COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 8, 2003 - John D. Harper has been named vice president - general services for American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP). He is responsible for property and facilities management and office and fleet services for the company.

Harper, 49, most recently was AEP´s vice president - corporate technology development.

"John´s broad-based experience, appreciation for people and management skills will help the general services business unit build on its successes to date," said Thomas M. Hagan, AEP´s executive vice president - shared services.

Harper joined AEP in 2000 when the company merged with Central and South West Corp. (CSW), where he had held a variety of positions since 1979. He began his CSW career as an information analyst for the Black Fox nuclear station, owned by CSW subsidiary Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO). Harper held several posts with PSO before being named executive assistant to the president of CSW Electric. He then served as executive assistant to CSW´s chairman and chief executive officer and, later, as vice president and group director for SEEBOARD, a CSW electric operating subsidiary in the United Kingdom.

Harper earned a bachelor´s degree in political science and public administration from Evangel University in 1977 and a master´s degree in business administration from Oral Roberts University in 1980.

American Electric Power owns and operates more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States and select international markets and is the largest electricity generator 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 11-state electricity transmission and distribution grid. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.