He will also continue to serve as chairman of Patriot. Ben Hatfield has been named president and will continue to serve as COO of Patriot. He will be responsible for overseeing the execution of Patriot’s operations, sales and marketing plans. To help ensure that Patriot’s operations anticipate and respond effectively to changing market conditions, the company’s marketing teams will now report directly to Hatfield.
“Ben and I will immediately focus on improving Patriot’s competitive position as well as its financial structure to enhance value for our shareholders and all other groups who have a stake in the company’s success,” Engelhardt said. “Our team has successfully navigated the inherent cycles in the energy industry in the past, and I am confident Patriot can overcome the industry challenges that we currently face. As we move forward, I could not have a better operating partner than Ben, who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and a deep knowledge of the coal industry in his 30-year career.”
