Fact sheet & FAQ
| Board of Director Information (As of April 25, 2006) |
Size of Board |
13 |
Average Age of Directors |
62 |
Number of Independent Directors |
10 |
Separate Chairman & CEO |
No |
Presiding Director |
Yes |
Independent Audit Committee |
Yes |
Independent Compensation Committee |
Yes |
Independent Corporate Governance Committee |
Yes |
Number of Scheduled Board Meetings |
8 |
Annual Board Elections |
Yes |
Corporate Governance Guidelines Approved
by the Board |
Yes |
Outside Directors Hold Meetings Without
Management Present |
Yes |
Annual Board Self-Evaluation Required |
Yes |
Annual Review of Independence of Board |
Yes |
Key Committee Self Evaluations Required |
Yes |
Charters for Audit, Finance, Human Resources, Nuclear Oversight and Corporate Governance Committees |
Yes |
Board Orientation/Education Program |
Yes |
Code of Ethics |
Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I contact members of the Board of Directors?
You can contact any of our directors, including our presiding director, by writing to them c/o American Electric Power Company, Inc., Attention: Non-Management Directors, P.O. Box 163609, Columbus, Ohio 43216.
Does the Board of Directors have a presiding outside director? The Non-Employee Directors have selected Dr. Hudson to serve as the Presiding Director. The Presiding Director reviews the schedule of Board and Committee meetings and the agenda for each Board meeting and requests changes as he deems appropriate. The Presiding Director chairs and has the authority to call and schedule Executive Sessions.
What does AEP look for when nominating a new director?
In evaluating candidates for Board membership, the Committee on Directors and Corporate Governance reviews each candidate’s biographical information and assesses each candidate’s skills and expertise based on a variety of factors. Some of the major factors include whether the candidate:
- Maintains the highest personal and professional ethics, integrity and values;
- Is committed to representing the long-term interests of the shareholders;
- Has an inquisitive and objective perspective, practical wisdom and mature judgement;
- Contributes to the diversity of views and perspectives of the Board as a whole;
- Possesses a willingness to devote sufficient time to carrying out the duties and responsibilities effectively, including attendance at meetings.
The Committee on Directors and Corporate Governance believes that
an individual who is a highly qualified candidate in the context of
the overall skills, experiences and perspectives of the incumbent
members of the Board at one time might be less suitable at a
different time in the context of a different blend of skills, experiences and
perspectives of a different Board. Two central objectives in selecting board
members are that the skills, experiences and perspectives of the Board as
a whole should be broad and diverse, and that the talents of all members of
the Board should blend together to be as effective as possible.
In particular, the Board should be balanced by having complementary knowledge,
expertise and skill in areas such as business, finance, accounting, marketing,
public policy, manufacturing and operations, government, technology, environmental
and other areas that the Board has decided are desirable and helpful to fulfilling its
role. Diversity in gender, race, and background of directors, consistent
with the Board’s requirements for knowledge, standards, and experience,
are desirable in the mix of the Board.
How do I nominate someone for the Board?
If you would like to nominate someone to the Board, you must submit a notice which must include your name, address, number of shares you own, the name, age, business address, residence address and principal occupation of the nominee and the number of shares beneficially owned by the nominee. It must also include all the information required in AEP’s Policy on Consideration of Candidates for Director Recommended by Shareholders (PDF: 78KB). Our Secretary will initially gather relevant information on the nominee and forward the information to the Committee on Directors and Corporate Governance. If requested by the Committee, our Secretary will do an initial interview of the nominee.
Do the outside members of the Board meet in executive session without any members of management?
Yes. The independent, non-employee members of the Board meet in executive session, without any members of AEP management present. The presiding director chairs these sessions.
Are most of your directors independent?
There are thirteen directors on the AEP Board. As of April 25, 2006, ten of these directors (over three-quarters) are independent directors under the standards of the New York Stock Exchange.
Has AEP adopted formal principles of corporate governance? Yes. Information on our Board of Directors and governance practices can be found in our Principles of Corporate Governance (PDF: 372KB).
Do Officers and Directors at AEP abide by a code of business conduct and ethics? All our employees, including our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer abide by our Principles of Business Conduct (PDF: 2.68MB), to ensure that our business is conducted in a consistently legal and ethical manner.
The members of our Board of Directors are required to comply with the letter and spirit of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Members of the Board of Directors (PDF: 85KB) (the Code). The Code covers all areas of professional conduct relating to service on the AEP Board, including conflicts of interest, unfair or unethical use of corporate opportunities, strict maintenance of confidential information and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
How often does the Board meet?
The Board has eight scheduled meetings each year. Two of these meetings are 2-day meetings that focus on strategic planning. Several of the meetings are held in Columbus, Ohio and the remaining meetings are held at other locations within the AEP System, which gives the directors an opportunity to increase their exposure to our business operations and local management. The location of our annual meeting of shareholders rotates each year. One year it is held in one of our eastern states, the other year it is held in a western state.
Does the Board have an orientation program for new directors? Yes. The Company conducts a formal orientation program for all new directors, which includes meetings with each of our executive officers. The directors are also provided numerous written materials about our industry and our company.
