COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 4, 2000 -- Nicholas J. Ashooh has been named senior vice president of corporate communications for American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) effective Jan. 17. He succeeds Luke Feck, who will retire Feb. 1. Ashooh, 45, is vice president for communications and government relations at Niagara Mohawk in Syracuse, N.Y. In his new position, Ashooh will be responsible for internal and external communications for AEP. He will report to William J. Lhota, executive vice president. “We are delighted to welcome Nick to AEP and to our communications team,” Lhota said. “Nick’s accomplishments with two Fortune 500 companies are impressive. We are confident in his ability to continue moving AEP’s image forward into the new century as AEP competes in the emerging energy market.” Ashooh joined Niagara Mohawk in 1992 as vice president, public affairs and corporate communications. In his present position, Ashooh is responsible for all internal and external communications, including media and investor relations, government and regulatory relations, customer and employee communications, corporate advertising and communications services. Before joining Niagara Mohawk, Ashooh was vice president, corporate communications for Paramount Communications Inc. in New York, which included Paramount Pictures, Simon & Schuster and Madison Square Garden. His electric utility experience also includes directing corporate communications for Public Service of New Hampshire in Manchester, N.H. A native of Manchester, Ashooh holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Marquette University in Milwaukee. He and his wife, Brenda, have three children. Feck joined AEP in 1990 as senior vice president - corporate communications. He began his journalism career in 1956 as a copy boy at The Cincinnati Enquirer. During his career there, he served as reporter, TV editor, local columnist, magazine editor, news editor, managing editor, executive editor and, from 1976 to1980, as editor and vice president. He was editor of The Columbus Dispatch from 1980 to 1989. “Luke Feck’s keen insights and depth of knowledge in the field of communications have helped AEP become recognized as America’s Energy Partner,” Lhota said. “We have been fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from Luke and benefit from his wisdom over the past decade. His long career as an editor of two major Ohio newspapers and as a businessman helped AEP to build even stronger bridges with employees and external audiences.” Feck is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, where he majored in English. After retirement, he intends to write, read, golf, travel and spend more time with his wife, Gail, and their family. Feck is editing a book, "Portraits of Power", as a memento of AEP’s merger with Central and South West Corp. 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.