Not too long ago, if you wanted to set up a conference call or book certain AEP meeting rooms, you picked up the phone and called someone.
That helpful voice on the other end of the line belonged to Sue Warner.
Warner passed away in July, still on the job, and helping people, after 40 years.
For many long-tenured employees, Warner was the voice of AEP. If you called corporate headquarters needing to talk to someone, she answered the call. Her knowledge of employees was so encyclopedic she could often connect you with the right person even if all you had was a first name and some vague idea of what they did for the company.
“Sue was a very special person,” said Dodie Saunders, former executive administrative assistant-senior. “I worked with her many times during my career at AEP. You could feel her smile through the phone and whatever you needed she made happen!”
Arkansas
Louise Buchanan retired 7/9/2022 from Fayetteville Operations, Fayetteville, AR, after 50 years
Illinois
George Voorhees retired 7/1/2022 from Home Worksite, IL, after 18 years
Indiana
Sharon Heltzel retired 7/8/2022 from Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, after 35 years
Jay King retired 7/8/2022 from Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, after 33 years
George Brenneman retired 7/8/2022 from Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, after 41 years
Randall Forler retired 7/7/2022 from Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, after 33 years
David Lindley retired 7/5/2022 from Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, after 38 years
Julia Workman retired 7/5/2022 from Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, after 33 years
Alan Jones retired 7/2/2022 from Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, after 41 years
Douglas Carey retired 6/7/2022 from Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, after 36 years
Victoria Mendez retired 6/1/2022 from Northeast Svc Center, New Haven, IN, after 42 years
David Bayle retired 6/2/2022 from Ft Wayne One Summit Square, Ft. Wayne, IN, after 17 years
Joe Lemons retired 7/1/2022 from Muncie Srv Ctr, Muncie, IN, after 41 years
Francia Glenn retired 7/1/2022 from South Bend Svc Ctr, South Bend, IN, after 33 years
Stephen Schutz retired 6/2/2022 from South Bend Svc Ctr, South Bend, IN, after 40 years
Lisa Jackson retired 6/1/2022 from Baer Field Svc Ctr, Ft. Wayne, IN, after 34 years
Kentucky
Randall Hennecke retired 7/9/2022 from Robert E Matthews Service Cent, Ashland, KY, after 41 years
Robert Wells retired 6/1/2022 from Robert E Matthews Service Cent, Ashland, KY, after 41 years
Louisiana
Elizabeth Stephens retired 7/23/2022 from Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, after 43 years
Edwin Owen retired 7/9/2022 from Shreveport Operations, Shreveport, LA, after 20 years
Jerry Keene retired 7/5/2022 from Shreveport Operations, Shreveport, LA, after 32 years
Kevin Anderson retired 7/1/2022 from Shreveport Operations, Shreveport, LA, after 36 years
Gary Pearson retired 7/9/2022 from Central Maintenance Facility, Shreveport, LA, after 21 years
John Creamer retired 7/6/2022 from McNeil Street Center, Shreveport, LA, after 43 years
Linda Lewis retired 7/8/2022 from Shreveport Office, Shreveport, LA, after 24 years
Jerry Keene retired 7/5/2022 from Shreveport Operations, Shreveport, LA, after 32 years
Michigan
Thomas Lain retired 7/2/2022 from Cook Material Center, Bridgman, MI, after 38 years
Robert Bennett retired 7/22/2022 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, after 41 years
Steven Olszewski retired 7/19/2022 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, after 31 years
Bruce Abbgy retired 7/8/2022 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, after 35 years
James Elkins retired 7/6/2022 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, after 37 years
Marc Ferguson retired 7/5/2022 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, after 42 years
Cathi Hutzler retired 7/3/2022 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, after 10 years
Joel Gebbie retired 7/2/2022 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, after 36 years
Daniel Walter retired 7/2/2022 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, after 32 years
Jay Adams retired 7/2/2022 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, after 35 years
Karey Greene retired 7/8/2022 from Buchanan Nuclear Ofc, Buchanan, MI, after 31 years
James Colvin retired 7/5/2022 from Buchanan Nuclear Ofc, Buchanan, MI, after 37 years
Ohio
Daniel Lee retired 7/16/2022 from AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, after 33 years
Pamela Busby retired 7/12/2022 from AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, after 23 years
Thomas Festi retired 7/9/2022 from AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, after 40 years
Charles Patton retired 7/2/2022 from AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, after 26 years
Noreen Riley retired 7/2/2022 from AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, after 13 years
Brian Puckett retired 7/2/2022 from AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, after 41 years
Daniel Sculley retired 7/2/2022 from AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, after 40 years
Kevin Brady retired 7/1/2022 from AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, after 23 years
William Romine retired 6/1/2022 from AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, after 41 years
