COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 22, 2002 - Dale E. Heydlauff has been named to the new position of senior vice president - governmental and environmental affairs for American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP). He had served as senior vice president - environmental affairs for AEP since 2000.

“Creation of this expanded position demonstrates the strong link between governmental affairs and environmental affairs from a policy standpoint,” said Susan Tomasky, executive vice president - policy, finance and strategic planning for AEP. “It makes sense to place these functions under the same strategic umbrella.

“Dale’s wide-ranging experience in the policy and environmental arenas lends itself perfectly to this combination,” Tomasky said.

In his governmental affairs role, Heydlauff, 45, succeeds Thomas Hagan, formerly senior vice president - governmental affairs. Hagan recently was named executive vice president - shared services for AEP.

Heydlauff will oversee AEP’s 11 state offices, which provide community, customer and government relations services, and will supervise the company’s Washington, D.C., office. He will continue to be responsible for developing and implementing corporate environmental policies and goals and environmental stewardship initiatives.

Heydlauff joined AEP in 1988 and served as director - federal affairs in AEP’s Washington office and as vice president - environmental affairs before advancing to his most recent post.

His previous experience includes 10 years in government affairs. He served on the General Motors Corp. government relations staff, was a legislative assistant for former U.S. Rep. Carl D. Pursell (R-Michigan) and served as deputy director of the State of Illinois Washington Office for former Gov. James R. Thompson (R-Illinois). Heydlauff also specialized in energy, environmental, transportation and tax issues as a non-lawyer professional for two Washington law firms, Craft & Richards and Van Ness, Feldman, Sutcliffe & Curtis.

Heydlauff earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Eastern Michigan University in 1978 and completed an executive master’s in business administration course at the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia in 1997.

American Electric Power is a multinational energy company with a balanced portfolio of energy assets. AEP, the United States’ largest electricity generator, owns and operates more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. and select international markets. AEP is a leading wholesale energy marketer, ranking among North America’s top providers of wholesale power and natural gas with a growing wholesale presence in European markets. In addition to electricity generation, AEP owns and operates natural gas pipeline systems, natural gas storage, coal mines, and the fourth-largest inland barge company in the U.S. AEP is also one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, with almost 5 million customers linked to AEP’s wires. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.