COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 15, 1999 - John R. Sampson has been named Indiana/Michigan president for American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), effective March 1, according to Bill Lhota, AEP executive vice president. Sampson, currently site vice president of AEP subsidiary Indiana Michigan Power Company at the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, will succeed Dick Boyle, who has been named vice president - regulatory services. Boyle's new position was announced in January. "John Sampson brings to the State President's office a wealth of senior leadership experience that will be extremely valuable as AEP continues to work with regulators, legislators, customers and communities in both Indiana and Michigan," Lhota said. "John will continue to emphasize the importance of AEP's involvement in economic and community development." "John's leadership ability has been invaluable to Nuclear Generation, and will be especially missed as we continue to work toward restart of the Cook units," said Robert Powers, senior vice president - nuclear generation. "However, it's good to know that his contributions will soon have an even greater impact on AEP and the communities we serve." Sampson, elected vice president for Indiana Michigan Power Co. in January 1998, joined AEP in June 1985. He has served as operations production supervisor, safety and assessment superintendent, operations superintendent, assistant plant manager for technical support, and plant manager at Cook Nuclear Plant. Prior to his AEP service, Sampson was maintenance production manager at Washington Nuclear Plant No. 2 for the Washington Public Power Supply System. Sampson chaired Cook Plant United Way campaigns, has been a member of the local United Way board, and has recently been a senior management sponsor for the annual campaign at Cook Plant. He has also sponsored Cook Plant's active involvement in annual United Way Day of Caring activities and Habitat for Humanity. A 1975 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Sampson holds a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering and has been licensed as a senior reactor operator at both Cook Plant and WNP-2. During his naval service he qualified as an engineer in the naval reactors program for the U.S.S. Enterprise. Sampson has graduated from the AEP Management Development Program at The Ohio State University and the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations senior nuclear plant management course. AEP, a global energy company, is one of the United States' largest investor-owned utilities, providing energy to 3 million customers in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. AEP has holdings in the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Australia. Wholly owned subsidiaries provide power engineering, energy consulting and energy management services around the world. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio. On Dec. 22, 1997, AEP announced a definitive merger agreement for a tax-free, stock-for-stock transaction with Central and South West Corp., a public utility holding company based in Dallas.