Christopher Carson retired 7/2/2022 from Transmission Ops Center, New Albany, OH, after 32 years
Brenda Johnson retired 7/2/2022 from Central Operations Center, Groveport, OH, after 39 years
Franklin Gerlach retired 6/10/2022 from Central Operations Center, Groveport, OH, after 19 years
Kathy Petty retired 7/1/2022 from Lancaster Service Bldg, Lancaster, OH, after 33 years
Barbara Sims retired 7/1/2022 from Columbus Sw Svc Ctr, Columbus, OH, after 36 years
Carolyn Gardner retired 7/1/2022 from Zanesville Svc Ctr, Zanesville, OH, after 43 years
Marcie Wilson retired 7/16/2022 from Belmont Ofc & Svc Bldg, St. Clairsville, OH, after 40 years
Michael Johnson retired 6/1/2022 from Belmont Ofc & Svc Bldg, St. Clairsville, OH, after 24 years
Vincent Boggs retired 7/6/2022 from Steubenville Service Center, Steubenville, OH, after 51 years
Debra Urschel retired 6/5/2022 from Chillicothe Svc Ctr, Chillicothe, OH, after 14 years
Rosemary Satterfield retired 7/9/2022 from Chlicthe Stn&Meter/T&D, Chillicothe, OH, after 33 years
Linda Raderchak retired 7/5/2022 from Canton Estrn Reg Ofc, Canton, OH, after 42 years
James Davis retired 7/20/2022 from N Philadelphia Svc Bldg, New Philadelphia, OH, after 40 years
Charles Hixson retired 7/16/2022 from Athens Ofc & Svc Center, Athens, OH, after 23 years
Terry Swingle retired 7/5/2022 from Mcconnelsville Svc Ctr, Mcconnelsville, OH, after 36 years
Vicki Clifford retired 7/16/2022 from AEPOH 700 Bldg Gahanna, Gahanna, OH, after 42 years
Tracy West retired 7/9/2022 from AEPOH 700 Bldg Gahanna, Gahanna, OH, after 36 years
Gail Klauck-Jacobs retired 7/5/2022 from AEPOH 700 Bldg Gahanna, Gahanna, OH, after 15 years
Clifford Kemmerling retired 7/7/2022 from Grandview Service Center, Columbus, OH, after 18 years
Joseph Smith retired 7/9/2022 from Newark Transmission, Heath, OH, after 37 years
Diana Petrie retired 7/1/2022 from Newark Service Bldg, Newark, OH, after 34 years
Joseph Fredley retired 7/2/2022 from AEP Transmission HQ2, New Albany, OH, after 43 years
Mark Manson retired 6/9/2022 from Canton Transmission SC, Canton, OH, after 33 years
William Price retired 7/16/2022 from East Ohio Transmission SC, St. Clairsville, OH, after 32 years
Daniel Sculley retired 7/2/2022 from AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, after 40 years
Christopher Carson retired 7/2/2022 from Transmission Ops Center, New Albany, OH, after 32 years
Linda Raderchak retired 7/5/2022 from Canton Estrn Reg Ofc, Canton, OH, after 42 years
Oklahoma
George Heady retired 7/6/2022 from Alsuma Meter & Substation, Tulsa, OK, after 32 years
Brian Urich retired 7/16/2022 from Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, after 40 years
Dale Schaar retired 7/15/2022 from Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, after 12 years
Shawnna Jones retired 7/5/2022 from Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, after 30 years
Glenda Duvall retired 7/1/2022 from Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, after 14 years
Marilyn Spano-Lopez retired 7/1/2022 from Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, after 24 years
Wayne Sconyers retired 7/8/2022 from Northeastern Stn 3&4, Oologah, OK, after 21 years
Jeffrey Wimberly retired 7/2/2022 from McAlester Operations Center, McAlester, OK, after 40 years
Leonard Elrod retired 6/1/2022 from Chickasha, Chickasha, OK, after 16 years
Nelson Plummer retired 7/6/2022 from Mid Metro, Tulsa, OK, after 20 years
Roger Shannon retired 6/1/2022 from Mid Metro, Tulsa, OK, after 27 years
Sudhakar Chidurala retired 6/18/2022 from Tulsa Transmission Office & SC, Tulsa, OK, after 14 years
Texas
Mary Fertsch retired 6/25/2022 from Central Div-Br-Victoria, Victoria, TX, after 52 years
Abel Suarez retired 7/1/2022 from Pharr North Service Center, Pharr, TX, after 34 years
Rosalva Underwood retired 7/1/2022 from Pharr North Service Center, Pharr, TX, after 43 years
Isabel Padilla retired 7/2/2022 from Uvalde Service Center, Uvalde, TX, after 37 years
Jerry Coker retired 6/11/2022 from Knox City, Knox City, TX, after 35 years
David Pena retired 7/2/2022 from Lon Hill Service Center, Corpus Christi, TX, after 41 years
Jerry Miller retired 7/2/2022 from Central Shops, Corpus Christi, TX, after 42 years
Graciela Ramirez retired 7/2/2022 from Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, after 12 years
Kevin Moore retired 6/26/2022 from Welsh Plant, Pittsburg, TX, after 38 years
Ruben Caballero retired 7/2/2022 from San Benito Service Center, San Benito, TX, after 45 years
Oren Cortez retired 7/1/2022 from San Benito Service Center, San Benito, TX, after 46 years
David Zak retired 7/16/2022 from San Angelo SC, San Angelo, TX, after 42 years
Randy Wessels retired 7/9/2022 from San Angelo SC, San Angelo, TX, after 47 years
Troy Moore retired 7/1/2022 from Abilene T&D Operations, Abilene, TX, after 38 years
Max Copeland retired 7/1/2022 from Abilene T&D Operations, Abilene, TX, after 21 years
Christopher Jones retired 7/1/2022 from Abilene T&D Operations, Abilene, TX, after 38 years
Patrick Molloy retired 6/22/2022 from Renaissance Tower, Dallas, TX, after 36 years
Virginia
Steven Mullen retired 7/6/2022 from Rocky Mount Ofc & Svc Ctr, Rocky Mount, VA, after 38 years
Kelvin Lee retired 7/13/2022 from Pulaski Svc Center, Pulaski, VA, after 32 years
David Kessler retired 7/7/2022 from Roanoke Main Office, Roanoke, VA, after 38 years
Kenneth Worsham retired 7/1/2022 from Smith Mountain Hydro, Sandy Level, VA, after 42 years
Addison Mason retired 7/9/2022 from John W. Vaughan Center, Roanoke, VA, after 32 years
