AEP volunteer helps fulfill wishes effectively behind the scenes

Danny Case at his office, with a photo collage in the background signed by Make-A-Wish staff members thanking him for his help through his volunteer and fundraising work with the Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana Chapter.   Photo by: Ken Drenten

Danny Case is a behind-the-scenes kind of guy whose volunteer work is putting him front and center as far as the Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana Chapter is concerned.

 

Case, a senior audit consultant and a 34-year AEP employee in Audit Services at AEP Headquarters, has volunteered with Make-A-Wish for more than 11 years. The organization, founded in 1983, grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

 

“I had contributed to Make-A-Wish and I got a mailing from them stating that they were looking for volunteers, so I decided to sign up,” Case said. Since then, he has typically volunteered about 100 hours a year with the organization.

 

Rather than having direct contact with clients whose wishes are being fulfilled, Case prefers to remain in the background, helping out at special events and filling in wherever needed, whether it’s setting up chairs, driving to pick up wish lists at Christmas time, or grilling food at big events. He also contributes directly and indirectly to fundraising efforts.

I wish… Here are some of the wishes granted through the Make-A-Wish Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky Chapter, which will celebrate the fulfillment of its 11,000th wish May 6. To meet NASCAR racer Jeff Gordon — Caleb, 12 To go to the U.S. Open — Andrew, 12 To be a Nashville recording artist — Sarah, 14 To meet Pope Benedict XVI — Andrew, 9 To have a Pirate birthday party — Brittany, 18 To go to the Miramar Air Show — Jared, 13 To have a birthday party — Zanayha, 3 To meet NFL player Josh Cribbs — Mark 15 To go to Hawaii — Lauran, 18

“I had the typical childhood illnesses growing up, but nothing like what these kids go through,” the Portland, Ind., native said. “I don’t have bad days compared to what their days can be like.”

 

The organization recently named Case its Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer for 2012 in recognition of his efforts.

 

“Danny is a common sight at many of our events, such as the BIG Wish Gala, Walk for Wishes, and our Hoops for Hope basketball tournament,” said Tiffany Herron, manager of volunteer programs for Make-A-Wish O-K-I. “He has served as a committee member as well as day-of-event help at many past events.”

 

Case said volunteers and funds are crucial to the group’s mission, since the chapter has a very small professional staff. The average wish costs about $6,000 to fulfill, and the chapter, which is the largest Make-A-Wish chapter in the nation, is preparing to grant its 11,000th wish.

 

“Ninety percent of the wishes involve airline travel – going to Walt Disney World Resort is a typical wish, but kids also want to meet celebrities, and there are all kinds of wishes granted,” he said.

 

He said one wish by a child who had mobility challenges was for an accessible playhouse, and another from a talented teen musician was for a harp to play. He added that the country music group Rascal Flatts has been a big wish-granter and supporter of Make-A-Wish.

 

“I do meet some of the kids at the big events, but I work mostly behind the scenes,” he said. “We have volunteers who work directly with families to help them fulfill the childrens’ wishes, but that gets pretty emotional.”

 

Herron said the group has more than 130 children currently on its wish-fulfillment waiting list.

 

“Giving hope to a seriously ill child whose life has been turned upside down with hospital stays and medical procedures at a time when they need it most is an enduring gift,” she said. “It’s volunteers like Danny who make this mission possible.”

AEP names Alberto Ruocco vice president, chief information officer

Alberto Ruocco

Alberto Ruocco has been named vice president and chief information officer for American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), according to Nick Akins, AEP president and chief executive officer. Ruocco, 50, is currently the chief information officer of BlueStar Energy Solutions, a competitive retail subsidiary recently acquired by AEP.

 

Ruocco replaces Pablo Vegas, who was named president and chief operating officer of AEP Ohio in March.

 

Ruocco joined BlueStar Energy Solutions in 2011 and led the information technology team, enabling the company’s strategy and growth. With more than 26 years in the information technology industry, Ruocco’s transformational leadership has impacted a wide range of companies in various industries spanning local to global entities and all functional areas.

