Charles R. Patton

Charles is Executive Vice President of External Affairs at American Electric Power (AEP). He served in numerous executive positions throughout his tenure with AEP prior to his current role leading customer services, communications, regulatory, federal public policy and corporate sustainability organizations. He has been the president and chief operating officer of two AEP subsidiaries: Appalachian Power, serving approximately one million customers in West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee; and AEP Texas, serving over one million customers in South and West Texas. Other roles at AEP have included executive vice president, AEP Utilities West and senior vice president, Regulatory and Public Policy.

Throughout his career, Charles has served and chaired numerous professional and civic organizations in the communities in which he has lived. Today, he serves on the boards of the National Association of Manufacturers, Center for Workforce Development and the Columbus YMCA. At AEP, he is an executive sponsor of the African American Employee Resource Group.

Charles is a graduate of Bowdoin College, located in Brunswick, Maine, and holds a graduate degree from The University of Texas LBJ School of Public Policy.