American Electric Power (NASDAQ: AEP) appointed Andy Gurgol as vice president of investor relations, effective May 9. Gurgol will succeed Darcy Reese, who plans to retire at the end of 2026.

Gurgol joined AEP in January 2026 as managing director of corporate strategy and development. He will report to Trevor Mihalik, executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Prior to joining AEP, Gurgol spent nearly 14 years in the utility and energy infrastructure sectors. He worked at Sempra for nearly a decade, holding roles including director of corporate development and strategy, where he managed mergers and acquisitions and strategy development across the enterprise. Earlier, he worked at NextEra Energy, leading economic and strategic analyses for over $1.5 billion in renewable energy investments, and began his career at FirstEnergy in financial forecasting and analytics.

Gurgol also served as senior manager of conservation finance at the World Resources Institute, leading initiatives with utilities, private sector companies, and government agencies to deploy investments in environmental restoration projects. He holds a finance degree from the University of Toledo.

Reese has led AEP's investor relations team since 2020, overseeing shareholder engagement, quarterly earnings narratives, and the company's annual shareholder meetings. She plans to retire at the end of 2026 after more than 35 years in finance and accounting.

AEP announced plans to invest $78 billion from 2026 through 2030 to enhance customer service and support growing energy needs in its communities. The Columbus, Ohio-based company serves 5.6 million customers in 11 states through approximately 18,000 employees who operate the nation's largest electric transmission system.