Birmingham, Alabama-based Walter Energy, Inc., the world's leading pure-play metallurgical coal producer, announced Monday that it has named Walter J. "Walt" Scheller III to the position of CEO and has elected him to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Scheller previously served as President-US Operations for Walter Energy.
Scheller joined Walter Energy as President and Chief Operating Officer of its Jim Walter Resources subsidiary. He had spent four years before that at Peabody Energy Corporation, where he was most recently group executive - Colorado operations. He had previously served as senior vice president - strategic operations for Peabody. Prior to that, he served as vice president, Northern Appalachia Gas Operations for CNX Gas Corporation and before that served in a number of executive and operational roles over 21 years at Consol Energy, Inc., most recently as Vice President - Operations of the company.
Scheller replaces Joseph B. Leonard, a member of Walter Energy's Board who served as interim CEO since August 1. Leonard took over as interim CEO after the sudden departure of Keith Calder as CEO due to "management differences" after only three months on the job.