American Electric Power (AEP) has named Oliver G. "Rick" Richard III to its board of directors.
Richard, 60, is president of Empire of the Seed, a consulting firm in the energy, management and private investments industries. He also serves as a director of Buckeye Partners LP and Cheniere Energy Partners GP LLC, and as chairman of CleanFUEL USA.
Richard was previously chairman, president and CEO of Columbia Energy Group from 1995 to 2000. Before that, he served as chairman, president and CEO of New Jersey Resources Corp., as president and CEO of Northern Natural Gas Co. LLC, and as vice president and general counsel of Tenngasco.
He also served as a commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from 1982 to 1985. Before joining FERC, he served as legislative assistant for energy issues to Sen. J. Bennett Johnston, D-La. Prior to that, he practiced tax law in Louisiana.
"Rick's extensive experience in the natural gas business and deep knowledge of the energy industry make him a valuable addition to our board," says Nicholas K. Akins, AEP president and CEO. "His insights will be important as we continue to transition our generation fleet, optimize our investments in our regulated jurisdictions and grow our competitive transmission and retail energy businesses."
