Mark James, CEcD

                                             Vice President - Business and Economic Development

 

Mark James is vice president - Economic and Business Development for American Electric Power, responsible for the strategic expansion of AEP's Economic Development program, identifying and pursuing opportunities to increase jobs and retail customer load across AEP’s 11 state, 200,000 square mile service territory.

From 2002 to 2011, James served as founder and president ED Solutions, Inc., a consulting firm providing economic development tools, training and project management services to the economic development profession. James served as director - economic development for AEP from 1992 to 2002. Prior to that, from 1985 to 1992, he was an economic development consultant for AEP in West Virginia. Previously, James was director of community development for the community of Bethel Park, Pa., and regional planner for the Bel-O-Mar Regional Council in Wheeling, W.Va.

He holds a bachelor's degree in geography and environmental science from Edinboro State University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree in economic geography from Oregon State University. James is a graduate of the University of Michigan's Ross Graduate School of Business Executive Management Program and is a certified economic developer (CEcD).

James is actively engaged in the economic profession locally and nationally. He is an instructor at and on the board of the Economic Development Institute. He is also board chair of the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth. James is a board member of Junior Achievement of Central Ohio and the Ohio Statewide Development Corporation.
He is a member of the International Economic Development Council, the Utility Economic Development Association and is on the Advisory Council of the CIBER program at the Fisher School of Business at The Ohio State University.

He is married to Darla Bolon, LISW, and is the parent of Lauren and Ben, aged 29 and 25.