 

Prior to BlueStar, Ruocco was an executive vice president for The Revere Group, the Chicago-based business and information technology subsidiary of NTT DATA, a leading global consulting firm. Prior to The Revere Group, Ruocco was a senior manager in Deloitte Consulting’s CIO Advisory practice and vice president of Process and Information Technology at Kerry Americas, a wholesale supplier of food ingredients to the global market.

 

Ruocco holds a bachelor of arts degree from Yale University and a master of business administration degree from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He and his wife, Regina, have three children and reside in Northbrook, Ill.

February/March Obituaries

AEP Service Corporation

A.J. Breugelmans, 91, retired, Rockefeller Center, died March 8.

William Danehart, 85, retired, died March 7.

John Frank, 76, retired, Central Operations Center, died March 7.

Bernard Mullens, 91, retired, died March 3.

Richard Pedersen, 78, retired, AEP Headquarters, died March 4.

Appalachian Power

Bryan Buckle, 26, Central Machine Shop, died March 17.

William Denny, 90, retired, Abingdon Service Center, died March 4.

Jessie Lane, 86, retired, Princeton Service Center, died March 6.

Owen Minnich, 90, retired, Bb&T Building, died March 8.

Joseph Schultz, 91, retired, Roanoke Main Office, died March 3.

Helen Wright, 66, retired, Kanawha River Plant, died March 7. 

Columbus Southern Power

Charles Hietter, 81, retired, 850 Tech Center, died March 6.

James Jones Jr., 81, retired, Coshocton Office Building, died March 29.

Charles Miller, 92, retired, Wellston Service Center, died Feb. 29.

Robert Ort, 83, retired, 850 Tech Center, died March 8.

Larry Smith, 71, retired, Athens Service Center, died March 9.

Indiana Michigan Power

Gwendolyn Ankney, 85, retired, Spy Run Service Center, died March 10.

Richard Gray, 78, Buchanan Nuclear Office, died March 28.

Holly Harlo, 84, retired, Buchanan Service Center, died March 12.

Ronald Scharf, 83, retired, Tanners Creek Plant, died March 5.

Charles Shroyer, 93, retired, Hartford City Service Center, died March 25.

Raymond Spahr, 68, Marion Service Center, died Feb. 28.

Karl Toth, 81, retired, Buchanan Nuclear Office, died March 24.

Wanda Valdinocci, 90, retired, Mishawaka Hydro, died Feb. 10.

Kentucky Power

Delores Greer, 75, retired, Ashland Service Center, died March 8.

Ohio Power

Michael Foust, 61, Muskingum River Plant, died March 27.

Larry Gilbreath, 64, Muskingum River Plant, died March 8.

Peggy Hadjian, 83, retired, Canton Eastern Regional Office, died March 9.

Alvin Lebold, 84, retired, Zanesville Office, died March 4.

Daniel Mills, 94, retired, Lima Office, died March 2.

Benny Spears, 72, retired, Southern Ohio Coal Company, died March 27.

Donald Stoflinsky, 71, retired, Wheeling Service Center, died March 10.

Theodore Walchak, 87, retired, Central Ohio Coal, died March 23.

Donald Yoho, 74, retired, Kammer Plant, died March 27.

Public Service Company of Oklahoma

Travis Harris, 36, Oklaunion Power Plant, died March 12.

Gary Merkle, 58, Northeastern Station 3&4, died March 7.

Johnnie McMurray, 90, retired, Tulsa General Office, died March 6.

James Wells, 58, Tulsa General Office, died March 14.

Vernon Taber, 84, retired, Tulsa General Office, died March 19.

Southwestern Electric Power

Willie Harrel, 86, retired, Shreveport General Office, died March 20.

Arthur Parisy, 86, retired, Shreveport General Office, died March 7.

Texas Central

Larry Moore, 70, CSW Center, died March 3.

Texas North

George Newman, 80, retired, Abilene General Office, died March 6.

March Retirements

AEP Ohio

Gary Kennedy, Kenton Service Center, retired March 17 after 39 years of service.

AEP River Operations

Ben Bolden, AEP River Operations-Paducah, retired March 1 after 16 years of service.

AEP Utility Operations

Harold Grayson, Roanoke Main Office, retired March 24 after 31 years of service.

Pamela Hall, Conesville Prep Plant, retired March 2 after 37 years of service.

Shared Services

Donald Sloas, AEP Headquarters, retired March 16 after 34 years of service.

Southwestern Electric Power

Jerry Basham, Greenwood, retired March 1 after 27 years of service.

Transmission

Tommy Antill, Energy Delivery Headquarters-Gahanna, retired March 27 after 26 years of service.

Steven Moody, Newark Service Center, retired March 17 after 33 years of service.

Big Muskie Dragline

The caption for this photograph in our corporate archive reads: "Big Muskie dragline, at the Central Ohio Coal Company surface mine."

Cardinal Plant donates to local fire department’s new station

Shown at the Brilliant Fire Department’s new fire station are (left to right): James Prokop of Cardinal Plant, Don Hutchinson, Brilliant Fire Chief, Rodney Roe, firefighter/EMT, Jason Nelson, firefighter/EMT, and Chuck George of Cardinal Plant.

(story by Shelly Clark)

BRILLIANT, Ohio — Cardinal Plant recently presented a donation of $3,000 to the Brilliant Fire Department to help with expenses of building a new fire station.

The Village of Brilliant recently completed the construction of a new fire station. While the facility is located in town, it is in a new location that is out of the flood plain as well as away from interference from railroad tracks that run through town.

“The members of the Brilliant Fire Department are our first first responders for any issues we cannot handle with our in-house teams,” said Chuck George, Cardinal Plant manager. ”We have had an excellent working relationship with them over the years. We also have some plant personnel in that department which is composed of mostly volunteers and a few full-time personnel.”

On March 2, George and James Prokop, administrative supervisor at Cardinal Plant, presented a check to the Brilliant Fire Department in the amount of $3,000 to help with the expenses for the new fire hall.

January/February obituaries

AEP Headquarters

Gary Martin, 64, AEP Headquarters, died Jan. 28.

Appalachian Power

Barbara Aliff, 70, retired, Roanoke Main Office, died Jan. 26.

Eula Ayers, 84, retired, Roanoke Main Office, died Feb. 15.

Ralph Baughan Jr., 81, retired, Logan Service Center, died Feb. 17.

Billy Blake, 92, retired, Charleston Office, died Feb. 6.

James Board, 80, retired, Roanoke Main Office, died Feb. 6.

Fredrick Brown, 64, Kanawha River Plant, died Feb. 27.

William Epling, 86, retired, Beckley Service Center, died Feb. 7.

Ronald Givens, 85, retired, Charleston Office, died Feb. 7.

Eloise Pierce, 98, retired, Beckley Service Center, died Feb. 2.

Donald Tackett, 72, retired, North Charleston Service Center, died Jan. 27.

Robert Watters Jr., 68, Amos Plant, died Jan. 30.

Columbus Southern Power

Claude Carson, 81, retired, 850 Tech Center, died Feb. 24.

Indiana Michigan Power

Kathy Brandenburg, 57, Ashland Service Center, died Feb. 15.

Helen Breitwieser, 82, retired, Elwood Service Center, died Jan. 19.

August Kruckeberg, 87, retired, One Summit Square, died Feb. 26.

Kentucky Power

Georgetta Asberry, 70, retired, Ashland Service Center, died Feb. 27.

John Campbell, 69, retired, Hazard Service Center, died Feb. 6.

Wayne Maynard, 73, retired, Big Sandy Plant, died Feb. 28.

Ohio Power

James Asbury, 65, retired, Southern Ohio Coal Company, died Feb. 5.

Robert Derry, 89, retired, Canton Eastern Regional Office, died Feb. 7.

Phillip Grueser, 90, retired, Lancaster Office, died Jan. 22.

Dorothy Hill, 85, retired, Canton Eastern Regional Office, died Feb. 22.

Charles Hupp, 84, retired, Mitchell Plant, died Jan. 29.

William Olson, 76, retired, Lancaster Office, died Jan. 31.

James Ritterbeck, 82, retired, Central Ohio Coal, died Jan. 25.

William Sollie, 86, retired, Canton Eastern Regional Office, died Feb. 5.

George Vanpelt, 81, retired, Canton Eastern Regional Office, died Feb. 20.

Public Service Company of Oklahoma

Lewis Gordon, 76, retired, Tulsa General Office, died Jan. 29.

Loyd Mabry, 90, retired, Tulsa General Office, died Jan. 27.

Ruth Phillips, 93, retired, Tulsa General Office, died Feb. 9.

Jerry Price, 66, retired, Vinita Service Center, died Jan. 30.

Melvin Reavis, 84, retired, Tulsa General Office, died Jan. 30.

Ira Smithee, 95, retired, Tulsa General Office, died Feb. 3.

James Stephens, 76, retired, Tulsa General Office, died Jan. 28.

Southwestern Electric Power

Bernon Aaron, 87, retired, Shreveport General Office, died Jan. 25.

Curtis Bonnell, 81, retired, Shreveport General Office, died Feb. 14.

L.G. Brooks, 88, retired, Shreveport General Office, died Jan. 6.

William Coker Jr., 76, retired, Shreveport General Office, died Jan. 29.

Texas Central

Homer Everton, 67, retired, Paint Creek Power Plant, died Feb. 7.

Ramon Flores, 77, retired, Corpus Christi Office, died Feb. 16.

Jimmy Lindsey, 74, retired, Corpus Christi Office, died Feb. 19.

E.C. Payne, 93, retired, Corpus Christi Office, died Feb. 11.

A.L. Stephenson Jr., 94, retired, Corpus Christi Office, died Feb. 3.

Texas North

Delene Tyler, 81, retired, Abilene General Office, died Jan. 20.

February retirements

AEP Utility Operations

Janice Bickers, Cook Nuclear Plant, retired Feb. 25 after 20 years of service.

Ronald Blalock, Cook Coal Terminal, retired Feb. 13 after 37 years of service.

Glen Davis, San Angelo Power Plant, retired Feb. 29 after 17 years of service.

James Foster, Conesville Prep Plant, retired Feb. 3 after 35 years of service.

Steven Mason, Conesville Prep Plant, retired Feb. 3 after 26 years of service.

Earl Rexroad, Muskingum River Plant, retired Feb. 29 after 30 years of service.

Shared Services

Roger Kimble, Athens Service Center, retired Feb. 15 after 34 years of service.

Brenda Ottobre, AEP Headquarters, retired Feb. 2 after 26 years of service.

Southwestern Electric Power

Andy Airhart, Natchitoches Service Center, retired Feb. 16 after 10 years of service.

Transmission

Dennis Burrell, Electric System Operations, retired Feb. 4 after 32 years of service.

AEP notifies reliability organizations of planned plant retirements

American Electric Power today made official notifications to regional reliability organizations PJM Interconnection and Southwest Power Pool (SPP) of the company’s plan to retire more than 4,600 megawatts (MW) of coal-fueled power generation, primarily to comply with a series of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. AEP was required to file its plan for plant retirements prior to PJM’s auction in May 2012 that will set electric generation capacity prices for June 2015 through May 2016.

“We continue to have serious concerns about the potential impact these plant retirements – and retirements of generation announced by other utilities – will have on the reliability of the electricity grid,” said Nick Akins, AEP president and chief executive officer. “Our retiring units were required to run to meet peak demand last summer, and little new generation is scheduled to come on line prior to the retirement dates to replace this lost generating capacity.”

In addition to the generation retirements, AEP plans to install or upgrade emission control systems on more than 13,000 MW of capacity, a task made extremely difficult by the tight compliance deadlines in the EPA rules and the uncertainty about the process for deadline extensions, Akins said.

“The timing and logistics of these major projects, in addition to routine maintenance outages across the system, will increase demands on the remaining generating units,” Akins said. “We believe additional time to complete the emission control retrofits and coordinate the retirement schedules would better balance the environmental, economic and other impacts of this transformation of the nation’s generating fleet.”

The plan submitted today differs slightly from the nearly 6,000 MW of anticipated retirements AEP announced in June 2011. The differences are due to the retirement of the 450-MW Sporn Unit 5 in February 2012 (which was included in the June 2011 plan) and the company’s decision to request regulatory approval in Kentucky to retrofit the 800-MW Big Sandy Unit 2 with environmental control equipment rather than retiring the unit. AEP also originally planned to rebuild Big Sandy Unit 1 to be fired with natural gas but now plans to retire that unit. In its notifications with PJM and SPP, AEP confirmed the following unit retirements:

• Conesville Plant Unit 3, Conesville, Ohio – 165 MW;
• Big Sandy Plant Unit 1, Louisa, Ky. – 278 MW;
• Clinch River Plant Unit 3, Cleveland, Va. – 235 MW;
• Glen Lyn Plant (two units), Glen Lyn, Va. – 335 MW;
• Kammer Plant (three units), Moundsville, W.Va. – 630 MW;
• Kanawha River Plant (two units), Glasgow, W.Va. – 400 MW;
• Muskingum River Plant Units 1, 2, 3 and 4, Beverly, Ohio – 840 MW;
• Picway Plant (one unit), Lockbourne, Ohio – 100 MW;
• Philip Sporn Plant (four units), New Haven, W.Va. – 600 MW;
• Tanners Creek Plant Units 1, 2 and 3, Lawrenceburg, Ind. – 495 MW; and
• Welsh Plant Unit 2, Pittsburg, Texas – 528 MW. 

Conesville 3 will retire by Dec. 31, 2012, and Welsh 2 will retire as soon as Dec. 31, 2014, but no later than Dec. 31, 2016, under terms of court-ordered consent decrees related to separate actions. All other units are estimated to be retired June 1, 2015, with final retirement dates based on implementation of the new EPA environmental regulations.

Walter C. Beckjord Plant Unit 6, New Richmond, Ohio, operated by Duke Energy, also will be retired. AEP owns 54 MW of that unit’s output.

AEP names Vegas president and chief operating officer of AEP Ohio

Pablo Vegas

American Electric Power has named Pablo A. Vegas president and chief operating officer of AEP Ohio, effective May 1. Vegas currently is vice president and chief information officer for the company.

Vegas, 38, will have responsibility for all aspects of AEP’s electric service to customers in Ohio. He will report to Robert P. Powers, executive vice president and chief operating officer.
Vegas will succeed Joseph Hamrock, who is leaving for a position with NiSource.

“Pablo’s experience leading utility operations in Texas, coupled with his diverse business background, will serve us well as we transition our business operations in Ohio from a vertically integrated electric utility to a hybrid regulatory model with the generation service eventually open to full competition,” said Nicholas K. Akins, AEP president and chief executive officer. “Pablo did an excellent job during his tenure as our Texas president, focusing on delivering strong regulatory outcomes and operational improvements in our distribution business.

“Joe has been an exceptional leader for AEP in a variety of positions over his 26 years with the company,” Akins said. “He led AEP with considerable skill as president and chief operating officer of AEP Ohio over the past four years. We will miss his leadership and wish him well in his new role at NiSource.”

Vegas has served as vice president and chief information officer since July 2010, responsible for development and support of AEP’s software applications and operation of the company’s information technology infrastructure. From 2008 to 2010, Vegas was president and chief operating officer of AEP Texas. Prior to this, Vegas served as director of strategy planning for AEP. He joined the company in 2005 and held several leadership positions in Information Technology before his role in Finance. Before joining AEP, Vegas held senior leadership positions with IBM, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Andersen Consulting. He received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan.

Replacing Vegas on an interim basis as the chief information officer is Michael A. Rozsa, Managing Director – IT Business Applications. Rozsa joined the company in 1997 and has held a number of positions with increasing responsibility in the Information Technology department.