Peabody Energy Announces New Global Supply Chain, Strategic Planning and Treasury Appointments

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) today announced three new leadership appointments across its global supply chain management, strategic planning, and finance and treasury functions as the company continues to implement global growth plans and enhance operational excellence across its international platform.

Carlton B. Adams joins Peabody as Senior Vice President – Global Supply Chain with executive responsibility for the company's worldwide procurement efforts, including developing comprehensive strategies while managing the quality and cost of goods and services purchased.  He reports to Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Sharon Fiehler.

Adams brings to Peabody more than 19 years leadership experience across purchasing, operations management, sales and marketing, and the international business functions in the retail, manufacturing and energy sectors.  Most recently, he served as Director – Service Parts Purchasing and Supplier Relations for Caterpillar Inc. with global responsibility for purchasing services.  His past experience includes roles at Lenox Inc., FMC Corporation and Peco Energy Company.  Adams earned a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from Temple University in Philadelphia, and his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

Patrick J. Forkin has been named Vice President – Strategic Planning and assumes responsibility for shaping and monitoring Peabody's global strategies; he reports to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Mike Crews.  Forkin most recently led corporate development and strategy for DayStar Technologies Inc., and has held leadership and finance roles for investment banking firms as well as retail and consulting companies – including K's Merchandise Mart and Deloitte – for more than three decades.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Carey J. Dubois joins the company as Vice President and Treasurer, reporting to Senior Vice President – Finance Walter Hawkins.  He assumes responsibility for long-term financing, bank and lender relations, cash management, employee benefit plan investment management and insurance.  Most recently, Dubois was Vice President, Finance, at Smithfield Foods, which he joined in 2005 as Corporate Treasurer. Prior to that he served as Assistant Treasurer at Bunge Limited and had held a number of other finance positions over 20 years at Pepsi Bottling, Joseph E. Seagram and Sons, and Louis Dreyfus Corporation. Dubois earned his Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University in New York and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maine.

Peabody Energy is the world's largest private-sector coal company and a global leader in clean coal solutions.  With 2009 sales of 244 million tons and $6 billion in revenues, Peabody fuels 10 percent of U.S. power and 2 percent of worldwide electricity.

SOURCE Peabody Energy