Thread regarding American Electric Power Co. Inc. layoffs

Any time someone complains about energy prices, I show them what low level managers make. Imagine being so overpaid for a skill-less job and still being bad at it. Hopefully they force more than just the one cyber manager out. It's not surprising our ICP was so low with the management taking huge cuts.

Notice the demographic changes taking place in the company? People seem to be hired or promoted based on anything but skill and merit when it comes to higher level positions in some BUs. Seems the folks have to come from the outside, if you've been with the company for a long time you can forget about moving up. Take your 2-3% pay raise each year and be happy you have a job. The word career has no meaning at AEP anymore. Pretty bad how quickly the company went south and only focus now is on the bottom line and EPS.

As a veteran as well, what I've noticed lately has been an actual distain for long term employees. I've have the feeling over the past 3-4 years they want to push people out before the hit 7-8 years. Lack of promotions, adding so many requirements that getting to the next level is not worth the effort since they would rather replace you with a TCS contractor that couldn't find his but even with both hands on his cheeks or some kid with a year or two of experience.

I regret going over seas and fighting a war for America, to return and work decades for a company such as AEP. AEP does not value veterans. They use us as pawns for a political gain. I wish more veterans would stand up and say something. Whats going on right now is not correct, and if you are watching it without saying something you are allowing it. Don't be a follower stand up and say something. This is why I believe senior leaders have left. If you are a front line employee complain about bias promotions. They are hurting the company,communities and our country.

It's pretty obvious that Mgmt doesn't care about the employees. If they did, they would not have approved TR gutting IT. As for the other departments, I know they have their own issues with supporting employees. The relationship between the company and employees is more than just money but TR wants to only make it about the dollars saved. You have to expect employees to lose all respect for the company. I've heard so many people saying they just don't care. If the company doesn't care about my well-being, why should I care about what happens to the company.

What some here are missing is, upper management does not care. They brought this mess on, they’ve ignored the fallout, it was brought directly to Julie, and still nothing. Upper management does not care. Plain and simple.

There's a lot of talk about other big names leaving Chicago, don't expect ORI to save us. 1st Qrt results will be in at the end of the month. That'll be fun if we miss. Personally I'd like to see us miss it and for TR to blow through the budget. May have to suffer more to get rid of her . Trick now is to find someone d-mb enough to want her.

Agreed, its pretty bad. The amount of destruction with culture and losing knowledgeable people really puts a different level of stress on everything. Promotions are a joke and a thing of the past. Job hopping or leaving is about the only way to get ahead. Hopefully with TR being on the board for ORI is a light at the end of the tunnel. Also noticed Julie is still part of AEP as a consultant. What a mess

It is getting worse and worse day by day. Many times the critical systems are down and we don't have enough resources to fix. Most of the time we have to keep following up with infra teams to get things done.
Talking about ICP, I was the senior member of our team with lots of domain knowledge but still got the least ICP....Joined in 2022 when market was good, but now feel, I made a big mistake by joining...

YES. Everyone got shafted.

ICP has not been anywhere close over the last few years to what it used to be even 4 years ago. You have leadership to thank. They make the decisions and everyone else suffers for it.

ICP is not only the percentage, but in the good times mgmt would be given a block of additional funds to distribute as they saw fit. Between your performance review, team ranking, (yes they rank you) and how much your manager likes you pretty much determines whether you get anything substantial.

Since AEP recruits candidates with the idea of "the reason salary is not comparable with other players in the market is we have an ICP program".

They need to get it together. Other cental Ohio employers base pay now out paces AEP base and ICP combined. So the mass exodus will continue to those other employers.

Did anyone else get sc--wed over on their ICP that deserved one? I talked to my ex-co workers and what they got and what I got were MILES apart! I reached out to my former boss and she said it was correct and within her right to give me that amount. That AGAIN is just an example of how AEP doesn’t care about their culture and how they treat people. Most of the upper management needs axed and they deserve to be taken behind the woodshed and taught a lesson on how to be a human being!

Yes, started May, 2020 and has gotten worse ever since.

Anyone else currently experiencing a higher and higher level of annoying things occurring where they work within the company? Getting d-mber and d-mber here.

It's actually a good sign, means she's making contacts outside of the company and with her track record, is a good sign she may actually leave on her own. Chicago is a lot better place to land than Columbus. I found the part on her bio about being a security leader laughable. What an absolute joke. If ORI brings in TCS, you'll know she is on the take. Good luck to ORI, they'll need it

You can serve as a board member while employed by AEP, as long as it's not a competitive institution.

I know its double-dipping at best, but at that level in your career, you're just selling them all out anyway. Unfortunately, until her 5-year contract is up, she and the Minnesota Mafia is here to stay, unless gets caught cooking the books to pay out to TCS.

