “It is an honor to lead a team capable of both creating such an elegant and efficient solution.”
AEP has won the Edison award in three of the last five years, and with this award, has now received the Edison Award more than any utility company since the inception of the award. In addition to this year’s award, AEP Transmission also won last year for its Lower Rio Grande Valley project. AEP won the 2013 Edison Award for the construction of its Turk Plant, the country’s first ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant.
The 2017 edition of the award was EEI’s 89th annual. Southern California Energy also won the Edison Award this year for construction of hybrid battery and natural gas turbine power plants.
AEP River Transportation Division
Billy Hodge, 85, retired, River Transportation Division, died October 5, 2016.
Joseph Narcisse Jr., 75, retired, Elmwood Drydock & Repair Shipyard, died May 18.
Billy Newman, 88, retired, River Transportation Division, died April 24.
AEP Service Corporation
Mary Jones, 86, retired, CSW Center, died May 9.
Chester Kalinowski, 93, retired, AEP Headquarters, died May 21.
Charles Moore, 80, retired, died April 30.
James Morrow, 67, AEP Headquarters, died May 3.
Appalachian Power Company
Clyde Broughton Jr., 82, retired, Logan Service Center, died May 17.
Jerry Fernatt, 75, retired, Bb&T Building, died April 29.
Charles Houdashelt, 77, Mountaineer Plant, died May 4.
Joseph Marshall, 37, Woodlawn Service Center, died May 13.
James Preston Jr., 89, retired, Williamson Office, died April 24.
Essie Ramsey, 77, retired, Pineville Service Center, died May 7.
Joseph Thompson, 76, Sporn Plant, died April 21.
Clarence Wyatt Jr., 78, retired, Wheeling Service Center, died May 21.
Columbus Southern Power Company
Walter Knox, 76, Conesville Plant, died April 24.
Paul Maccombs, 84, retired, Athens Service Center, died May 17.
Charles Sims, 86, retired, Chillicothe Office, died April 5.
Edgar Tucker, 88, retired, 850 Tech Center, died May 28.
Indiana Michigan Power Company
Barbara Erb, 84, retired, One Summit Square, died April 24.
Ruby Godfrey, 89, retired, Tanners Creek Plant, died April 29.
Richard Kagy, 89, retired, Tanners Creek Plant, died May 23.
Frank Knach, 85, retired, Avilla Service Center, died April 24.
Ohio Power Company
John Campbell, 69, Zanesville Service Center, died May 20.
Richard Durfee, 53, Mt. Vernon Service Center, died May 17.
Donald Heater, 86, retired, Lancaster Office Building, died April 28.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma
Mae Gross, 90, retired, Tulsa General Office, died May 22.
Rosetta Marquette, 79, retired, Tulsa General Office, died May 22.
Leroy Matlock, 86, retired, Tulsa General Office, died May 10.
Terry Newson, 74, Tulsa General Office, died April 18.
Kenneth Sells, 86, retired, Tulsa General Office, died April 26.
Southwestern Electric Power Company
Eugene Jones, 81, retired, Shreveport General Office, died May 10.
Bartell Justice, 80, retired, Shreveport General Office, died May 27.
James Samuel, 88, retired, Shreveport General Office, died April 29.
Perry Wilson, 67, retired, Pirkey Plant, died May 13.
Texas North
Donald Bennett, 86, retired, Abilene General Office, died May 6.
C.L. Key, 84, retired, Abilene General Office, died May 4.
Transmission
Harry Stanley Jr., 54, Marietta Service Center, died May 20.
AEP Ohio
Michael Albright, Tiffin Service Center, retired May 31 after 29 years of service.
Andrew Chapman, Chillicothe Service Center, retired May 26 after 37 years of service.
Carl Mani, Canton South Service Center, retired May 6 after 19 years of service.
Teresa Moore, Mount Vernon Service Center, retired May 16 after 39 years of service.
Allan Woodard, Coshocton Service Center, retired May 27 after 31 years of service.
AEP River Transportation Division
Vera White, River Transportation Division, retired May 13 after 15 years of service.
