ABINGDON, Va., April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpha Natural
Resources, Inc. (NYSE: ANR), a leading supplier and exporter of
coal, has appointed Paul Vining to
the newly created position of Chief Commercial Officer.
Vining will bring 30 years of proven executive experience within
the coal industry when he joins Alpha in early May. From 2008 to
2010 he was President and Chief Operating Officer of St. Louis-based Patriot Coal Corp. (NYSE:
PCX), a major U.S. producer of metallurgical and steam coal. Prior
to that Vining was Chief Executive Officer of Magnum Coal Co. and
Trout Coal Holdings, two privately held Central Appalachian coal
producers. He has held the top executive sales and trading
positions for both Arch Coal and Peabody Energy, the two largest
coal producers in the United
States, and had key sales and marketing roles at Island
Creek Coal Co. and A.T. Massey Coal Co.
Reporting to Alpha CEO Kevin
Crutchfield, Vining will be responsible for domestic and
international market development, sales, transportation and
logistics, and product optimization for customers. He will lead one
of the industry's most experienced sales organizations with
approximately 60 professionals serving customers in more than 25
countries as well as most major domestic utilities and industrial
customers.
Vining will also oversee a significant expansion of Alpha's
presence in the international seaborne coal markets through the
further utilization of Alpha's sales and logistics capabilities,
including new overseas sales locations serving the Asian markets.
Alpha's logistics platform, which will enlarge once Alpha completes
its planned merger with Massey Energy Co. this year, currently
includes partial ownership of coal-export facility Dominion
Terminal Associates, significant port capacity in the Gulf of Mexico, a network of river terminals,
an ocean freight company with Panamax-class time charters, and a
coal brokerage business.
"Paul will play a key role facilitating the expansion of our
global sales and marketing activity, at a pivotal time when we
expect to increase our international supply capabilities,"
Crutchfield said. "Paul brings us experience in all facets of the
industry, especially in market and sales development, and his track
record demonstrates a proven ability to execute in this area."
About Alpha Natural Resources
Alpha Natural Resources is one of America's premier coal
suppliers with coal production capacity of greater than 90 million
tons a year. Among U.S. producers, Alpha is a major supplier and
exporter of metallurgical coal used in the steel-making process and
is a major supplier of thermal coal to electric utilities and
manufacturing industries across the country. The company, through
its affiliates, employs approximately 6,500 people and operates
approximately 60 mines and 14 coal preparation facilities in
Appalachia and the Powder River
Basin. More information about Alpha can be found on the company's
website at www.alphanr.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Information set forth herein contains "forward-looking
statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
Alpha and Massey caution readers that any forward-looking
information is not a guarantee of future performance and that
actual results could differ materially from those contained in the
forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements
include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of
the business combination transaction involving Alpha and Massey,
including future financial and operating results, the combined
company's plans, objectives, expectations (financial or otherwise)
and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts.
The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to
differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the
ability to obtain regulatory approvals of the transaction on the
proposed terms and schedule; the failure of Alpha or Massey
stockholders to approve the transaction; the outcome of pending or
potential litigation or governmental investigations; the risk that
the businesses will not be integrated successfully or such
integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than
expected; uncertainty of the expected financial performance of
Alpha following completion of the proposed transaction; Alpha's
ability to achieve the cost savings and synergies contemplated by
the proposed transaction within the expected time frame; disruption
from the proposed transaction making it more difficult to maintain
relationships with customers, employees or suppliers; the
calculations of, and factors that may impact the calculations of,
the acquisition price in connection with the proposed merger and
the allocation of such acquisition price to the net assets acquired
in accordance with applicable accounting rules and methodologies;
general economic conditions that are less favorable than expected;
changes in, renewal of and acquiring new long term coal supply
arrangements; and competition in coal markets. Additional
information and other factors are contained in Alpha's and Massey's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"),
including Alpha's and Massey's Annual Reports on Form 10-K,
subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports
on Form 8-K, and other SEC filings, which are available at the
SEC's web site http://www.sec.gov. Alpha and Massey disclaim
any obligation to update and revise statements contained in these
materials based on new information or otherwise.
Important Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of
any vote or approval. In connection with the proposed merger, on
April 12, 2011 Alpha filed with the
SEC Amendment No. 1 to its registration statement on Form S-4
(commission file number 333-172888) that includes a preliminary
joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed merger.
After the registration statement has been declared effective
by the SEC, a definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus will be
mailed to Alpha and Massey stockholders in connection with the
proposed merger. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS
THERETO) AND OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE MERGER FILED WITH THE
SEC, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED
MERGER. You may obtain a copy of the joint proxy
statement/prospectus and other related documents filed by Alpha and
Massey with the SEC regarding the proposed merger as well as other
filings containing information, free of charge, through the web
site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, by directing a request
to Alpha's Investor Relations department at Alpha Natural
Resources, Inc., One Alpha Place,
P.O. Box 2345, Abingdon, Virginia
24212, Attn: Investor Relations, to D.F.
King & Co., Inc., 48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor,
New York, New York 10005 or
to Massey's Investor Relations department at, (804) 788 - 1824 or
by email to Investor@masseyenergyco.com. Copies of the joint
proxy statement/prospectus and the filings with the SEC that are
incorporated by reference in the joint proxy statement/prospectus
can also be obtained, without charge, from Alpha's website at
www.alphanr.com under the heading "Investor Relations" and then
under the heading "SEC Filings" and Massey's website at
www.masseyenergyco.com under the heading "Investors" and then under
the heading "SEC Filings".
Participants in Solicitation
Alpha, Massey and their respective directors, executive officers
and certain other members of management and employees may be deemed
to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in favor of the
proposed merger. Information regarding the persons who may,
under the rules of the SEC, be considered participants in the
solicitation of proxies in favor of the proposed merger is set
forth in the preliminary joint proxy statement/prospectus filed
with the SEC. You can find information about Alpha's and
Massey's directors and executive officers in their respective
definitive proxy statements filed with the SEC on April 1, 2011 and April
16, 2010, respectively. You can obtain free copies of these
documents from Alpha or Massey using the contact information
above.
SOURCE Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.