ABINGDON, Va., June 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. , a leading Appalachian coal producer, announced today that Michael J. Quillen, president & CEO, received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2006 Award in the energy category in the Greater Washington area.
Quillen, a veteran of more than 30 years in the coal industry, was selected by an independent panel of judges for the award that Ernst & Young says recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic and growing businesses. The award was presented at an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 20th anniversary gala event on June 22, at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, Va.
"I am honored to be selected, and really feel that this award belongs to all the employees of Alpha Natural Resources. An entrepreneur may have an idea or a plan but it takes a full team to achieve success. Certainly, Alpha's miners, staff and managers are very good at what they do, and that's mining challenging Appalachian coal seams," said Quillen, who has served as president and chief executive officer and as a member of Alpha's board of directors since the company's formation in November 2004.
He has also served as the president and a board member of ANR Holdings since December 2002, and as its chief executive officer since March 2003. Quillen started in the coal industry as an engineer, after graduating from Virginia Tech. He has held senior executive positions in the coal industry throughout his career, including as vice president-operations of Pittston Coal Company, president of Pittston Coal Sales Corp., vice president of AMVEST Corporation, and vice president-operations of NERCO Coal Corporation.
As a Greater Washington award winner, Quillen is now eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2006 national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California on Nov. 18, 2006. The overall national Entrepreneur Of The Year award recipient is then considered for the world event held in Monte Carlo.
The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and continues to honor entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. "Ernst & Young is proud of its history in recognizing these outstanding leaders and their companies," said Jeff Fialko, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year program director for Greater Washington.
ANRG
About Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.
Alpha Natural Resources is a leading producer of high-quality Appalachian coal. Approximately 91 percent of the company's reserve base is high Btu coal and 84 percent is low sulfur, qualities that are in high demand among electric utilities which use steam coal. Alpha is also one of the nation's largest producers and exporters of metallurgical coal, a key ingredient in steel manufacturing. Alpha and its subsidiaries currently operate mining complexes in four states, consisting of 72 mines feeding 12 coal preparation and blending plants. The company and its subsidiaries employ more than 3,700 persons.
About the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards
The Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) awards program was created and is produced by professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP. As the first award of its kind, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic and growing businesses. The program honors entrepreneurs through regional, national and global award programs in over 100 cities and 35 countries.
