Tom Kirkpatrick is vice president – Customer Services, Marketing and Distribution Services, for American Electric Power.
His responsibilities include Customer Services and Marketing, which provides for AEP’s centralized customer interface, including oversight of AEP’s Customer Solutions Centers, billing, collections, and customer service support as well as responsibility for the distribution and customer operations information technology systems designed to support AEP’s regional utility divisions. He also oversees the economic and business development activities for the company. The group also directs the National Account Managers, the centralized meter labs and the system-wide implementation of projects such as automated meter reading (AMR/AMI).
Distribution Services provides corporate support services to AEP´s seven regional operating companies´ distribution organizations, including asset management and planning, contract management, dispatching operational support, forestry operations, electrical equipment repair, underground facility screening and locating services, underground network system engineering, right-of-way and easement services, engineering best practices, corporate technology development, distribution technical skills training, emergency storm preparedness, distribution budget planning, performance management and research, geographical information systems (GIS) and joint use pole attachment services.
Kirkpatrick began his career with AEP in 1980, where for more than 25 years he held progressively responsible senior-level positions in a broad range of functional areas, including vice president – Distribution Operations, vice president – Distribution Asset Management and most recently as vice president – Distribution Operations for AEP Ohio, responsible for the electric distribution system, including engineering, design, distribution line and safety that serve approximately 1.5 million AEP Ohio customers. Additionally, Kirkpatrick held leadership positions outside of AEP where he was senior vice president – Energy Practice for Davies Consulting, Inc. based in Maryland and vice president, energy for Patrick Energy Services in Illinois.
Kirkpatrick holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Gannon University with a focus on electric power systems. He is a registered Professional Engineer.
Kirkpatrick is active on the EEI Distribution Committee and a member of the AEIC Power Delivery Committee. In addition, he was selected as the chairman of the first EEI National Response Event Executive Committee. He also is a board member of the Mid-Ohio Foodbank and the Southeast Electric Exchange, both non-profit organizations.