From two days ago:

https://www.keloland.com/business/press-releases/cision/20240318NY63302/old-republic-announces-the-addition-of-therace-m-risch-to-the-board-of-directors/

How is she able to do all that and still be our CITO? I was going to say “still effectively be our CITO” but, that has to happen first in the first place. Maybe she’s finally on her way out and found her next victim.

This is starting to feel like the squid game show. I think the last guy is spot on. Being asked to focus on quality and costs, while TCS can't get their heads out of their a$$. Their own people don't want to have other TCS contractors work on issues and call AEP employees to fix them. I have zero respect for them and will not train or help them, why should I.

The entire IT leadership team is a corrupt ponzi scheme of nepotism. Not a single one of them got to AEP based on skills. Therace relies on Steve a JCP flunky who replaced the poster child for corporate ethics violations. Steve relies on the next group of cronies in line like Sandy another flunky.

This patten propagates all the way across the state of Minnesota. It's now just a pyramid of useless management. None of them came from any place that have a track record. It's just an elite club of retail rejects that are have mastered exctracting treasure from AEP while trying to convince the host (AEP) that parasites are OK, and are here to help.

IT is hemorrhaging cash at an alarming rate and there isn't anything in site that will stop it.

And they don't know how to stop. There is a new d-mb idea they spill out once a month that makes you sit back in absolute shock wondering how did it get this bad and how can it get worse? It seems to be a diversion tactic to keep eyes off of what is really going on.

And without fail it does get worse. It's a constant mix of a slow moving train wreck mixed into a roller coaster ride with a giant helping of shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.

Anyone find it strange that with all of the layoffs and cut backs, none are ever in Minnesota and none of them are post TR hires.

Pre-TR employees are completely burnt out and with good reason. Everyone has been run through the gauntlet enough times that the fatigue of daily work life is real.

I'm not sure who has it worse. Those still in IT or those that got severed from IT.

Let's get to the bottom line.

Therace, those AEP minions you look down in the trenches that do the real work - are tired of you. They don't trust you, they don't trust any of the Minnesota Mafia you have in place and you don't have their support. It's time for you to pack your bags and become the corporate home wrecker someplace else. Because you have failed here.

Your success is now totally reliant on TCS. Wouldn't want to be in your shoes for that one, since TCS can't even tie their own shoes.

It's over. Take your money and leave. Leave on your own or have a termination on your resume that you will need to explain to the next place you intend on destroying.

I think the "rumor" is just that for right now, a rumor with a little bit of hope sprinkled on top. As tight lip as this group of managers [Director and above] have been over the past 2-3 years, I would not expect that to change. If she is going, we'll find out soon enough. Look at how she handled Sanjay's exit. Morning meeting at 9 am and gone by the end of the day. Either there is something in the works that someone heard something or it's nothing. If the replacement is internal from the other VP pool, it won't matter, nothing will change in IT. The replacement has to come from the outside and it has to be someone who doesn't feel outsourcing is the way to go. Replacing TCS with another contracting firm will not help either. AEP IT has stage 4 cancer and there is no cure. It's not if it dies, just a matter of when.

I don't see any news feed anywhere that TR is out. Who is JB?

I think you're right, it took about 2 years to destroy the fabric of CITO but putting it back will take a lot longer because people are not going to come back. Even if you bring everything back in house, it'll be years before any major improvement is seen.

It’ll take years to recover from TR. The interim power vacuum will arguably be even worse for a bit. The next person has to deal with bringing things back in house, removing the terrible management below, and enticing knowledge to come back.

If TR is out, the mood in the trenches will be like the scene in the Wizard of Oz when the little people see the house on top of the witch. The problem is that was a movie and you have to wait and see what actually happens. My first question would be why pick JB and not someone else? Then again he was a former CIO so maybe that does make sense but he did work at Target so it's not like he'll change course.

Genuinely, I hope Icahn comes in and cleans out most at VP and above. Probably a few at director level as well. Our leadership stinks. Fundamentally what have we delivered in IT in the last year? It’s all been moving the deck chairs on the Titanic. We need to get settled and get down to meaningful work.

I heard a rumor that TR is out and JB will be interim……

Does anyone have any details on the change freeze we had last week company wide due to the Texas Fires? I heard it had something to do with our new CEO being from Xcel. It appears that Xcel is at fault for the fires. Maybe since the new CEO is from Xcel, the board wanted no extra attention coming our way?

I just don't see Ben firing anyone unless you have the person doing something so far out of bounds that they expose the company to a big lawsuit. I think we're stuck with the shrill until either she decides to leave or the new guy fires her. I just know we will see more talent leave before it gets better. Don't expect to see any type of survey in any form this year because they just want to bury that sort of thing.

TR and her Minnesota Mafia isn't going anywhere until new board discovers how she was cooking the books with TCS. They are deliberately not showing all the dollars paid to TCS. Some shown as deferred and some hidden under capital "projects" (though there is no "projects". These are just ops O&M). Every crook eventually gets caught, but how long can she do this is the question.

