FirstEnergy Executive Vice Chairman Paul Evanson to Retire

AKRON, Ohio, May 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Akron, Ohio-based FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) today announced that Executive Vice Chairman Paul J. Evanson will retire effective June 1, 2011.  Evanson will continue to work with the company on a consulting basis.

Prior to FirstEnergy's merger with Allegheny Energy, which was completed in February 2011, Evanson served as Allegheny's chairman, president and chief executive officer since 2003.

"I appreciate Paul's contributions to our industry and his support during the merger process," said FirstEnergy President and Chief Executive Officer Anthony J. Alexander.  "He played a key role in the merger of FirstEnergy and Allegheny Energy, helping to create a larger, stronger company that is well positioned for future success."

Prior to joining Allegheny Energy, Evanson was president of Florida Power & Light Company – one of the largest investor-owned electric utilities in the nation.  Previously, he served as president and chief operating officer for Lynch Corporation, a Connecticut-based diversified company that grew through acquisitions in multi-media and transportation.  

Evanson is a director of the Edison Electric Institute and a member of the board of trustees of St. John's University.  He also has served as Chairman of the Florida Reliability Coordinating Council and as a trustee of the North American Electricity Reliability Council (NERC).

Evanson received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from St. John's University.  He then received a law degree from Columbia University, a master's degree in law from New York University; and an honorary doctor of commercial science degree from St. John's.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence.  Its ten electric distribution companies comprise the nation's largest investor-owned electric system.  Its diverse generating fleet features non-emitting nuclear, scrubbed baseload coal, natural gas, and pumped-storage hydro and other renewables, and has a total generating capacity of approximately 23,000 megawatts.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.