According to those who attended, the 2014 Annual Meeting of the WV Coal Association was another success, as some were quoted as saying the programs had “the best line-up of speakers ever”. The Membership Meeting on Friday morning had WV Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, Office of Miner’s Health, Safety & Training Director Eugene White and WV State Senator Art Kirkendoll, who is Vice-Chairman of the Senate’s Energy, Industry & Mining Committee.
Saturday morning’s speakers included Tony Alexander, First Energy’s President & CEO, Gene Trisko with ACCCE, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, who drove all night in order to make this function, WV State Senate President/Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kessler and political analyst Jeff Longstreth with JPL & Associates.
Both meetings were widely attended as were the always popular Kate’s Mountain event on Friday evening, with great food and music co-sponsored by Xcoal and Energy, and Saturday morning’s Chairman’s Brunch that featured our hometown Broadway star, Derek Keeling, co-sponsored by Brickstreet Insurance.
The Board of Directors, at its July 31st meeting, named the following officers to serve on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for 2014-2015.
WVCA Chairman -- Jimmy Brock, Consol Energy
1st Vice Chairman -- Jimmy Bunn, II, Coal River Energy
2nd Vice Chairman -- Ben Hatfield, Patriot Coal
Secretary -- Gary Bennett, Arch Coal
Treasurer – Andrew Jordon, Pritchard Mining
Assistant Treasurer – Ben Beakes, Alpha Natural Resources
General Representative – Mike Carey, Murray Energy
General Representative – Warren Hylton, Patience Coal
Associate Chairman – Tim McLean, Walker Machinery
Associate Representative – Pat Graney, Pilot Logistics Services
Immediate Past Chairman – Jim Laurita, L.P. Minerals, LLC
In addition, to those officers who were re-elected to a new three-year term on the Board of Directors, the following members were also re-elected to the Board for three-year terms, ending in August, 2017.
Jim Bunn, Central Coal
Larry Evans, Walter Energy/Western Coal
Ralph Hamilton, Rudd Equipment
Greg Jessee, Arcelor Mittal WV
Myron Jones, Rish Equipment
John Payne, Pocahontas Land Corp.
Drexel Short, Gatling LLC
Wayne Stanley, Stanley Industries
Robert Worley, Baylor Mining
The Board of Directors also approved the addition of Jeff Allen, Pardee Minerals, LLC, to the Board of Directors for a three-year term through August 2017.
Congratulations to all new and returning Board members and the new officers who will lead us through the next year.