Been hearing more and more BUs are going directly to TR to get cr-p fixed and not waiting for TCS to pull their collective heads out of their rear end. The more FTEs leave, the harder it will be on TCS to keep up. You can only put so much makeup on a pig.
In the end, the company will survive, TR will at some point leave or get fired. Most of her minions will leave with her and TCS will be phased out in a lot of areas. I cannot imagine the Service Desk remaining offshore. Nobody wants to call in. I pity the onshore folks who have to deal with it like following a group of horses during a parade.

There are very few left that have that in depth knowledge and those that are left are clamoring to get out. There are so many areas that are being held together by just single individuals now it's shamefull.

The entire IT org is a toxic waste dump that no one wants to be in right now.

The ambition to do better or "be here now" is gone. The beatings will continue until the morale improves.

Therace, is this planned, is this your method of operation everywhere you go? Is it just plain old fashioned incompetence? It's no wonder why you fail every place you end up. You surround yourself by those that are clueless and they surround themselves the same way with other clueless people.

There are so many layers of useless management now. I bet they all got a good ICP. Everyone else just got sc--wed.

I really hope that Carl's folks are reading these comments. The people with boots on the ground are looking for some sign from above that there is hope on the horizon. Send out a survey where the results go straight the board and see what you get. Technology leadership filters so much now those not in management wonder if anyone is even aware of how bad it is.

I would encourage others to state your case as well.

The risk now isn't a breach. It's the failing infrastructure and all the knowledge gone or laid off. How many people remain that have in depth knowledge of the systems?

Breach may have already happened.....things were a bit odd during early 2013. Not sure how much truth is behind this. Just search aep data breach. from the report it wasn't major.
,..........
Data Breach Summary
In a distressing incident, American Electric Power (AEP), a renowned provider of energy solutions and services, fell victim to a significant security breach. Detected by our vigilant team at InsecureWeb on March 30, 2023, this breach sent shockwaves through the industry. The breach came to light when a database associating with sensitive information from AEP.com was discovered. The notorious hacker known as “Cyb” claimed responsibility for the breach and publicized the data on the dark web forum “onniforums.com.”

The compromised database, encompassing approximately 623KB of confidential information, revealed a multitude of crucial data points. This included invoice types, contractors, energy types, user IDs, first and last names, addresses, and Social Security Numbers (SSNs). The stolen information presented a grave concern for AEP and its customers, demanding immediate action.

Cyber Security is not a big stretch for including it in CITO. She's either going to be given a pink slip if she hoses up the budget again or she'll move on to a bigger and better company before a breach happens like at JCP and Target. She seems to leave right before one or before the cr-p really hits the fan. Given that she took over Cyber, it's not IF we have one, just a matter of when and how long she sticks around. She's just a snake in the grass and will most likely walk away unscratched.

TR isn’t going anywhere, in fact she keeps expanding her reach in the company, she’s not just IT anymore.

I know most of this thread is about IT, they took the biggest hit in January. I am sorry for the other groups that got cut for various reasons, none of which seems to be the fault of the former employees. I hope the new CEO looks really hard at the people making the decisions and make changes in leadership at all levels, the guys in the trenches have carried the burden long enough. I will agree, TR needs to be the first to go, she is a total disaster. I'm sure she will not leave on her own accord, no company is that stupid to hire her away from us.

TR and her Minnesota Mafia gang is a cancer on AEP and must be neutralized by complete surgical removal and additional chemotherapy. It'll take couple of years to rebuild IT after the cancer is gone.

Over the last 10 years, AEP has shifted away from being a company where multiple generations would work and show their loyalty to the firm to it's all about the profits and Wall St. I would say it started with Morris and was toned down for a bit by Nick until the last few years of his tenure. JS was going to be all about growth and profits. She just forgot how to run a company. Nick and the Board hired people that could not do the job. I have never seen more people with MBAs that are just total id--ts. Like many college degrees today, MBAs are worthless. I'll take someone with 10 years of experience over some kid out of college with an MBA. It'll be a fine day when most of them leave after the new CEO is hired.

AEP has really sc--wed over a lot of long term employees, by promoting junior employees over them in the last few years. The new CEO mentioned making AEP go from a family company to a team company. That culture change is going to real hard. Many top people in the company will only support friends and family. Everyone else is a tool to them.

I'm really surprised the BUs have not thrown a bigger stink about the service provided by IT via TCS. The TCS contractors are on average below par with FTEs. I know it will not change but at some point, the BUs have to put their foot down and demand IT do something about it. It's a shame because you will never get back to the same level of experience before TCS took over. I just wonder how much Sanjay and TR got for directing the contract to them.

On the employee webinar they mentioned that the ICP was going to be around 56% of target