James Ashley retired 7/1/2022 from Abingdon Transmsn Bldg, Abingdon, VA, after 27 years
West Virginia
Patrick Richards retired 7/9/2022 from Beckley Service Center, Beckley, WV, after 33 years
Leslie Adkins retired 7/9/2022 from Ceredo Plant, Huntington, WV, after 21 years
Juan Thomas retired 7/16/2022 from Amos Plant, Winfield, WV, after 34 years
Daniel Justice retired 7/15/2022 from Amos Plant, Winfield, WV, after 34 years
William Tucker retired 7/12/2022 from Amos Plant, Winfield, WV, after 42 years
Marion Andrews retired 7/5/2022 from Bluefield Wv Srv Ctr, Bluefield, WV, after 42 years
James Doty retired 7/23/2022 from Mitchell Plant, Cresap, WV, after 42 years
David Sadlowski retired 7/23/2022 from Mitchell Plant, Cresap, WV, after 33 years
Martin Steiner retired 7/18/2022 from Mitchell Plant, Cresap, WV, after 18 years
Timothy Tidd retired 7/6/2022 from Mountaineer Plant, New Haven, WV, after 32 years
Patrick Simpkins retired 6/1/2022 from Mountaineer Plant, New Haven, WV, after 44 years
Alfred Curran retired 6/1/2022 from River Trans Division, West Columbia, WV, after 18 years
Clyde Stepp retired 7/16/2022 from Pineville (Wv) Ofc & Svc Ctr, Pineville, WV, after 42 years
Indiana
Thomas Griffiths, 82, Ft Wayne One Summit Square, Ft. Wayne, IN, died 6/20/2022
Kentucky
Wallace Melton, 58, Hazard Service Center, Hazard, KY, died 6/23/2022
Louisiana
Wilburn Oney, 88, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 6/27/2022
Ronald Guthrie, 84, Elmwood Drydock&Repair Shpyrd, Belle Chasse, LA, died 6/11/2022
Michigan
Paul Miller, 87, Three Rivers Svc Ctr, Three Rivers, MI, died 6/28/2022
Ronald Freehling, 83, Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, died 6/4/2022
Missouri
Vernon Sturgeon, 92, AEP River Operations – Cape, Cape Girardeau, MO, died 7/13/2022
Ohio
Susan Warner, 71, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 7/17/2022
Robert Wilson, 66, Minerva Annex, Columbus, OH, died 5/19/2022
Gary Blankenship, 57, South Point Ofc & Svc Ctr, South Point, OH, died 7/1/2022
Kimberly Hoskinson, 63, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 6/20/2022
Michael Hague, 69, Cardinal Plant, Brilliant, OH, died 6/13/2022
Warren Lankford, 76, Gavin, Cheshire, OH, died 6/26/2022
Monty Dixon, 72, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 6/10/2022
Jeffrey White, 67, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 6/2/2022
Joseph Scharpf, 85, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 6/22/2022
George Sarkadi, 91, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 6/6/2022
Joseph Piccininni, 93, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 7/5/2022
Larry Bumgardner, 83, Gavin, Cheshire, OH, died 5/24/2022
Henry Barlage, 81, Chillicothe Svc Ctr, Chillicothe, OH, died 6/12/2022
Richard Woods, 85, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 6/18/2022
John Swank, 81, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 6/4/2022
James Elliott, 89, Muskingum River, Waterford, OH, died 6/27/2022
Thomas Dillon, 85, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 6/21/2022
Rodney Ruble, 86, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 6/22/2022
Robert Davis, 96, Athens Ofc & Svc Center, Athens, OH, died 7/10/2022
Richard Worthington, 86, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 6/28/2022
Mark Boron, 82, Canton Estrn Reg Ofc, Canton, OH, died 6/15/2022
Joshua Head, 42, Crooksville Svc Bldg, Crooksville, OH, died 7/1/2022
Otto Kubecka, 67, Northeastern Stn 1&2, Oologah, OK, died 5/24/2022
Oklahoma
William Crow, 63, Mid Metro, Tulsa, OK, died 6/7/2022
Texas
Mary Matthews, 84, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 6/17/2022
S Booker, 97, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 6/2/2022
Robert Elliff, 75, Harlingen Area Office, Harlingen, TX, died 6/5/2022
Ronald Flores, 62, Lon Hill Transmission Service, Corpus Christi, TX, died 6/11/2022
Roger Gilpin, 80, Laredo Service Center, Laredo, TX, died 6/25/2022
Miguel Longoria, 85, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 6/13/2022
Billie Smith, 94, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 7/5/2022
Ronnie Chappell, 67, Longview Operations, Longview, TX, died 6/25/2022
Manuel Sanchez, 96, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 6/22/2022
Virginia
Thomas Martin, 79, John W. Vaughan Ctr Mtr/Str, Roanoke, VA, died 7/2/2022
Giles Carter, 95, Clinch River Plant, Cleveland, VA, died 6/8/2022
Larry Betterton, 86, Smith Mountain Hydro, Sandy Level, VA, died 6/6/2022
Jessee Hackney, 85, Clinch River Plant, Cleveland, VA, died 6/12/2022
West Virginia
Danny Wymer, 81, St Albans Ofc & Svc Ctr, St. Albans, WV, died 5/27/2022
Leon Poskas, 78, Bluefield Wv Srv Ctr, Bluefield, WV, died 6/21/2022
Robert Shilling, 85, Wheeling Service Bldg, Wheeling, WV, died 5/20/2022
Frances Pennington, 96, Bluefield Office, Bluefield, WV, died 6/11/2022
William Dean, 98, Central Machine Shop, South Charleston, WV, died 5/22/2022
Glenn Matheny, 84, Amos Plant, Winfield, WV, died 6/12/2022
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Sloat will be the 11th president and 7th CEO of AEP. |
AEP’s Board of Directors has appointed Julie Sloat as president and chief financial officer, effective immediately. She has also been elected chief executive officer effective Jan. 1, 2023. Sloat is AEP’s 11th president and will become the seventh CEO in the company’s 116-year history. She is currently executive vice president and CFO, a position she has held since Jan. 1, 2021.
