ST. LOUIS, April 23, 2012 -- Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE:ACI) announced today that Deck S. Slone has been elected senior vice president, strategy and public policy for the corporation, effective June 1. He will report to John W. Eaves, Arch's president and incoming CEO.

"Deck has been a key member of Arch's senior management team for many years, and we expect him to play an even more pivotal role in Arch's future growth and success in this new capacity," Eaves said. "Deck is an accomplished strategic thinker with an exceptional understanding of global coal markets, and we will be relying heavily on his leadership and expertise as we chart our course for the future."

In this new role, Slone will have responsibility for strategy formation, planning and energy market analysis. He will continue to have senior responsibility for the organization's government and public affairs functions as well.

Since 2008, Slone has served as Arch's corporate vice president of government, investor and public affairs and as a member of Arch's senior officer team. He was elected a corporate officer in 2001, and held the position of vice president of investor relations and public affairs from 2001 to 2008. He joined Arch Coal in 1997 after starting his career at Ashland Inc. in 1987.

In addition to his duties at Arch, Slone serves on the steering committee of the Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization, as well as the advisory committee of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy, at Washington University in St. Louis. He is a member and past chair of the associates group of the Coal Industry Advisory Board to the International Energy Agency, and a member and past co-chair of the communications and policy committees of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE). He also serves on the boards of the World Coal Association, American Coal Foundation, Missouri Energy Initiative and the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. 

Slone earned a bachelor of arts degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and a master's of business administration from Washington University in St. Louis. 

Beatty promoted to vice president, investor relations-

Arch also announced that Jennifer M. Beatty has been promoted to vice president, investor relations. She will report to John T. Drexler, Arch's senior vice president and chief financial officer.

In this role, Beatty will lead Arch's financial communications and messaging efforts; oversee outreach to the sell-side analyst, equity and fixed-income investment community; and manage the company's shareholder analysis and targeting programs.

Beatty joined Arch in 2005 and has served as the corporation's director of investor relations since 2007. She is a chartered financial analyst and is the immediate past president of the St. Louis chapter of the National Investor Relations Institute. Prior to joining Arch, Beatty held positions in the investor relations and corporate finance functions at the Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. Earlier in her career, she worked in financial consulting roles at Deloitte & Touche LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Beatty earned a bachelor of science degree from Saint Louis University and a master's of business administration from Washington University in St. Louis. 

U.S.-based Arch Coal, Inc. is a top five global coal producer and marketer, with 155 million tons of coal sold in 2011. Arch is the most diversified American coal company, with more than 20 active mining complexes across every major U.S. coal supply basin. Its core business is supplying cleaner-burning, low-sulfur thermal and metallurgical coal to power generators and steel manufacturers on five continents. In 2011, Arch continued to lead the U.S. coal industry in safety performance and environmental compliance among large, diversified producers.