Another Regulated Utility With Choice Programs Names Business Development Vice President Charged With Responding to "Evolving" Customer Needs

American Electric Power named Philip J. Dion as vice president, Technology Business Development

Dion is currently senior vice president, Public Policy and Customer Solutions as UNS Energy Corp.

"With the changing nature of the electric utility business, this new role at AEP will be focused on developing a business strategy to help us better anticipate and meet the evolving needs and expectations of our regulated utility customers," said Nicholas K. Akins, AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Phil's background is uniquely suited to this challenge. He has developed innovative solutions to help UNS meet changing customer expectations including utility-scale solar, distributed generation and energy efficiency solutions."

Dion will report to Richard E. Munczinski, AEP's senior vice president, Regulatory Services.

Previously, Dion served as chief of staff and chief legal advisor to then-Commissioner Marc Spitzer of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from July 2006 to January 2008. Before Spitzer's appointment to FERC in 2006, Dion had served as his advisor at the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) since 2004.

AEP's announcements follows a similar announcement from FirstEnergy Corp., which recently named Dennis Chack as senior vice president, Marketing and Branding to lead the newly created FirstEnergy Products group, which will develop new value-added products and services.