Massey Energy - History

History

A.T. Massey incorporated the A.T. Massey Coal Company in 1920 as a coal brokering business in Richmond, Va., and served as the company’s first president. A.T. Massey acquired its first mining operation in 1945 and expanded its business to include coal mining and processing. Several members of the Massey family succeeded A.T. Massey as company president, including Evan Massey in 1945, William E. Massey in 1962 and E. Morgan Massey in 1972.

St. Joe Minerals acquired a majority interest in A.T. Massey in 1974. Six years later, St. Joe Minerals formed the Massey Coal Partnership, along with Royal Dutch Shell. In 1981, the Fluor Corporation acquired St. Joe Minerals. In 1984, the United Mine Workers of America went on strike against A.T. Massey, sparking a series of confrontations documented in the film Mine War on Blackberry Creek and in 1987, the Massey Coal Partnership was reorganized into A.T. Massey Coal Company, a wholly owned mining subsidiary of Fluor Corporation, initiating a period of significant growth through acquisitions.

In 1992 Don Blankenship was appointed President, Chairman and CEO of A.T. Massey Coal Company; he served as the Chairman and CEO of Massey for 18 years. Under Blankenship's direction and leadership, the growth of the late-80s continued and accelerated with several more acquisitions taking place and the establishment of a number of subsidiaries.

A.T. Massey completed a reverse spin-off from Fluor Corporation in 2000 and was renamed Massey Energy Company. Today, Massey Energy produces, processes, and sells bituminous coal of steam and metallurgical grades, primarily of low sulfur content, through its 22 processing and shipping centers, called "resource groups," many of which receive coal from multiple coal mines.

Massey currently operates 35 underground mines and 12 surface mines in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia. In 2007, Massey announced a strategic alliance with Essar Mineral Resources Ltd., a member of Essar Group of India, to jointly evaluate and develop select business opportunities on a project-by-project basis.

The company recently promoted several executives to new positions. In November 2008, Massey promoted Baxter Phillips Jr., formerly executive vice president and chief administrative officer, to president, a position previously held by Massey Chairman and CEO Don Blankenship. Phillips’ new position will focus on Massey Energy's strategic growth plans and will continue to manage sales, finance, human resources, information systems and investor relations at the company's Richmond headquarters.

In January 2009, the company promoted John M. Poma to vice president and chief administrative officer, Jeffrey M. Gillenwater to vice president of human resources and Steve Sears to vice president of sales and marketing, nearly a year after promoting Shane Harvey to general counsel.

On Dec. 31, 2010, longtime CEO Don Blankenship stepped down, and was replaced as CEO by Massey President Baxter F. Phillips Jr.