ST. LOUIS – Arch Coal, Inc. has announced that Robert W. Shanks has elected to retire as president of Arch’s eastern U.S. operations on March 31 after 35 years of service. Gary L. Bennett, president and general manager of Arch’s Coal-Mac, Inc. subsidiary, has been promoted to president of eastern operations, and J. Chris Sykes has been promoted from mine manager to general manager of Coal-Mac.
Shanks joined Arch in 1976 as a hydrologist after completing his master’s degree in civil engineering from Purdue University. He has held a number of engineering, operations and senior management positions during his tenure, most recently as president of eastern operations. Throughout the course of Shanks’ career, he either worked at or was associated with every one of the company’s operating divisions. In addition to his long and successful history in managing operations, he played significant roles in the Diamond Shamrock acquisition, the 1993 BCOA-UMWA contract negotiations, the Arch Mineral-Ashland Coal merger and the Atlantic Richfield Coal Company (ARCO) acquisition.
Bennett received a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering from West Virginia Tech and joined Arch as a senior engineer in 1990. During his 21-year tenure with Arch, he has held various engineering and operating positions in West Virginia, St. Louis and Kentucky. Arch’s four eastern general managers and the various staff functions in Charleston, W.Va., will report to Bennett. Bennett will be located in the Charleston office and will report to Senior Vice President of Operations Paul A. Lang.
Sykes earned a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering from Virginia Tech and an executive master’s degree in business administration from the University of Charleston, W.Va., in 1999. Sykes has 14 years of experience in the coal industry and with Arch Coal. Sykes most recently served as Coal-Mac’s mine manager. He will report to Bennett.