Peabody Energy Announces Organizational Changes

ST. LOUIS, May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) today announced organizational changes in its senior management team to advance the company's worldwide expansion and further drive consistent, best-in-class processes across the organization.

These changes build on Peabody's leadership in global energy markets and position the company to seize growth opportunities through multinational expansion, project development and emerging clean coal and Btu Conversion technologies.

"These changes to our organization will contribute additional talent, skill sets and capabilities as we implement our aggressive global growth plans and enhance operational excellence across our international platform," said Gregory H. Boyce, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  "These changes further strengthen what is consistently recognized as the best management team in the industry, with a superior track record of driving results and creating value."

The following pages summarize the key organizational changes.

Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) is the world's largest private-sector coal company, with 2009 sales of 244 million tons and $6 billion in revenues.  Its coal products fuel 10 percent of all U.S. electricity generation and 2 percent of worldwide electricity.  

The Commercial and Global Development group will continue to expand the company's global platform under the leadership of Peabody Energy President and Chief Commercial Officer Rick Navarre. Navarre will have the following direct reports:

• The President – Asia (to be named), who will shape the company's multinational expansion in the greater Asia-Pacific region. Reporting to this position will be:
  • D.L. Lobb, who will optimize operations in the fast-growth Asia-Pacific markets as Senior Vice President – Operations Development – Asia.
  • Tayeb Tahir, President – Peabody China. Tahir will focus on continuing to expand Peabody's presence in China, the world's fastest-growing economy and coal market.
• The President – Peabody Marketing and Trading (to be named). Reporting to this position will be:
  • Bryan Galli, President – COALSALES, who will continue to drive sales and revenue growth from the company's global production base.
  • Paul Demzik, President – COALTRADE, who will continue to lead the company's global trading and brokerage activities on four continents.
  • Chris Hagedorn, who will assume the role of Senior Vice President – Global Sales and Trading Support. This position combines market analytics and reporting; commercial strategic planning; and business development support.
• Bob Reilly, who retains his current role as Senior Vice President – Business Development and continues to oversee mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures in all core markets outside of China and Mongolia.

The Operations group will maintain primary responsibility for Peabody's global network of operations and new mine projects under the leadership of Peabody Energy Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Eric Ford. Ford will have the following direct reports:

• Charles Meintjes, who has been named to a new position as Group Vice President – Midwest and Colorado. Reporting to Meintjes are Walt Scheller, who continues as Group Executive – Colorado; and Chuck Burggraf, who continues as Group Executive – Midwest.
• Jeane Hull, who is assuming additional responsibilities as Group Vice President – Powder River Basin and Southwest. She will manage the company's surface mines in the Western United States.  Reporting to Hull are Brad Brown, who continues as Group Executive – Southwest; and Scott Durgin, who replaces Hull as Group Executive – Powder River Basin.
• Julian Thornton, who continues as Group Vice President and Managing Director – Australia, with primary responsibility for overseeing Peabody's Australian operations platform.
• Kemal Williamson, who will serve as Group Vice President – Operations Project Development and will be responsible for building out all new approved projects in Peabody's core operating regions of the United States and Australia. Reporting to Williamson are:
  • Terry Bethel, Senior Vice President – Resource Development; and
  • Rod Dyer, Chief Projects Officer – Australia.
• Alice Tharenos, who continues as Vice President – Operations Planning.
• David Beerbower, who continues as Vice President – Safety.

A new Technical Services group has been established to unite technical and operations support within a single global organization. A new role of Executive Vice President – Technical Services (to be named) has been established to lead the group.  This position will have the following direct reports:

• George Schuller, Senior Vice President – Engineering Services, who continues to have responsibility for core engineering capabilities and activities.
• The Senior Vice President – Project Development (to be named), who will oversee Peabody's early-stage project pipeline and technical and operational due diligence for new projects and acquisition opportunities.
• The Senior Vice President – Supply Chain Management (to be named), who will lead the company's global procurement activities.
• Steve Beamer, Vice President – Asset Management, who will assume expanded responsibility for the company's mining equipment strategies and core maintenance activities.
• The Senior Vice President – Continuous Improvement (to be named), who will be responsible for driving the company's global initiatives to achieve best practices and optimize performance.
• Gary Kalbfleisch, who moves into a new role as Vice President – Applied Information Technology and will be responsible for driving technology solutions to meet the company's long-range operating objectives.

Mike Crews continues as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and assumes responsibility for strategic planning. Crews will have the following direct reports:

• Brent Stottlemyre, Senior Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer
• Walter Hawkins, Senior Vice President – Finance
• Amy Schwetz, Vice President – Financial Planning
• The Vice President – Strategic Planning (to be named), who will be responsible for shaping and monitoring Peabody's global strategies

Sharon Fiehler continues as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer and will have the following direct reports:

• Andy Slentz, who will join Peabody as Senior Vice President – Global Human Resources.  Reporting to Slentz will be:
  • Robyn Helmer-Tallon, Vice President – Talent Management
  • Toni Jackson, Vice President – Compensation
  • Julie Nadolny, Vice President – Benefits, Employee Relations and International Services
• Lina Young, who will assume the role of Senior Vice President – Information Technologies. Jeff Maher, Vice President – Business Continuous Improvement, will report to Young.
• Jeff Larner, Chief Security Officer.
• Jerry Riebold, Director of Flight Services.

Alex Schoch continues as Executive Vice President – Law and Chief Legal Officer. Continuing as his direct reports are:

• Mary Frontczak, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel
• Bryan Sutter, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel
• Ed Sullivan, Jr., Vice President and Assistant General Counsel
• Ken Wagner, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel
• Janette Hewson, General Manager – Legal Australia

Fred Palmer continues as Senior Vice President – Government Relations. Continuing as his direct reports are:  

• Marty Considine, Vice President – BTU Conversion
• Chris Leahy, Vice President – Federal Government Relations
• Kelly Mader, Vice President – State Government Relations
• L. Cartan Sumner, Vice President – International Government Relations

Vic Svec, Senior Vice President – Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, will report directly to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gregory H. Boyce.  Svec will have the following direct reports:  

• Christina Morrow, who has been named Vice President – Investor Relations
• Meg Gallagher, who has been named Director – Corporate Communications
• Beth Sutton, who has been named Director – Global Communications
• The Director – Community Relations (to be named)
• Chris Taylor, Manager – Communication Services

SOURCE Peabody Energy

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