Primary Job Title Director Primary Organization American Electric Power
Gender Male
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Morris retired as chief executive officer on Nov. 11, 2011, and by election of the AEP Board of Directors, turned over his position as president on Jan. 1, 2011, to his successor, Nick Akins. Morris joined AEP as chairman, president and chief executive officer on Jan. 1, 2004.
Prior to joining AEP, Morris was chairman, president and CEO of
Northeast Utilities System from 1997 to 2003, where he led the company during its $1.3 billion sale of the Millstone Station nuclear plant in 2001, a $679 million merger with Yankee Energy System Inc., and the acquisition of Connecticut Valley Electric Co. He was also heavily involved in the formation of ISO-New England, as well as restructuring and retail customer choice in the New England states.
Before joining Northeast Utilities, Morris was president and CEO of Consumers Energy, principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, and president of CMS Marketing, Services and Trading. He was previously president of Colorado Interstate Gas Co. and executive vice president of marketing, transportation and gas supply for ANR Pipeline Co., both subsidiaries of El Paso Energy. Morris was the founder and president of ANR Gathering Co., one of the first gas marketing companies in the United States.
Morris is past chairman of the Edison Electric Institute and the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations. Morris is chairman of the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation & Capitol South. He serves as a director of the boards of Alcoa, Battelle, Limited Brands, Inc., The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., and Spectra Energy Corporation. He is past chairman of the board of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association and the Ohio Business Roundtable. He also serves on the Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents, where he previously served from 1997-2004, and the MSU College of Law Board of Trustees.
In 2011, he was named the recipient of the EEI Distinguished Leadership Award by the Edison Electric Institute, the United States Energy Award from the United States Energy Association, and the Humanitarian of the Year Award by the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus. He also received the distinction of having an AEP River Operations towboat named in his honor, the M/V Michael G. Morris.
Born in Fremont, Ohio, Morris graduated from Eastern Michigan University with both bachelors and masters degrees in biology. In 1995 he received the university’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. During his graduate years, he was commander of the ROTC Brigade. After he graduated in 1973, he worked in the environmental department of Commonwealth Associates, where he prepared environmental impact statements for electrical utility transmission lines, natural gas and oil pipelines, and power plants.
Morris received a law degree, cum laude, from the Detroit College of Law and is a member of the Michigan Bar Association.