AEP Service Corporation
Douglas Arnold, Arena Building, retired May 20 after 17 years of service.
David Bauer, AEP Headquarters, retired May 5 after 31 years of service.
Tim Light, AEP Headquarters, retired May 6 after 36 years of service.
John Straughn, AEP Headquarters, retired May 6 after 31 years of service.
AEP Texas
Arthur Rocha, Abilene Distribution, retired May 6 after 35 years of service.
Appalachian Power Company
Deborah Bias, Hurricane Call Center, retired May 6 after 44 years of service.
Roger O’Dell, Hurricane Call Center, retired May 6 after 34 years of service.
Isaac Webb III, Kingsport Service Center, retired May 20 after 37 years of service.
Generation
James Bachteal, Cook Nuclear Plant, retired May 1 after 26 years of service.
Linda Ballard, Cook Nuclear Plant, retired May 10 after 17 years of service.
David Bordenkircher, Conesville Plant, retired May 6 after 31 years of service.
Karen Campbell, Cook Nuclear Plant, retired May 27 after 16 years of service.
Scott Claeys, Cook Nuclear Plant, retired May 20 after 17 years of service.
Robert Cooper, Cardinal Plant, retired May 26 after 39 years of service.
Dennis Cuckler, Rockport Plant, retired May 1 after 40 years of service.
Larry Derrick, Amos Plant, retired May 20 after 12 years of service.
Randall Duncan II, Amos Plant, retired May 10 after 39 years of service.
Lonnie McGee, Dolet Hills Lignite Mine, retired May 29 after 15 years of service.
Mark Merola, Dresden Plant, retired May 23 after 38 years of service.
Robert Niedzielski, Cook Nuclear Plant, retired May 27 after 16 years of service.
Daniel Skorupa, Cook Nuclear Plant, retired May 25 after 39 years of service.
Robert Sweeney, Cook Nuclear Plant, retired May 13 after 20 years of service.
John Waddell, Cook Nuclear Plant, retired May 5 after 13 years of service.
David Wickline, Amos Plant, retired May 2 after 40 years of service.
Indiana Michigan Power Company
Smari Gissurarson, Muncie Service Center, retired May 9 after 18 years of service.
Jerry Rowe, Marion Service Center, retired May 18 after 45 years of service.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma
William Brown, Lawton Operations Center, retired May 1 after 34 years of service.
Southwestern Electric Power Company
Linda Coleman, Shreveport General Office, retired May 17 after 37 years of service.
David George, Pirkey Plant, retired May 31 after 32 years of service.
John Hauser, Shreveport General Office, retired May 20 after 25 years of service.
Terry Schmidt, Mitchell Plant, retired May 1 after 28 years of service.
Transmission
Greyling French, Robert E. Matthews Service Center, retired May 17 after 37 years of service.
Douglas Jacobs, John W. Vaughan Center, retired May 19 after 37 years of service.
Christine Mayne, AEP Headquarters, retired May 2 after 21 years of service.
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| Located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Galapagos San Cristobal Island Wind Project is Ecuador’s first and longest-operating wind project. |
The Galapagos San Cristobal Island Wind Project (Ecuador) has been selected as the best renewable energy project in Ecuador. The project was selected by Energy Globe (in collaboration with UNESCO and UNEP) from over 2,000 submissions from over 170 countries. The winners were announced June 5 during World Environment Day.
Located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Galapagos San Cristobal Island Wind Project is Ecuador’s first and longest-operating wind project. Inaugurated in October 2007, this world-class project was led by American Electric Power and RWE and is the first large-scale wind project in Ecuador. It has been operating reliably since its commissioning to produce over 26 million kWh of energy to San Cristobal’s customers, preventing the emission of over 21,000 tons of CO2, compared to a full diesel supply. The three 800-kW turbines and two 6-kW solar photovoltaic systems supply approximately 30 percent of the island’s electricity needs. The project has been financially sustainable, generating over $3.4 million US in revenues since 2007. It is registered under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism.