Nick Akins, chairman, president and chief executive officer, is stepping down as president as part of AEP’s executive succession plan and will end his term as CEO Dec. 31. He will become executive chair of the AEP Board and will remain an officer and employee of the company. He has been president and CEO since 2011 and chairman since 2014.
“Julie is an exceptional leader who has successfully led key strategic areas for the company,” Akins said. “Her financial expertise and positive relationship with investors have been essential for the execution of our long-term strategy, enabling us to deliver strong earnings quarter after quarter while continuing to raise guidance and provide consistent dividend growth. Her deep understanding of our business and industry, including her experience leading AEP Ohio and our regulatory team, will be critical as we continue to invest in new energy resources and grid enhancements that improve service and reliability, support a clean energy future and provide value to our customers, communities and investors.
“Julie’s engaging leadership style also will continue to enhance AEP’s culture. She is committed to the success of our employees, customers and the communities we serve and is passionate about fostering positive, mutually beneficial relationships inside and outside the company,” Akins said.
“Nick has transformed AEP during the 11 years that he has led the company. His focus on innovation, technology, and modernization of the grid and AEP’s generation fleet is enabling clean, reliable and resilient energy to fuel growth in the communities that AEP serves. He also has built an open, collaborative culture that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Sara Martinez Tucker, lead director of AEP’s Board.
“AEP is fortunate that Nick has focused on developing a group of strong and capable leaders to ensure the company’s continued success. Julie has demonstrated exemplary leadership skills at every stage of her career, and we are confident in her ability to lead this team. During her time as CFO, she has improved the financial performance of the company, and she also enhanced the performance and culture of AEP Ohio during the transition to competitive markets. The Board is confident that she is the right person to lead AEP during this dynamic time for the industry and the company,” Tucker said.
There will be no immediate changes to reporting structure. Sloat will continue reporting to Akins and a new CFO will be named before Jan. 1.
“This is a time of tremendous change and opportunity for our company as we invest in new energy technologies and infrastructure to provide clean and reliable energy for our 5.5 million customers,” Sloat said. “It’s an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to lead this amazing team of nearly 17,000 employees. I’ve seen first-hand your commitment to innovation, to supporting the communities we serve and to ensuring that our customers can count on us every day to power their lives and businesses. It’s an exciting time to be in this industry and to build on the 116-year legacy of AEP.”
Sloat has been executive vice president – chief financial officer since Jan. 1, 2021. She previously served as senior vice president, Treasury and Risk, and president and chief operating officer of AEP Ohio.
Sloat has held several additional key leadership positions since joining the company in 1999, including senior vice president and treasurer; vice president, Regulatory Case Management; vice president, Treasurer and Investor Relations; and vice president, Investor Relations, Strategic Initiatives and Economic Forecasting.
In addition to her AEP career, Sloat was vice president of Corporate Finance and Investor relations at Tween Brands, a bank debt underwriter and buy side equity analyst at Bank One (JP Morgan). She also worked for M&T Mortgage, a subsidiary of M&T Bank Corp.
Sloat has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a double major in Finance and Economics and a Master of Business Administration from the Ohio State University. She completed the Nuclear Reactor Technology Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Sloat serves on the board of directors for Evoqua Water Technologies Corp. and as the chair of the board of directors for the James Cancer Hospital Foundation. She also serves on the board of Ohio Valley Electric Corp. and Pelotonia.
