Peabody Energy Names Jeane L. Hull Executive VP - Technical Services, George J. Schuller Appointed Group Executive - PRB and Southwest

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Mar 17, 2011, 12:59 ET

ST. LOUIS, March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) today announced that Jeane L. Hull has been named Executive Vice President – Technical Services and will lead technical and operations support across Peabody's global platform. Hull will report to Gregory H. Boyce, Peabody Energy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

"Jeane brings extensive experience, strong leadership skills and demonstrated operational excellence to an essential role," said Boyce. "She will oversee a global team of professionals and provide strategic leadership in our Technical Services function as Peabody expands its global platform."

Hull joined Peabody as the Senior Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services and managed the global delivery of engineering, environmental, geology and design and construction services. Most recently, she served as Group Executive – Powder River Basin and Southwest. Under her leadership, the North Antelope Rochelle Mine in Wyoming achieved a record volume of 106 million tons.

Prior to joining Peabody, Hull served as Chief Operating Officer of Kennecott Utah Copper. She has held numerous management, engineering and operations positions with Rio Tinto and affiliates and spent 12 years with Mobil Mining and Minerals and Mobil Chemical Company. Hull brings broad engineering, environmental and regulatory affairs experience across the public and private sectors.

Reporting to Hull are Richard Robison, Senior Vice President of Continuous Improvement; Carlton Adams, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Management; Steve Beamer, Vice President of Asset Management; and Gary Kalbfleisch, Vice President of Applied Information Technology. A to-be-named Senior Vice President of Engineering Services will also report to Hull.

A registered professional engineer, Hull holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and an M.B.A. from Nova University in Florida.

George J. Schuller Jr. has been named Group Executive – Powder River Basin and Southwest, replacing Hull. He will be responsible for the safe and productive operation of the company's surface mines across the Western United States. Schuller reports to Eric Ford, Peabody Energy Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

Schuller joined Peabody in 1986 as a production supervisor and brings over 25 years of operations and engineering experience to his new regional leadership role. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Engineering Services with responsibility for core engineering capabilities and activities.

Schuller has held various mine management positions of increasing responsibility at U.S. operations and served as General Manager of Underground Operations and General Manager of Mining Support for Peabody's Australian operations in Queensland, Australia. He also served as Vice President of Continuous Improvement and Vice President of New Mine Development.

Reporting to Schuller are Brad Brown, Senior Vice President of Operations – Southwest; Dan Cartwright, Vice President of Operations Support – Powder River Basin and Southwest; Scott Durgin, Senior Vice President of Operations – Powder River Basin; Gregg Heaton, Vice President of Human Resources – Powder River Basin and Southwest; and Jason Ryan, Director of Business Analytics – Powder River Basin and Southwest.

George Schuller holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering from West Virginia University and an M.B.A. from the University of Charleston in West Virginia.

Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) is the world's largest private-sector coal company and a global leader in clean coal solutions. With 2010 sales of 246 million tons and nearly $7 billion in revenues, Peabody fuels 10 percent of U.S. power and 2 percent of worldwide electricity.