Heyeck honored by Transmission leadership team

Celebrating and watching a PowerPoint presentation with Mike Heyeck (center in blue shirt) are: (left to right) Shawn Robinson, Sam Curia, Paul Johnson, Jerry Weatherby and Jeff Momme. Back to the camera: Joel Kegler.

(Story by Kenneth J. Walker)

Mike Heyeck, senior vice president, AEP Transmission, was both celebrated and “roasted” by the 40 members of the AEP Transmission leadership team during Heyeck’s last meeting with the group before his retirement and final day on the job May 3.

Master of ceremonies and long-time Heyeck foil Bob Wagner, vice president, Transmission Field Services, was the first of seven leadership team members to share Heyeck stories both inside and outside of work. The presentations included family photos, personal experiences, learning moments, shared successes and best wishes.

Heyeck is retiring from AEP after 37 years of service, effective June 1. Most of his career was spent in leadership and engineering positions in AEP Transmission, including business development, asset management, planning, engineering, design, project management, construction, operations, dispatching, technology development, and reliability compliance. He also held leadership positions in AEP’s Corporate Planning and Budgeting, including corporate budgeting and economic forecasting.

In his current role, Heyeck has been responsible for field operations, reliability compliance, the interface with AEP’s operating companies and other customers for AEP’s 11-state transmission system, and officer and board positions for AEP affiliates and AEP Transmission’s joint ventures.

“I bleed AEP red,” Heyeck said, “and when I made my decision there was no looking in the rearview mirror, I was looking out the windshield.”

Lisa Barton, executive vice president, Transmission, thanked Heyeck for his service to AEP and presented him with a memory book of personal letters and photos from the leadership team. Then it was Heyeck’s turn.

“I bleed AEP red,” Heyeck said, “and when I made my decision there was no looking in the rearview mirror, I was looking out the windshield. I didn’t have a planned career path, there were many forks in the road and they have brought me here. The road ahead is straight and of my making.”

Famous for his lists of three, Heyeck left the leadership team with a final list of thoughts:

• Create forks in the road for those young in their careers;
• Inspire others; and 
• See all of the field and the potholes ahead.

Heyeck, who’s mantra was “safety, compliance and everything else,” shared a final safety thought with the team: “Don’t become complacent.” He concluded his comments to the team with — “I’m going to miss you the most.”

Heyeck has served the industry in numerous capacities, including transmission chairman of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Electricity Advisory Committee, president of the U.S. National Committee of the International Conference on Large High-Voltage Electric Systems (CIGRE), chairman of the Power Delivery & Utilization Council of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and member of the Board of Directors of the Reliability First Corporation, a regional entity of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).