Arkansas
Rebecca Hileman retired 5/4/2022 from Fayetteville Operations, Fayetteville, AR, after 12 years
Indiana
Douglas Carey retired 6/7/2022 from Rockport Plant, Rockport, IN, after 36 years
Victoria Mendez retired 6/1/2022 from Northeast Svc Center, New Haven, IN, after 42 years
David Bayle retired 6/2/2022 from Ft Wayne One Summit Square, Ft. Wayne, IN, after 17 years
Stephen Schutz retired 6/2/2022 from South Bend Svc Ctr, South Bend, IN, after 40 years
Bruce Waggoner retired 5/3/2022 from South Bend Svc Ctr, South Bend, IN, after 23 years
Lisa Jackson retired 6/1/2022 from Baer Field Svc Ctr, Ft. Wayne, IN, after 34 years
Kentucky
Charley Hebert retired 5/22/2022 from AEP River Operations -Paducah, Paducah, KY, after 26 years
Carolyn Thacker retired 5/28/2022 from Pikeville Service Ctr, Pikeville, KY, after 46 years
Everett Young retired 5/28/2022 from Pikeville Service Ctr, Pikeville, KY, after 44 years
Willard King retired 5/28/2022 from Pikeville Service Ctr, Pikeville, KY, after 43 years
Robert Wells retired 6/1/2022 from Robert E Matthews Service Cent, Ashland, KY, after 41 years
Louisiana
Robert Williams retired 5/14/2022 from Shreveport Production, Shreveport, LA, after 22 years
Michigan
Gregory Weiser retired 5/19/2022 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, after 39 years
Terrence Smith retired 5/3/2022 from Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, after 21 years
Ohio
William Romine retired 6/1/2022 from AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, after 41 years
Steven Poling retired 5/6/2022 from Marietta Service Center, Marietta, OH, after 21 years
Franklin Gerlach retired 6/10/2022 from Central Operations Center, Groveport, OH, after 19 years
Christine Myers retired 5/25/2022 from Central Operations Center, Groveport, OH, after 33 years
Brenda Ankrom retired 5/14/2022 from Central Operations Center, Groveport, OH, after 38 years
Michael Johnson retired 6/1/2022 from Belmont Ofc & Svc Bldg, St. Clairsville, OH, after 24 years
Debra Urschel retired 6/5/2022 from Chillicothe Svc Ctr, Chillicothe, OH, after 14 years
Michael Mulligan retired 5/4/2022 from Canton South Svc Ctr, Canton, OH, after 43 years
Anne Rutz retired 5/21/2022 from Arena Building, Columbus, OH, after 38 years
Gregory Ewbank retired 5/31/2022 from AEPOH 700 Bldg Gahanna, Gahanna, OH, after 22 years
Richard Wohlford retired 5/11/2022 from Wooster Service Bldg, Wooster, OH, after 34 years
Jeffrey Vandine retired 5/13/2022 from Newark Service Bldg, Newark, OH, after 43 years
David Howiler retired 5/13/2022 from Newark Service Bldg, Newark, OH, after 42 years
Mark Manson retired 6/9/2022 from Canton Transmission SC, Canton, OH, after 33 years
Roger Abbott retired 5/18/2022 from Gavin 765 Yd., Cheshire, OH, after 46 years
Oklahoma
Lila Johnson retired 5/15/2022 from Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, after 14 years
Leonard Elrod retired 6/1/2022 from Chickasha, Chickasha, OK, after 16 years
Don Roberts retired 5/3/2022 from Northeastern Stn 1&2, Oologah, OK, after 43 years
Roger Shannon retired 6/1/2022 from Mid Metro, Tulsa, OK, after 27 years
Sudhakar Chidurala retired 6/18/2022 from Tulsa Transmission Office & SC, Tulsa, OK, after 14 years
Texas
Mary Fertsch retired 6/25/2022 from Central Div-Br-Victoria, Victoria, TX, after 52 years
Hamie Cortez retired 5/28/2022 from Uvalde Service Center, Uvalde, TX, after 17 years
Jerry Coker retired 6/11/2022 from Knox City, Knox City, TX, after 35 years
Kevin Moore retired 6/26/2022 from Welsh Plant, Pittsburg, TX, after 38 years
Patrick Molloy retired 6/22/2022 from Renaissance Tower, Dallas, TX, after 36 years
Lewis Peacock retired 5/11/2022 from Wilkes Plant, Avinger, TX, after 22 years
Don Hall retired 5/1/2022 from Wilkes Plant, Avinger, TX, after 38 years
Kenneth Griffin retired 5/17/2022 from Corpus Christi Service Center, Corpus Christi, TX, after 43 years
West Virginia
Timothy Hardman retired 5/2/2022 from Amos Plant, Winfield, WV, after 41 years
Patrick Simpkins retired 6/1/2022 from Mountaineer Plant, New Haven, WV, after 44 years
Bryan Smith retired 5/24/2022 from Mountaineer Plant, New Haven, WV, after 41 years
Jeffrey Wamer retired 5/21/2022 from Mountaineer Plant, New Haven, WV, after 40 years
Alfred Curran retired 6/1/2022 from River Trans Division, West Columbia, WV, after 18 years
Timothy Kinser retired 5/21/2022 from River Trans Division, West Columbia, WV, after 22 years
Susan Vickers retired 5/7/2022 from River Trans Division, West Columbia, WV, after 26 years
Jay Brown retired 5/1/2022 from River Trans Division, West Columbia, WV, after 30 years
Candice Brewer retired 5/17/2022 from N Charleston Svc Ctr, Charleston, WV, after 18 years
Arkansas
William Clinton, 63, Flint Creek Plant, Gentry, AR, died 5/12/2022
Indiana
Garfield Eldridge, 76, Tanners Creek Plant, Lawrenceburg, IN, died 5/6/2022
Lois Henson, 86, Tanners Creek Plant, Lawrenceburg, IN, died 4/16/2022
Alvin Eckstein, 90, Breed Plant, Fairbanks, IN, died 5/4/2022
Martha Meissner, 88, South Bend Office, South Bend, IN, died 5/21/2022
Peggye Creigh, 92, Avilla Svc Ctr, Avilla, IN, died 4/13/2022
James Arman, 91, Spy Run Bldg. #3, Ft. Wayne, IN, died 4/4/2022
Norman Salo, 89, South Bend Svc Ctr, South Bend, IN, died 5/21/2022
John Rowlison, 79, South Bend Svc Ctr, South Bend, IN, died 5/28/2022
Kentucky
Wallace Melton, 58, Hazard Service Center, Hazard, KY, died 6/23/2022
Louisiana
Halley Fuller, 90, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 4/16/2022
Gene Davis, 89, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 6/4/2022
John Shaw, 80, Shreveport General Office, Shreveport, LA, died 5/4/2022
Michigan
Donald Dinius, 90, St Joe Ofc & Svc Ctr, Benton Harbor, MI, died 5/3/2022
Patrick Hoppe, 68, Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, died 5/13/2022
Gregory Melnyk, 95, St Joe Ofc & Svc Ctr, Benton Harbor, MI, died 4/12/2022
Julius Kolosowsky, 98, Cook Nuclear Plant, Bridgman, MI, died 4/21/2022
New York
Gonzalo Escalante, 96, Rockefeller Center, New York, NY, died 4/29/2022
Ohio
David Lowry, 74, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 4/20/2022
Michael Cecil, 65, Conesville Plant, Conesville, OH, died 4/26/2022
John Wolverton, 62, Canton Estrn Reg Ofc, Canton, OH, died 5/8/2022
Samuel Ketz, 68, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 5/11/2022
Jon Waugh, 69, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 4/5/2022
Jerry Mayle, 73, Muskingum River, Waterford, OH, died 6/4/2022
Wayne Sams, 72, AEPOH 700 Bldg Gahanna, Gahanna, OH, died 5/26/2022
Barbara Saddler, 68, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 5/3/2022
Frederick Huff, 74, Steubenville Service Center, Steubenville, OH, died 4/13/2022
Thomas Miller, 74, Conesville Plant, Conesville, OH, died 5/5/2022
Barry McElfresh, 74, Conesville Plant, Conesville, OH, died 4/27/2022
William Bende, 77, Arena Building, Columbus, OH, died 5/24/2022
David Rose, 83, Columbus Region Off, Columbus, OH, died 4/14/2022
Alvin Knable, 93, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 4/16/2022
James McMannis, 86, Muskingum River, Waterford, OH, died 4/11/2022
Robert Ruby, 86, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 4/11/2022
Robert Henry, 91, AEP Headquarters, Columbus, OH, died 4/4/2022
William Willis, 93, 850 Tech Center Bldg, Gahanna, OH, died 4/28/2022
William Smith, 94, Canton Estrn Reg Ofc, Canton, OH, died 5/4/2022
Larry Boyer, 85, Muskingum River, Waterford, OH, died 4/17/2022
James Beck, 88, Canton Estrn Reg Ofc, Canton, OH, died 5/23/2022
Norma Ross, 97, Zanesville Office, Zanesville, OH, died 5/2/2022
Max Wright, 90, Zanesville Office, Zanesville, OH, died 4/5/2022
William Ruse, 91, Conesville Plant, Conesville, OH, died 5/22/2022
Harry Hill, 84, Canton South Svc Ctr, Canton, OH, died 5/11/2022
Betty Simcox, 69, Central Operations Center, Groveport, OH, died 4/24/2022
Jessica Rogers, 41, Central Operations Center, Groveport, OH, died 6/23/2022
Oklahoma
Joyce Fluellen, 76, Hugo, Hugo, OK, died 4/3/2022
Junior Lytle, 69, Atoka, Atoka, OK, died 5/11/2022
Barbara Penix, 83, Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, died 4/30/2022
Johnny Springer, 95, Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, died 4/11/2022
James Wolf, 81, Tulsa General Office, Tulsa, OK, died 4/19/2022
Tennessee
Carl Seaver, 75, Kingsport Service Ctr, Kingsport, TN, died 4/12/2022
Texas
Glen Churchill, 88, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 4/17/2022
Michael Beach, 77, Coleto Creek Pwr Stn, Fannin, TX, died 5/3/2022
Victor Cavazos, 80, Pharr North Service Center, Pharr, TX, died 4/10/2022
Ronald Flores, 62, Lon Hill Transmission Service, Corpus Christi, TX, died 6/11/2022
Maria Tellez, 77, Pharr Csc Annex, Pharr, TX, died 5/15/2022
Pedro Guerrero, 72, Southern Div Office, San Benito, TX, died 4/15/2022
Elena Serow, 90, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 4/21/2022
Adolfo Reyes, 90, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 4/16/2022
Ricardo Saenz, 91, Home Office-CC, Corpus Christi, TX, died 5/8/2022
Herbert Golightly, 81, Pirkey Plant, Hallsville, TX, died 5/13/2022
E Finley, 95, General Office, Abilene, TX, died 4/11/2022
David Pena, 62, Carrizo Springs Area Off, Carrizo Springs, TX, died 6/11/2022
Virginia
Teresa Thomas, 72, Roanoke Main Office, Roanoke, VA, died 4/15/2022
Roger Bradley, 76, Glen Lyn Plant, Glen Lyn, VA, died 4/15/2022
Ronald Killen, 75, Grundy Ofc & Svc Ctr, Grundy, VA, died 4/16/2022
Charlotte Wagner, 79, Glen Lyn Plant, Glen Lyn, VA, died 4/29/2022
Donald Frye, 74, Glade Spring Service Center, Glade Spring, VA, died 4/23/2022
Walter Wade, 90, Glen Lyn Plant, Glen Lyn, VA, died 5/9/2022
Roy Maxey, 90, John W. Vaughan Center, Roanoke, VA, died 5/24/2022
Meredith Clarke, 85, Roanoke Main Office, Roanoke, VA, died 6/6/2022
Ralph Amos, 94, Roanoke Service Bldg., Roanoke, VA, died 4/18/2022
John Horn, 84, Roanoke Main Office, Roanoke, VA, died 4/21/2022
West Virginia
Robert Shaw, 70, River Trans Division, West Columbia, WV, died 4/6/2022
Charles Justice, 75, Marmet Hydro, Marmet, WV, died 4/7/2022
Danny Wymer, 81, St Albans Ofc & Svc Ctr, St. Albans, WV, died 5/27/2022
Samuel Smith, 70, River Trans Division, West Columbia, WV, died 5/15/2022
William Hudson, 91, Amos Plant, Winfield, WV, died 5/24/2022
John Huntley, 81, Kammer, Moundsville, WV, died 5/14/2022
William Ewing, 78, Kammer, Moundsville, WV, died 5/11/2022
Elba Samson, 93, Logan Service Center, Logan, WV, died 4/12/2022
Paul Shiltz, 83, Amos Plant, Winfield, WV, died 4/11/2022
Richard Davis, 79, Bluefield Wv Srv Ctr, Bluefield, WV, died 5/22/2022
Lester Lusher, 78, Amos Plant Simulator, Winfield, WV, died 4/29/2022
Charles Branscome, 81, Princeton Ofc & Svc Ctr, Princeton, WV, died 5/7/2022
Carl Francisco, 84, Marmet Service Center, Marmet, WV, died 5/12/2022
Sharon Shrewsbury, 77, Bluefield Office, Bluefield, WV, died 4/22/2022
Lonie Crace, 72, River Trans Division, West Columbia, WV, died 5/30/2022
In the summer of 1982, a soon-to-be constructed power plant in Hallsville, Texas, offered the promise of opportunity for 30 young men eager to make their mark in the world.