“Although thousands of miles separate ELECGALÁPAGOS S.A. and AEP service territories, both of our companies are transforming to better meet our customers’ needs,” said Nick Akins, AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We are taking remarkably similar steps to spur innovation and integrate new technologies to ensure we can produce and deliver affordable, reliable and cleaner power that meets the expectations of our customers and regulators.
The project was completed with the support and collaboration of the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme, the Government of Ecuador, EOLICSA and the ELECGALAPAGOS. You can learn more about the project here.
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| Rita Romine, Wellness Champ and executive administrative assistant for Corporate Communications. Photo by Ken Drenten. |
This is one of an ongoing series of articles about Wellness Champions, “Honoring a Champ,” focusing on AEP employees who are not only engaged in their own well-being, but have also volunteered to support employee health and well-being across the system. The purpose of this series is to allow employees to get to know each other better, and to encourage an ongoing conversation about health and well-being among employees. This story focuses on Rita Romine, executive administrative assistant in Corporate Communications at AEP Headquarters. Rita will have worked for AEP 40 years as of August 22.
Q: Why do you value good health?
A: Good health keeps you happy and alive!
Q: What motivates you to be a Wellness Champion?
A: To instill good healthy behavior with my co-workers, and to lead by example.
Q: Share a few tips that help you live a healthier lifestyle.
A: Healthy living is my number-one goal. Build workouts and meal planning into your everyday schedule.
Q: What is your biggest challenge related to keeping yourself as healthy as possible?
A: Getting my workouts in during the day. My goal is five days a week, but three is OK. Oh, did I say age? 🙂
Q: What is your favorite healthy food?
A: Fruits and vegetables of all kinds and prepared in many different ways.
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| Rita Romine, shown second from right (leaning against tree), competed in a bicycle race with some of her AEP co-workers that raised funds for the March of Dimes in 1978 or 1979. She won the race and a new bicycle. AEP file photo |
Q: What is your favorite exercise or fitness activity that you do on a regular basis?
A: Right now, it is the rowing machine. I find that it provides good exercise for about every part of my body. I still get in cardio and upper body weights.
Q: Can you share any personal, meaningful accomplishments related to your health and well-being?
A: Good question. I’m fortunate at the age of 60 to be able to look back many years, and since an early age, I was actively building a healthy lifestyle. I have many memories from when I was a child/teen/adult of being outdoors playing softball, riding bicycles, hiking, climbing rocks in the Hocking Hills, playing tennis and racquetball, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking/canoeing and gardening. I do many of these activities still to this day. The goal is to stay focused on your health and be active. My 86-year-old mom says to keep moving and don’t sit too long!
I was lucky that I lived in a home where no one smoked tobacco. So that example was already in place.
I have participated in many races (running and bicycle), mostly through AEP activities and sponsorships. Some of these include charity walks/rides, corporate challenges and corporate softball games. But one event early in my life that I remember was at eighth grade summer camp, where the girls and boys competed separately in the same sports — running dashes and relays, jumping, rope climbing, etc. — and we accumulated points. All the activities were the same, but I just competed against the girls. I accumulated the most points overall, including the boys. I was embarrassed!
So building this active and healthy lifestyle from an early age gives you an advantage of staying healthy.
I don’t run in races anymore, but I do continue to have the same kind of competitive attitude toward my health and well-being, like counting steps and keeping track of what I eat.
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| The 2017 Corporate Accountability Report reflects disclosure about AEP’s 2016 performance as well as the company’s strategy and vision for the future. AEP’s changing business model, its transition to a clean energy future and its plan for future growth are discussed to provide clarity about the transformation of the company and the industry. |
“We have a vision for American Electric Power to deliver an energy future built on diverse energy resources and an interactive power grid that is more reliable and secure. We are transforming our business to create sustainable economic, social and environmental value for all of our stakeholders. We believe the power to shape the future is in all our hands and by working together we have the ability to turn this vision into reality.”
That is how Nick Akins, AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer, introduces the 2017 AEP Corporate Accountability Report: “The Power to Shape the Future.”
