Kevin S. Crutchfield (50) was appointed to our board of directors in November 2007 and elected as chief executive officer at the time of the merger with Foundation on July 31, 2009. He also has served on the safety, health, environmental and sustainability committee since the merger. Prior to that time, he served as Alpha's president from January 2007 until the merger. Mr. Crutchfield also served as Alpha’s executive vice president from November 2004 until January 2007. Mr. Crutchfield joined Alpha’s management team as the executive vice president of Alpha Natural Resources, LLC and vice president of ANR Holdings, LLC in March 2003, and also served as the executive vice president of ANR Holdings, LLC from November 2003 until ANR Holdings was merged with another of Alpha’s subsidiaries in December 2005. From June 2001 through January 2003, he served as vice president of El Paso Corporation, a natural gas and energy provider, and president of Coastal Coal Company, a coal producer and affiliate of El Paso Corporation, acquired by Alpha in 2003. Prior to joining El Paso, he served as president of AMVEST Corporation, a coal and gas producer and provider of related products and services, and held executive positions at AEI Resources, Inc., a coal producer, including president and chief executive officer. Before joining AEI Resources, he served as the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Cyprus Australia Coal Company and held executive operating management positions with Cyprus in the U.S. before being relocated to Sydney, Australia in 1997. He worked for Pittston Coal Company, in various operating and executive management positions from 1986 to 1995, including as vice president operations prior to joining Cyprus. Similar to Messrs. Quillen and Roberts, Mr. Crutchfield is a long-standing senior executive in the coal industry and, through that experience, has developed an expertise and thorough understanding of the business challenges confronting the industry particularly in the area of risk management. He has also been actively involved in developing, managing and overseeing coal mine safety policies and procedures throughout his career.
Mr. Crutchfield also served on the board of directors of King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from February 2010 until the first quarter of 2011, when he resigned in connection with the acquisition of King Pharmaceuticals by Pfizer.
Qualifications: Mr. Crutchfield is the most senior executive of the Company and provides our board with the greatest insight into the Company’s business, challenges and the material risks facing it. Mr. Crutchfield has more than 24 years of experience in the coal industry and has held many senior leadership positions throughout his career.