These men joined SWEPCO as apprentice machinists for the H.W. Pirkey Power Plant. Their job entailed repairing and maintaining plant equipment and structures, a trade they learned together as Pirkey was built.
The experience bonded them, and they came to rely on each other for advice, assistance, and encouragement. Forty years later, 12 of these original 30 apprentices will be on hand for the plant’s final operation on March 31, 2023.
“We’ve had a lot of fun and challenging times together,” said Brent Ogden, now the plant’s maintenance superintendent. “We’re one big family, and I know we’ll continue to be lifelong friends even after the plant closes.”
Ogden, who transferred to Turk Power Plant in 2010, planned to retire in March 2022 but reconsidered when he was offered the chance to return to Pirkey for its final year of operation.
“There were several reasons I chose to come back,” he said. “But a big part of it was being with the guys I started with when the plant shuts down.”
Franklin’s Follies
In the early days, the group came to be known as Franklin’s Follies, a nod to their supervisor and later VP of Generation Paul Franklin, who guided their training and first steps in the industry.
“That’s what everyone labeled us because he had to raise a bunch of kids,” Ogden said with a laugh. “I was the oldest at 22.”
Some had heard about the job through family friends while others learned about it in trade classes.
“I was in a class learning how to do industrial electrical wiring when a counselor came in and told us SWEPCO wanted to hire 30 people to send to college to be machinists,” said Wade Hicks, a station machinist. “I’d never stepped foot in a machine shop, but it sounded like something that could be a lifelong career.”
Their first two years on the job were spent in the classroom. The apprentices had on-the-job instruction at a training building on the plant site, as well as machine shop classes at Kilgore College, where they learned drafting and technical physics, among other things.
“We were required to maintain an 85 average in all our classes,” said Ben Craig, maintenance supervisor. “In the summer, we would tear apart old gas plant pumps and check clearances and learn how to do maintenance on them.”
That knowledge transferred to the plant in the fall of 1984 when they began to test the new equipment.
“It was exciting knowing that we were putting this thing online,” Ogden said. “We didn’t know what to expect. At first it was overwhelming to see all this big equipment and know we were going to have to maintain it. But the more we worked on it, the more it became a challenge we took pride in.”
Working together
One of the most memorable of those challenges was the time they repaired a low-pressure (LP) rotor on the steam turbine a few months after the plant began commercial operation.
“We immediately went into doing something that had been planned for the annual warranty inspection,” Craig said. “It was a scramble to get it done, but we were ready.”
He said the thing that made the experience so exciting was that the LP rotor – which rotates the turbine blades – had been off limits during their training days.
“Everyone was eager to tear into this thing because we couldn’t even get near it before,” he said.
Maintenance Supervisor Ricky Morris said they learned a lot from that repair, and it was an experience that helped them navigate future maintenance on LP rotors.
“We got where we could probably pull those blades off with our eyes closed,” he said.
But for Morris, the best memories occurred in the boiler.
He said a tube leak in the boiler could cause quite a bit of damage as it wasn’t detected until an operator heard it.
“Today, we’ve got acoustic monitoring systems that picks those up really quick, but back then, we relied on operators to hear them,” he said. “By the time you got in there, it was a pretty good size wreck, and we’d be in there for a week. It was hard work, but you’d carry on conversations, and we made a lot of good memories inside the boiler.”
Closing a chapter
Throughout the years, these men saw a lot of changes in not just plant maintenance but their own lives.
They started families, gained promotions, and celebrated milestones together over the years.
“Now, we’re the old dogs around the yard,” Craig said. “Not a day goes by that someone comes up with a question, and we say go ask Larry (Garrison), Keith (Bynum) or Ronnie (McBride). SWEPCO did a good a job of hiring good people. Looking back and knowing what we achieved together, it’s remarkable.”
THE PIRKEY DOZEN |
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Twelve apprentice machinists hired in 1982 who still work at Pirkey Power Plant |
1. RICHARD ALLEE, senior operator |
2. KEITH BYNUM, welder machinist |
3. BEN CRAIG, maintenance supervisor |
4. BRAD EPPERSON, energy production supervisor |
5. LARRY GARRISON, station machinist C |
6. WADE HICKS, station machinist C |
7. RONNIE MCBRIDE, station machinist C |
8. RICKY MORRIS, maintenance supervisor |
9. BRENT OGDEN, maintenance superintendent |
10. TOMY RUSHING, welder machinist |
11. LANCE SCUDDAY, lignite equipment operator |
12. MACK TIMMONS, energy production supervisor |
In his youth, Dave Callahan saw a future as a professional singer. At age 16 he joined a choir that toured Europe and later studied vocal music education at Heidelberg University.
