Columbus, Ohio, and Dallas, April 18, 2000 -- American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP) has named Floyd Nickerson to the position of state president – Ohio. He is currently vice president – corporate resources for CSW Energy/International. Nickerson, 42, succeeds Marsha Ryan, who has been named senior vice president – customer operations. The appointment is effective following completion of a merger this spring with Central and South West Corp. (NYSE:CSR). CSWE is a subsidiary of CSW. “Floyd has a strong understanding of where our industry is headed and will be a key player in helping AEP continue to build and maintain external relationships with regulators, legislators, consumers and other stakeholders who have an impact on the company’s activities,” said Tom Hagan, senior vice president – governmental affairs. Nickerson began with CSW in 1979 as a management trainee in human resources for West Texas Utilities, Abilene. He served as personnel assistant and senior personnel assistant from 1979-1989, manager of personnel services from 1989 to 1991 and manager of business operations from 1991-1992. In 1992, he transferred to Transok Inc., CSW’s gas pipeline and transmission operation in Tulsa, as vice president of corporate resources. In November 1996, he served five months as vice president – corporate resources for CSWE, before taking a position as president of WTU. In January 1998, he returned to the position he currently holds. Nickerson received a bachelor’s degree in management and an MBA in finance from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene. AEP and CSW announced their intention to merge on Dec. 22, 1997, and are awaiting approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission. Upon completion of the merger, the new company will be called American Electric Power. CSW is a global, diversified public utility holding company based in Dallas. CSW owns four electric operating subsidiaries serving 1.7 million customers in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas; a regional electricity company in the United Kingdom; other international energy operations and non-utility subsidiaries involved in energy-related investments, telecommunications, energy efficiency and financial transactions. AEP, a global energy company, is one of the United States’ largest investor-owned utilities, providing energy to 3 million customers in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. AEP has holdings in the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Australia. Wholly owned subsidiaries provide power engineering, energy consulting and energy management services around the world. The company is based in Columbus. News releases and other information about CSW can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.csw.com.