CHARLESTON, W.Va. – American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) has named Aaron Walker president and chief operating officer of Appalachian Power, effective today. Walker succeeds Chris Beam, who was appointed AEP’s executive vice president of Energy Services.

Walker will be responsible for all aspects of Appalachian Power’s service, including customer service, distribution operations, safety, communications, external affairs and regulatory functions. He will report to Peggy Simmons, AEP’s executive vice president of Utilities.

“I’ve been honored to work with my talented colleagues at Appalachian Power and our stakeholders to power communities across Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, and I’m proud of the great things we’ve accomplished,” Beam said. “Aaron’s deep knowledge in power generation and experience managing Appalachian Power’s distribution operations make him a great fit to lead the company. Beyond his technical expertise, Aaron is an exceptional leader, and I’m confident he’s the right person to guide Appalachian Power as we continue working to meet the dynamic needs of our customers and communities.”

“Since joining Appalachian Power in 2020, I’ve had the privilege of working with dedicated team members to safely provide clean, reliable and affordable energy to fuel growth in our service territory,” Walker said. “I’m excited to build upon our company’s efforts to deliver exceptional service to our customers, while also supplying the new services, energy resources and technologies that help strengthen our communities and provide value to customers.”

Walker most recently served as vice president of Distribution Operations for Appalachian Power and was responsible for construction, engineering, maintenance and operations of the company’s electric distribution systems. Previously, he served as plant manager of AEP's Rockport Plant in Indiana. He joined AEP in 2005 as a process engineer and has served in a variety of roles including project & field engineering, project management, generation performance improvement and generation energy production superintendent. Walker received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from The Ohio State University.

In his new role, Beam has oversight of AEP’s generation; transmission; nuclear; supply chain, procurement and fleet; and health and safety organizations. Prior to serving as president and chief operating officer of Appalachian Power, Beam was vice president – Projects, Controls & Construction in AEP’s generation organization. Beam joined the company in 1990 at Kammer Plant and held progressive leadership roles in the company’s generation organization. Beam received a bachelor’s degree in technical management from DeVry University. He is on the board of directors of The Education Alliance, the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences, the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the Virginia Business Council. He also serves on the West Virginia State University’s Board of Visitors.

Appalachian Power has 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is part of American Electric Power, which is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions. AEP’s approximately 16,700 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 224,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.5 million customers in 11 states. AEP is also one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 31,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including 7,100 megawatts of renewable energy.

American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and communities. AEP’s approximately 16,700 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 224,000 miles of distribution lines to safely deliver reliable and affordable power to 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 31,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 7,100 megawatts of renewable energy. The company’s plans include growing its renewable generation portfolio to approximately 50% of total capacity by 2030. AEP is on track to reach an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2000 levels by 2030 and has committed to achieving net zero by 2050. AEP is recognized consistently for its focus on sustainability, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities 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, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.