“Our basic responsibility is ‘keeping the lights on.’ But because lives, lifestyles and livelihoods depend on us, we have to go beyond the basics,” Akins continues in his Chairman’s Message in the report. “We must support strong and vibrant communities, be an advocate for education and opportunity, help the less fortunate, care for our employees, exceed our customers’ expectations and protect the environment. We must also be inclusive and collaborative, while creating shared value for our customers, employees, investors and communities. Ultimately, we must balance the pace of our transition to a cleaner, modern system with our customers’ economic capacity.”
The 2017 Corporate Accountability Report marks AEP’s eighth integrated report and 11th year of reporting on its environmental, social and economic performance. The report is widely used to educate and inform AEP investors, customers, employees and other stakeholders on AEP’s performance, initiatives and strategy for the future.
Highlights from this year’s report include:
- AEP’s commitment to developing Sustainability Goals and our Strategy for Sustainable Development, aligned with AEP’s Strategic Goals.
- AEP’s Safety & Health transformation and commitment to Zero Harm.
- AEP’s efforts to enhance the Customer Experience.
- The critical role technology and innovation will play to become a cleaner and smarter energy company.
- An interactive overview of AEP’s Performance – highlighting our energy and environment, social and economic performance.
- The ability to Build Your Own PDF of the report.
“This year’s report reflects AEP’s strong commitment to transparency and engagement,” said Sandy Nessing, managing director of corporate sustainability and co-author of the report. “Over time, this report has become much more future-focused, serving as a valuable springboard for dialogue with many different stakeholders. It tells AEP’s story – detailing our performance, our progress and our future path. This year’s report is significant because it describes our journey to becoming the energy company of the future, including major initiatives such as the Customer Experience, our work to set new sustainability goals and AEP Ohio’s involvement with the Smart Columbus initiative. It also is the first external site to launch since AEP’s new rebranding effort.”
Sustainability Goals
The report notes that, in 2017, “AEP began the work to set new sustainability goals. AEP first set sustainability goals in 2007 around developing renewable energy and reducing the demand for electricity, as well as reducing carbon emissions. We achieved nearly all of the goals we set within the designated timeframes. Today, many of our stakeholders are asking us about setting new goals. In addition, stakeholder interests go far beyond environmental performance and carbon to include talent development, work force diversity and inclusion, water and safety and health.”
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| A robust, modern grid is a natural enabler of technology and innovation. The power grid of the future will be fully integrated, decentralized and digitized and will have a smaller carbon footprint. |
Teams of employees are working on developing new sustainability goals; and the intent is to begin to report on them in 2018. To support this work, the Enterprise Sustainability Council framed the meaning of sustainable development and AEP’s strategy for achievement to guide the goal-setting work.
The report adds that AEP will lead by example by setting strategic performance targets and goals, and we will be guided by these key principles:
- Be a catalyst for change – We will use our knowledge, voice, skills and relationships to enable innovation, bring new technologies to market, modernize the grid to be the ultimate optimizer of all resources and technologies, and develop a diverse, inclusive work force for the 21st century. We will do this safely and efficiently and by working with our regulators.
- Support environmental stewardship – As we transition to a cleaner energy future, we will seek to continuously improve operations across our business to reduce, mitigate or eliminate the resulting impacts on the environment.
- Support strong local communities – We have a responsibility to create shared value – for our customers, employees and the communities we serve. Our investments will enable those living in our communities to develop the skills and resources they need to build a sustainable future for themselves.
- Be a trusted energy partner – We seek to be a trusted, credible partner that customers rely upon to help them navigate energy and technology choices, give them accurate and timely information they can act on, and be their provider of choice for safe, reliable electricity.
“The evolution of this report is remarkable and the value it brings is immeasurable,” Akins said. “Our audience has grown from environmental organizations to some of our largest investors who use this report to determine who they are investing in and where their dollars go. Our investors want to know they are investing in a company that not only provides strong financial returns, but also one that operates in a responsible and sustainable manner. Whether through our diversity and inclusion efforts or our smart energy initiatives, we can tell our story with confidence because of the innovative and adaptable work force we have in place to move us toward the energy company of the future.”