With careers in the arts limited, Callahan began considering other jobs to help pay the bills. He did electrical work during the summer months and, after a stint as a full-time electrician, he started his career as a line mechanic-D at the Canton South Service Center in 1981.
Forty years later, Callahan is retiring from AEP Ohio. He spent about 20 years as a dispatcher (in Canton) and a dispatching trainer (in Columbus) before being named mutual assistance coordinator in 2004. That experience helped lay the groundwork for his current job as emergency preparedness manager, which he started in 2016.
We talked with Callahan about his career and his plans after he leaves July 6.
What’s your best memory from your time with AEP Ohio?
Doing mutual assistance I got to go to a lot of neat places and meet people from all across the United States. I was able to see and learn from utilities outside AEP. Other than that I will remember all the people I have worked with over the years.
You’ve become a professional storm watcher. Any tips for the amateurs out there?
It’s all about the history and understanding what’s happened before. It’s getting the feel for how weather affects each location across Ohio. I’m studying the weather daily – you have to dig in a little bit and watch the wind charts. In my work I was able to meet with meteorologists and that helped me a lot. Here’s what you need to know: Wind drives our weather.
When a storm hit you were on 24/7. How are you going to spend that time during the next big storm?
When a storm hits I’m going to sit back and watch it and not worry about it. I’m looking forward to not being on the phone so much. My daughter likes to say that it wouldn’t be a holiday unless Dad is on a conference call.
You blossomed into a media star during your time here. What’s the secret to your on-camera gravitas?
Number one, I was knowledgeable about the questions reporters asked me. I knew what I was talking about, I knew the plan. That made it easier. Also, my past music history of performing in front of crowd, of being on stage in front of a thousand people, that’s no big deal to me.
Oh and the fact that I didn’t get a choice helped, too! I was in Grove City after the tornado hit and no one was there to do interviews so they put in front of the camera. The rest is history.
OK, so you’re a good singer – what’s your karaoke go-to?
I don’t know, maybe “Hooked on a Feeling”? Musically I’m probably more inclined to classical stuff, like church hymns or an Italian aria. My wife and I are also into Irish trad music.
Any tips for AEP Ohio’s younger workforce?
It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking to someone at the highest or lowest level of the company – treat everyone the same. You may have your way to do something but that’s not the only way to do it. Everyone works differently. Swallow your pride a little bit and go with the flow.
What are you most looking forward to in your retirement?
I’m looking forward to spending more time with family and my grandkids. My wife and I are moving into our family’s 44-acre family farm in Navarre right next to my daughter and there’s a lot of work to be done on that house. I’ll also do some woodworking, and we have some little trips planned to see the bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. So I’ll stay busy.
AEP announced today that Raja Sundararajan, currently senior vice president, Regulatory and Customer Solutions, will become the company’s executive vice president , External Affairs when Charles Patton retires July 1. He will report to Nick Akins, chairman, president and chief executive officer.
“Charles’ leadership and contributions have been a critical part of our success during his 27 years with the company. He led two different operating companies and held several other key leadership positions, approaching every challenge with thoughtfulness and a collaborative leadership style,” Akins said. “Charles has deftly guided his teams as they have offered new services to customers, achieved positive outcomes with regulators and policy makers, and enhanced the support we offer our customers and communities. We wish him all the best during his well-deserved retirement.”
Sundararajan will lead AEP’s communications and marketing, customer, regulatory, federal public policy, and Ohio government affairs groups. These individuals will report to him:
- Phil Dion, vice president and interim Chief Customer Officer
- Maria Haberman, managing director, Ohio Governmental Affairs
- Anthony P. Kavanagh, senior vice president, Governmental Affairs
- Melissa McHenry, senior vice president, Communications and Marketing
- Matthew Satterwhite, vice president, Regulatory Services.
“Raja brings a wealth of experience to the executive leadership team,” Akins said. “He has demonstrated a keen understanding of the unique regulatory and policy challenges of our industry during his nearly two decades with AEP, holding key leadership roles in commercial operations, corporate finance, regulatory and transmission. He also served as president of AEP Ohio. Raja’s array of experiences and his technical expertise will provide valuable insights as we continue our transition to a clean energy future.”
Sundararajan joined AEP in 2002. His most recent prior role was as president and chief operating officer for AEP Ohio. He has also served as vice president, Regulatory Services, leading AEP’s regulatory activities before state commissions and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He was also vice president, Transmission Asset Strategy and Policy; managing director, Transmission Business Strategy; managing director of Market Risk; and has held management positions in Treasury and Corporate Finance.
Sundararajan has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology. He also has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan and he completed the Executive MBA program at the University of Virginia. Sundararajan serves as a board member of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and United Way of Central Ohio.
The Women’s International Network of Utility Professionals (WiNUP) Annual Conference will be held in Little Rock, Arkansas. Many development opportunities are offered to attendees through the annual conference, which is supported in part by AEP.
As a presenting sponsor of the conference, six AEP employees / retirees will be awarded free conference registration. Winners of the free registrations will be responsible for all other expenses, including travel and hotel.
- Your completed application must be received by June 24, 2022. Winners will be notified by June 30, 2022.
- Applicants must be a current AEP employee or AEP retiree.
- You do not need to be a WiNUP member to apply.
- Applicants must have approval to attend the conference before submitting the application if not using personal time.
More conference highlights and hotel information are available at WINUP.org.
If you are interested, please complete and submit the application: C-1 2022 conf sponsorship application updated (002)
WiNUP is an association dedicated to providing professional development, networking and mentoring for women in the utility and energy industries. Founded as the Electrical Women’s Roundtable in New York in 1923, WiNUP currently has more than 600 members.