COSI Appoints AEP CFO to Governing Board of Trustees
For Immediate Release:
Kelli Gaza Nowinsky, COSI PR Manager, 614-629-3114, knowinsky@mail.cosi.org
(Columbus) February 8, 2008 - COSI appoints another outstanding member of the Central Ohio community to the Governing Board of Trustees. Holly Koeppel, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for American Electric Power officially joined the board at its January 30 meeting.
Koeppel replaces Jeffrey Lyttle who resigned at the end of 2007 after three years of service. The volunteer Board of Trustees provides dedicated leadership and support, enabling COSI to serve nearly a million visitors every year.
“We are delighted to have Holly join COSI’s Board of Trustees. She brings critical business experience and perspective that will help COSI continue its ongoing transformation from a strong science center into a 21st Century Center of Science where people of all ages and backgrounds learn, discuss and explore science and innovation,” said Carl F. Kohrt, Chair of the COSI Governing Board.
Koeppel joined AEP in 2000 as vice president of New Ventures, Corporate Development, where she was responsible for identifying, evaluating and disposing of non-strategic assets following AEP’s merger with Central South West Corporation. She then advanced to the position of senior vice president of Corporate Development and Strategy. In 2002, she was named executive vice president of Commercial Operations, responsible for wholesale market activities, fuel procurement, and non-utility operations, including merchant power plants, gas pipelines, and mining operations. Koeppel also led international operations in Australia, Brazil, China, Europe, and the United Kingdom. In 2004, Koeppel was named executive vice president, AEP Utilities-East, with responsibility for AEP’s utility operating units Appalachian Power, Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Columbus Southern Power and Ohio Power, which serve 3.2 million customers in the states of Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Prior to AEP, Koeppel served with Consolidated Natural Gas, Pittsburgh, for more than 15 years. Koeppel is a graduate of The Ohio State University, earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She also serves as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Counsel for the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State. Koeppel is an active advocate of the Women’s Fund of Central Ohio and a member of the Opera Columbus Board. A Pittsburgh native, she resides in Upper Arlington, Ohio, with her husband and two children.
Koeppel joins three other recently appointed COSI board members including: Eddie Harrell, Jr., President and Chief Operating Officer of the Columbus Urban League, Leah Pappas, Partner at Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP and Mark R. Thresher, President & Chief Operating Officer of Nationwide Financial Services. Carl F. Kohrt, President and Chief Executive Officer of Battelle serves as Chair of the COSI Governing Board.
COSI is one of the most respected science centers in the nation, serving more than 19 million visitors since 1964. COSI features more than 300 interactive exhibits throughout our discovery-based and themed exhibition areas. COSI’s groundbreaking, award-winning education programs have touched more than five million teachers and students. For more information on hours and rates go to www.cosi.org