AEP has partnered with the National Merit Scholarship Corp. to provide four Merit Scholar® awards this year to children of AEP employees. Recipients of the National Merit AEP Scholarships for 2017 are:
William Ma, son of Steve Ma and Anita Zhang. Steve is an IT systems administration specialist senior in Columbus, Ohio. William is a graduate of Dublin (Ohio) Jerome High School and will be studying biomedicine at The Ohio State University.
Corey Simmerer, son of Brad and Julia Simmerer. Brad is an IT network analyst senior in Gahanna, Ohio. Corey is a graduate of Olentangy Orange High School in Lewis Center, Ohio, and will be studying biomedical engineering at Duke University.
Robert Webster, son of Jon and Rumiela Webster. Jon is environmental and lab supervisor at the John Amos Plant in Winfield, W.Va. Robert is a graduate of Hurricane (W.Va.) High School and will be studying engineering at West Virginia University.
Benjamin Yoss, son of Jeff and Marilyn Yoss. Jeff is a retired senior engineer, Indiana Michigan Power Distribution in Fort Wayne, Ind. Benjamin is a graduate of Northrop High School in Fort Wayne and will be studying engineering and playing baseball at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Each scholarship winner will receive a $1,000 college undergraduate stipend payable annually for up to four years. Up to five graduating high school students are awarded scholarships each year.
To be eligible for the scholarships, a high school senior must attain Finalist standing in the National Merit Scholarship Program and be a child of an employee of AEP or one of its subsidiaries.
To enter the National Merit Scholarship Program, high school juniors (11th grade/third year students) must take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
Some 16,000 students annually are designated National Merit Program Semifinalists, representing the highest scores in every state.
To advance to Finalist status, Semifinalists must:
- Have an academic record of very high performance;
- Be endorsed and recommended by the high school;
- Take a second examination (SAT) to confirm earlier test performance; and
- Submit a scholarship application including extracurricular accomplishments, interests, goals and information on parent employment with AEP.
Specific information regarding participation is published in the Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT®, which is updated annually and distributed to students through their high schools.
Winners of 2018 National Merit AEP Scholarships will be selected by the National Merit Scholarship Corp. beginning in the spring of 2018 and announced publicly in April of that year. There is no separate AEP application process for these scholarships; awardees are chosen by the National Merit Scholarship Corp. based on its criteria.
The National Merit AEP scholarship program is separate from the AEP Educational Trust Scholarship Program that annually provides scholarships to 44 children of AEP employees on a competitive basis.
See additional information about the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Forty-four sons and daughters of employees throughout the AEP System have been named recipients of 2017 AEP Educational Trust Scholarships.
Each of the winning scholars will receive $8,000 over a three-year period: $3,000 for the freshman year in college, $2,500 for the sophomore year and $2,500 for the junior year.
A total of 238 students throughout the AEP System applied for the 44 available scholarships, which were open to employees’ children who are seniors in high school and plan to enter college this fall.
Winners were selected by two independent scholastic judges based on each student’s class rank, grade point average, test scores, recommendations, autobiographical presentation, special qualities or talents, leadership abilities, extracurricular activities and citizenship.
AEP has given 1,953 educational awards totaling $8.85 million since the program began in 1955 with a single $500 award. If a student receives a full scholarship to the institution of choice, he or she will give up the AEP award and an alternate will be selected.
This year’s winners are:
Matthew Allen, son of Wayne and Teresa Allen. Wayne is a regulatory accounting case manager at AEP Headquarters in Columbus Ohio. Matthew is a home school high school senior in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
Abby Bailey, daughter of Rob and Lisa Bailey. Rob is an economic forecast analyst located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Abby is a senior at Stroud High School in Stroud, Oklahoma.
Daniel Busch, son of Brent and Lisa Busch. Brent is a customer services engineer principal for Appalachian Power Company in Huntington, West Virginia. Dan is a senior at Paul G. Blazer High School in Ashland, Kentucky.
Amanda Cooper, daughter of Bonnie Richardson and Curt Cooper. Curt is director of employee benefits at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Amanda is a senior at Olentangy Liberty High School in Powell, Ohio.
Krista Eldridge, daughter of Mark and Linda Eldridge. Linda is a principle project coordinator for Transmission’s Project Management Group in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Hunter Enama, son of Gary and Diane Enama. Gary is an energy efficiency coordinator for AEP Ohio in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Hunter is a senior at New Philadelphia High School in New Philadelphia, Ohio.
Rachel Farmer, daughter of Dave and Tina Farmer. Dave is the plant environmental coordinator senior at the Rockport Plant in Rockport, Indiana. Rachel is a senior at Daviess County High School in Owensboro, Kentucky.
Faith Ferguson, daughter of Steve and Angie Ferguson. Steve is the vice president of Regulatory and Finance for Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power. Faith is a senior at Winfield High School in Winfield, West Virginia.
Erin Ferry, daughter of Julie and Jeff Ferry. Jeff is a senior engineering technician from the Huntington District of Appalachian Power Company. Erin is a senior at Spring Valley High School in Huntington, West Virginia.
Connor Finneran, son of Mike and Bonnie Finneran. Mike is a mechanical engineer principal at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Connor is a senior at Olentangy Liberty High School in Powell, Ohio.
Madeleine Gagné, daughter of John and Kendra Gagné. John is an IT software developer lead at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Madeleine is a senior at Dublin Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio.
Connor Gray, son of Rick and Lisa Gray. Rick is a principal analyst in Treasury Operations at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Connor is a senior at Dublin Scioto High School in Dublin, Ohio.
Erica Heathcote, daughter of Bob and Kam Heathcote and Deborah Calley. Bob is a nuclear specialist at Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Michigan. Erica is a senior at St. Joseph High School in St. Joseph, Michigan.
Gracie Hoffman, daughter of Dave and Kathie Hoffman. Dave is the managing director of Field and Support Services in Columbus, Ohio. Gracie is a senior at Meigs High School in Pomeroy, Ohio.
Ryan Hudson, son of Loyd Hudson. Loyd is the Integrated Disability Manager at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Ryan is a senior at Granville High School in Granville, Ohio.
Julia Kubath, daughter of Thomas and Michelle Kubath. Tom is an auxiliary equipment operator at the Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Michigan. Julia is a senior at Michigan Lutheran High School in St. Joseph, Michigan.
Morgan Lawrence, daughter of Tollison and Sherri Lawrence. Tollison is a field procurement specialist in Conesville, Ohio. Morgan is a senior at River View High School and attends classes at The Ohio State University in Newark, Ohio, as part of the College Credit Plus program.
William Ma, son of Anita Zhang and Steve Ma. Steve is a system administrator at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. William is a senior at Dublin Jerome High School in Dublin, Ohio.
Emma McSpadden, daughter of James and Pamela McSpadden. James is the material handling superintendent at the Oklaunion Power Station in Vernon, Texas. Emma is a senior at Vernon High School in Vernon.
Julia Minter, daughter of Stan and Terri Minter. Stan is the maintenance superintendent at Welsh Power Plant in Pittsburg, Texas. Julia is a senior at Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon, Texas.
Kovid Misicka, son of Vini and Matt Misicka. Vini is the IT corporate demand director at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Kovid is a senior at Hilliard Bradley High School in Hilliard, Ohio.
Aditya Mistry, son of Pradip and Rupali Mistry. Pradip is an IT business systems analyst specialist in Gahanna, Ohio. Aditya is a senior at New Albany High School in New Albany, Ohio.
Corey Morgan, son of Reid and Jill Morgan. Reid is an engineering technician principal for American Electric Power in Corpus Christi, Texas. Corey is a senior at Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi.
K. Bryce Morrison, son of Kenny and Eugenia Morrison. Kenny is a maintenance supervisor for Appalachian Power Company in Sandy Level, Virginia. Bryce is a senior at Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount, Virginia, as well as the Roanoke Valley Governor’s School for Science and Technology in Roanoke, Virginia.
Shannon Peck, daughter of David and Julie Peck. David is a SCADA support specialist for Commercial Operations at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Shannon is a senior at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Ohio.
