Slone, formerly Arch’s government, investor and public affairs VP, will report to company president and incoming chief executive officer John Eaves.

The role will involve Slone’s oversight of strategy formation, planning and energy market analysis and he will continue to oversee government and public affairs functions as well.

Slone will replace strategic development senior VP C Henry Besten, who earlier this month announced he would retire in June after four decades with Arch and its predecessor companies.

“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.

“[He] 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.”

Slone joined Arch in 1997 after ten years with Ashland.

He was elected a corporate officer in 2001 and was investor relations and public affairs VP from that time until 2008.

Slone serves on the steering committee of the Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization, is a member and past chair of the associates group of the Coal Industry Advisory Board to the International Energy Agency and is a member and past co-chair for the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity.

The Vanderbilt University and Washington University graduate also serves on the boards of the World Coal Association, American Coal Foundation and the Missouri Energy Initiative.

Jennifer Beatty will be replacing Slone as investor relations VP.

She will report to Arch senior VP and chief financial officer John Drexler.

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

Prior to joining Arch, Beatty held positions in investor relations and corporate finance at the Anheuser-Busch Companies and worked in financial consulting roles at Deloitte & Touche and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Arch Coal has undergone a fair amount of leadership change recently.

In February the producer said its CEO Steven Leer was leaving his post.

He will be succeeded by president and chief operating officer John Eaves, a transition which is expected to be made this Thursday – the same day as Arch’s annual shareholders meeting.

Leer, first elected the CEO of Arch predecessor Arch Mineral Corporation in 1992 and later CEO of Arch Coal at its formation in 1997, will remain the producer’s board chairman.