St. Louis, Mo, USA - October 25, 2012, St. Louis, Mo, USA - Patriot Coal Corporation, a producer and marketer of coal, announced that Bennett K. Hatfield has been named president and chief executive officer and has been appointed to the board of directors, effective October 24, 2012.
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Most recently, Mr. Hatfield served as President and Chief Operating Officer for Patriot Coal. Previously, he was President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of International Coal Group, prior to the June 2011 sale of that company. He has held a number of other key executive operating and commercial positions during his 30-plus years in the coal industry, including President, Eastern Operations of Arch Coal, Inc., Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Massey Energy Company, and Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer of Coastal Coal Company.
Mr. Hatfield is a board member of the West Virginia Coal Association and a past board member of the NMA. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer with a Bachelor of Science degree in mining engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. As CEO, he succeeds Irl F. Engelhardt, who is stepping down from his duties as Chairman, CEO and member of the Board of Directors of Patriot.
Mr. Engelhardt has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Patriot since its spin-off from Peabody Energy in 2007, and previously served as Chairman and CEO of Peabody from 1990 - 2005. During his career, he has served as Chairman of Peabody Resources Ltd. (Australia), Chairman of Citizens Power LLC (a power trading company), Chairman of The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Co-CEO and executive director of The Energy Group (LSE: TEG), Chairman of Suburban Propane Company and Chairman of Cornerstone Construction & Materials.
Mr. Engelhardt also previously served as a member of the Boards of Directors of Valero Energy Corporation and The Williams Companies, Inc. In addition, he served as Chairman of the National Mining Association, the Coal Industry Advisory Board of the International Energy Agency, the Center for Energy and Economic Development, and the Coal Utilization Research Council, as well as Co-Chairman of the Coal Based Generation Stakeholders Group. ■