Allison Pennybaker, daughter of Robert and Lu Ann Pennybaker. Robert is director of the System Interconnections group and Lu Ann is a senior software developer in IT Business Applications-Customer & Distribution. Allison is a senior at Eagle Point Christian Academy in Sapulpa, Oklahoma.
Ashlyn Pugh, daughter of Archie and Carrie Pugh. Archie is the managing director of Transmission Field Services East based out of Roanoke, Virginia. Ashlyn is a senior at Salem High School in Salem, Virginia.
Jenna Rao, daughter of Frank Rao and Jing Wang. Frank is a cybersecurity lead at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Jenna is a senior at Thomas Worthington High School in Worthington, Ohio.
Jimmy Rao, son of Frank Rao and Jing Wang. Frank is a cybersecurity lead at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Jimmy is a senior at Thomas Worthington High School in Worthington, Ohio.
Brock Reynolds, son of Earlyne and Tom Reynolds. Earlyne is a regulatory consultant for the AEP Service Corporation in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Brock is a senior at Jenks High School in Jenks, Oklahoma.
Shanila Reza, daughter of Hasan and Sharmin Reza. Hasan is an engineer principal in Generation Structural Engineering Services at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Shanila is a senior at Dublin Jerome High School in Dublin, Ohio.
Meredith Roach, daughter of Ellen and Pete Boriin. Ellen is an IT business systems analyst specialist at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Meredith is a senior at Thomas Worthington High School in Worthington, Ohio.
Ashley Samuelson, daughter of Ivan and Monica Samuelson. Ivan is a software developer lead at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Ashley is a senior at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Ohio.
Corey Simmerer, son of Brad and Julia Simmerer. Brad is an IT network analyst senior in Gahanna, Ohio. Corey is a graduate of Olentangy Orange High School in Lewis Center, Ohio.
Aubree Smith, daughter of Chris and Kelie Smith. Chris is a distribution dispatcher at the Distribution Dispatch Center in Roanoke, Virginia. Aubree is a senior at William Byrd High School in Roanoke.
Michael Solomon, son of Stuart and Dana Solomon. Stuart is the president and chief operating officer for Public Service Company of Oklahoma in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Michael is a senior at Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa.
Ellen Spitznogle, daughter of Gary and Lynette Spitznogle. Gary is the managing director of CCR management for fossil and hydro generation in Columbus, Ohio. Ellen is a senior at Worthington Kilbourne High School in Worthington, Ohio.
Elizabeth Stolte, daughter of Arthur and Deborah Stolte. Arthur is a nuclear planner at the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman Michigan. Elizabeth is a senior at Lake Michigan Catholic High School in St. Joseph Michigan.
Madyson Stricker, daughter of Jim and Beth Stricker. Jim is a customer design technician for Indiana Michigan Power Company in Decatur, Indiana. Madyson is a senior at Columbia City High School in Columbia City, Indiana.
Rishi Verma, son of Sam and Vishakha Verma. Sam is a procurement engineering supervisor at the Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Michigan. Rishi is a senior at Michigan City High School in Michigan City, Indiana.
Robert Webster, son of Jon and Rumiela Webster. Jon is the environmental and lab supervisor at the John Amos Power Plant in Winfield, West Virginia. Robert is a senior at Hurricane High School in Hurricane, West Virginia.
Alexander Witt, son of Jill Parker-Witt and Dr. Steve Witt. Jill is an environmental engineer principle for AEP’s Environmental Services Land Environment & T&D Compliance Group in Shreveport, Louisiana. Alex is a senior at Caddo Parish Magnet High School in Shreveport, La.
Michael Zelina, son of Tom and Karen Zelina. Tom is a regulatory case manager for the Regulatory Services group at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Michael is a senior at Saint Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, Ohio.
Celia Zhang, daughter of Kevin Zhang and Kathy He. Kevin is a staff engineer at AEP Transmission Operations Center in New Albany, Ohio. Kathy is an IT system analyst-specialist at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Celia is a senior at Olentangy Liberty High School in Powell, Ohio.
