James River Coal Company

Type: Public
On the web: http://www.jamesrivercoal.com
Employees: 2,405
Employee growth: 37.7%

James River keeps the coal flowing. The company operates about 30 mines in eastern Kentucky (in the Central Appalachian Basin) and southern Indiana (in the Illinois Basin) that produce some 10 million tons of coal annually. Though a small percentage of the coal it sells comes from independent operators and third-party producers, the vast majority of James River's coal is produced from company-operated mines. It controls approximately 271 million tons of proved and probable reserves. More than three-quarters of its coal is sold to utilities. Georgia Power and South Carolina Public Service are its biggest customers, collectively accounting for nearly two-thirds of its business.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2011:
Sales: $1,177.7M
One year growth: 68.0%
Net income: ($39.1)M

Officers:
Chairman, President, and CEO: Peter T. Socha
SVP and COO: Coy K. Lane Jr.
VP and Chief Accounting Officer: Samuel M. (Sam) Hopkins II

Competitors:
Alpha Natural Resources
Arch Coal
CONSOL Energy