The parent company of Public Service Company of Oklahoma just got a new President.
American Electric Power’s Board of Directors has elected William J. “Bill” Fehrman as president and chief executive officer, effective Aug. 1, 2024.
Fehrman, 63, is AEP’s 13th president and ninth CEO in the company’s 118-year history. He will succeed Ben Fowke, who has been serving as interim CEO since February 2024. Fowke, who was elected to the Board in 2022 and will continue as a board member, will serve as a senior advisor for several months to ensure a smooth transition.
Most recently, Fehrman served as president and CEO of Centuri Holdings, where he helped to successfully launch Centuri as a public company, while leading their efforts to partner with regulated utilities to build, modernize and maintain energy infrastructure. Prior to that, he was president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, where he drove significant financial growth and implemented key customer service initiatives.
From 2007 to 2018, Fehrman was president and CEO of MidAmerican Energy Company (MEC), which was acquired by BHE in 1999. Previously, he served in a variety of roles including senior vice president of BHE, president and CEO of PacifiCorp Energy and president and CEO of Nebraska Public Power District.
“AEP has built a strong foundation with a long history of solid operational and financial results and a focus on customers. I’m committed to building on the company’s legacy of success and service by strengthening relationships with our stakeholders and continuing to execute our robust capital plan to enhance the resiliency of the grid and transform the company’s generation portfolio,” said Fehrman.
“I see incredible potential in this company, and I look forward to working with the best-in-class team at AEP to continue delivering safe, reliable and affordable service to customers and advancing our long-term growth strategy.”
Fehrman also led MidAmerican Energy Company, PacifiCorp Energy and Nebraska Public Power District as president and CEO.
“Bill is an accomplished leader and industry veteran with a proven ability to drive operational excellence, produce strong financial results and deliver for customers and stakeholders,” said Sara Martinez Tucker, chairman of the AEP Board of Directors.
“He led one of the nation’s largest electric utility companies and a utility infrastructure firm, and his expertise and unique perspectives will help AEP implement new solutions as we build the energy system of the future to power our communities. His diverse background in finance, operations, regulatory matters, safety, cybersecurity and renewable energy will be instrumental to advancing our strategic vision. As our industry continues to change rapidly, the Board is confident that Bill is the right person to seize the opportunities ahead and lead AEP in this next chapter.”1
AEP also announced today that Linda A. Goodspeed is retiring from AEP’s Board of Directors, effective July 31, 2024.
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.
