COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 1, 2009 – American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) has been selected as one of this year’s top 60 companies for Hispanics by Hispanic Business magazine. The 2009 DIVERSITY ELITE 60 is an annual list that takes into account more than 32 variables measuring a company’s commitment to Hispanic hiring, promotion, marketing, philanthropy and supplier diversity.

“We appreciate this recognition, and we believe programs that attract a diverse work force, support community organizations and increase the diversity of our suppliers benefit all of our employees and customers,” said Mary Cofer, director of diversity and culture for AEP.

To be selected for the DIVERSITY ELITE 60, a company must have met or exceeded the following criteria:

• Board & Leadership: Hispanic and other minority representation on the board of directors and at the executive level.
• Recruitment: Efforts to hire from minority groups, including Hispanics, and outreach efforts at colleges and universities.
• Retention & Promotion: Efforts to support, retain, and promote Hispanic and other minority employees through incentives, employee support groups, executive training, and diversity awareness and sensitivity training.
• Marketing & Community Outreach: Marketing and advertising to reach Hispanic consumers, as well as involvement in and expenditures on philanthropic or community services that benefit minority groups.
• Supplier Diversity: Support or sponsorship of supplier-development programs, involvement of executives with supplier diversity, incentives tied to supplier diversity, and procurement goals.

Now celebrating 30 years as an award-winning publishing and information services company, Hispanic Business Media is the nation’s leading source of information for and about Hispanic professionals and entrepreneurs. Hispanic Business magazine is the company’s flagship publication. Other entities include www.HispanicBusiness.com, www.HireDiversity.com, HispanTelligence®, and Hispanic Business Events including the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Gala (EOY) and the Woman of the Year Awards Gala (WOY).

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. AEP’s utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP’s headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio.