AEP Reorganizes Transmission Organization to Support Investments and Drive Company Earnings Growth

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Dec 13, 2011, 03:00 ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) is making several organizational and leadership changes, effective Jan. 1, 2012, to focus its transmission business unit on implementing transmission projects in the company's 11-state footprint, increasing investments to improve transmission infrastructure and continuing to develop joint venture projects outside the company's service territory.

"A robust transmission system that can efficiently move power across different regions of the country is key to a secure energy future and economic growth for the United States," said Nicholas K. Akins, AEP president and chief executive officer. "Much of the investment in the transmission system was made decades ago. We believe that now is the time to re-invest in the system to ensure we can continue providing reliable, efficient transmission service to our customers while we pursue transmission growth opportunities inside and outside of AEP's service territory. This realignment of our transmission business will help us improve the system, advance our leadership in the industry and deliver earnings growth through transmission projects."

In support of AEP's movement toward the operating company model, Michael Heyeck, 57, senior vice president of transmission, will be responsible for ensuring that the transmission needs of AEP's operating companies and wholesale customers are integrated into transmission business planning. Heyeck also will serve as president of Electric Transmission America, a joint venture of AEP and MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company. He will continue to oversee Electric Transmission Texas and have responsibility for region operations and compliance for AEP's 11-state transmission system. Heyeck will continue to report to Lisa Barton, executive vice president – AEP Transmission, with a new indirect reporting relationship to Robert P. Powers, AEP's executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Scott N. Smith, 47, has been named senior vice president of transmission strategy and business operations, responsible for transmission planning, real-time operations, technology, financial reporting, business development and strategic initiatives, process improvement and performance management. Smith previously was vice president and assistant to the president of Ohio Valley Electric Corporation. He will report to Barton.

Also reporting to Barton will be Scott P. Moore, vice president of transmission engineering and project services. Moore, 51, is responsible for leading transmission project management, construction management and engineering.

Barton also announced the promotion of Robert W. Bradish, 48, to vice president of grid development, reporting to Smith. In his new role, Bradish will be responsible for transmission planning, real-time operations and technology development. Bradish previously was managing director of transmission planning and business development.

"Our team of talented and dedicated leaders will position AEP to be successful as we manage our transmission investments, focus on improving the reliability of the system for our customers and execute new growth opportunities," Barton said. "Along with the increased responsibilities for Mike, Scott Moore and Bob, we are thrilled that Scott Smith is bringing his wealth of business operations experience to our transmission organization and will be leading the development of strategies to grow our business."

Prior to being named senior vice president of transmission in 2006, Heyeck held several leadership and engineering positions in AEP Transmission, including asset management, planning and operations. He also held a leadership position in Corporate Planning and Budgeting. Heyeck joined AEP in 1976. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a master's in business administration at the University of Dayton. He is a graduate of the Executive Program at the University of Virginia's Darden School and the AEP Management Development Program at The Ohio State University. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Ohio.

Smith has served as vice president and assistant to the president of Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC) since 2010. Previously, he was vice president – Generation Business Services for AEP since 2005. He joined AEP in 2001 as chief risk officer. Prior to that, he was vice president of risk management for Global Consumer Bank, a division of Citigroup. Before joining Citigroup in 1995, Smith was vice president of risk management for First Fidelity/First Union. Earlier, he was a national bank examiner for the U.S. Treasury Department. He served as a captain in the U.S. Army and worked as an engineer during his military service. Smith received a bachelor's degree in finance from Drexel University in Philadelphia and an associate degree in business administration from Valley Forge Military College in Wayne, Pa.

Moore has been vice president of transmission engineering and project services since 2010 and previously served as vice president of transmission system and region operations since 2007. From 2000 to 2007, he was vice president of transmission operations. Prior to that, he served as director of system operations for Central and South West Corp. (CSW) before its merger with AEP in June 2000. He began his career with CSW in 1983 at West Texas Utilities as a substation engineer. Moore received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University in Lubbock and has completed the Wharton School of Business Executive Development Program. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas.

Bradish became AEP's managing director of transmission planning and business development in 2010. Previously, he was vice president of market operations. Bradish joined AEP in 1987 as an engineer in transmission planning and has held a number of management positions related to energy trading, transmission and fundamental analysis, price forecasting and RTO market operations. Bradish holds bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from Clarkson University in New York. He also holds a master of business administration degree from The Ohio State University and is a registered professional engineer in the state of Ohio.

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation's largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP's transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. AEP's utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP's headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio.