Don Blankenship
| Don Blankenship | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Donald Leon Blankenship March 14, 1950 Stopover, Kentucky |
| Alma mater | Marshall University |
| Occupation | Coal magnate |
| Years active | 1972 - 2010 |
| Known for | Coal industry; mine disaster |
| Criminal charge | conspiracy to violate mine safety and health standards |
| Criminal penalty | 1 year in federal prison; $250,000 fine |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | www.donblankenship.com |
Donald Leon "Don" Blankenship (born March 14, 1950) is a retired American business executive. He was Chairman and CEO of the Massey Energy Company — the sixth largest coal company (by 2008 production) in the United States — from 2000 until his retirement in 2010. A federal grand jury indicted Blankenship on November 13, 2014, for conspiracy to violate mandatory federal mine safety and health standards, conspiracy to impede federal mine safety officials, making false statements to the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as securities fraud.
As a result of the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster, in which 29 miners were killed in Raleigh County, West Virginia on April 5, 2010, he faced up to 30 years in prison on several charges including felony conspiracy. On March 5, 2015, the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a gag order that had been keeping anyone involved in the case (including relatives of victims), from talking about the accident.
Blankenship is a financial backer of the Republican party and participant in local and state politics in his home state of West Virginia. He has frequently spoken out about politics, the environment, unions, and coal production.
Blankenship is featured unflatteringly in Michael Shnayerson's 2008 book Coal River and in Laurence Leamer's 2013 book, The Price of Justice: A True Story of Greed and Corruption.
Blankenship was paid $17.8 million in 2009, the highest in the coal industry. It was a $6.8 million raise over 2008, and almost double his compensation package in 2007. Blankenship also received a deferred compensation package valued at $27.2 million in 2009.
On December 3, 2010, Blankenship announced that he was retiring as CEO at the end of the year and would be succeeded by Massey President Baxter F. Phillips Jr.
...
Wikipedia