Mining Engineering
Thirtieth Annual
Mining Awards Dinner
April 27, 2012
Marriott Griffin Gate Resort
Lexington, KY
University of Kentucky Mining Engineering
Welcome
Rick Honaker
Awards Program
Special Recognition: Dean Thomas W. Lester
Professional Engineers in Mining Award
Invocation
Richard Sweigard
Dinner
Introductions
Rick Honaker
Student Activity Highlights
Kyle Perry
Professional Engineers in Mining Scholarships
Mu Nu Gamma Junior Academic Achievement & Award
Charles Bearse
Gregory Brenner
Zachary Clayton
Bradley Coleman
Clayton Cross
Alexander Douglas
Mark Faulhaber
Zachery Gibson
Andrew Goderwis
Michael Henderson
Kayla Mayfield
David McLane
Mallory Miller
Brandon Phipps
Fadi Qutaish
John Rathbun
Justin Ratliff
Chance Robertson
William Thamrin
Justin White
Jarrod Willis
Christopher Woods
Master of Science Degree in Mining Engineering
Zhaomin Duan
Erin Morris
Mohammad Rezaee
Recipient.......................................................……William Walker
Mu Nu Gamma Recognition
Academic Excellence
Recipient.......................................................……Alexander Douglas
ISEE Leadership Award
Recipient.......................................................……David McLane
Tau Beta Pi Recognitions
Recipients
Outstanding Senior..................................................Bradley Coleman
Outstanding Junior..................................................David Norton
Outstanding Teacher ...............................................Braden Lusk
Recognition of 2011-2012 Graduates
Bachelor of Science Degree in Mining Engineering
Recipient.......................................................……Clayton Cross
Outstanding Graduate Student
Recipient.......................................................……Jhon Silva-Castro
Catesby Clay Leadership Award
Recipient.......................................................……Kathryn Gardner
Careers-in-Coal Lamplighter Award
Recipient.......................................................……Justin Ratliff
Old Timers’ Club Award
Recipient.......................................................……Mallory Miller
MEF Distinguished Alumni Award
Recipient.......................................................……Richard Storey, Sr.
Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering
Tathagata Ghosh
Mehmet Saracoglu
Jhon Silva-Castro
1
2
Richard W. Storey, Sr.
Dick’s first job after graduation was with the L&N Railroad.
Based in Middlesboro, and later Louisville, Dick designed rail
yards, coal sidings and terminals. He later went to Virginia with
Clinchfield Coal Corporation as a mining engineer, but eventually
returned to U.S. Steel in Lynch, where he helped develop the
Splint seams that would add underground access to surface
mines. Dick was then recruited to be a mining engineer at
Consolidated Coal Company in Jenkins, Ky., where he would
spend 17 years.
Dick’s next assignment took him to India for the World Bank
where, as the only civil/mining engineer on the assignment,
Dick designed a modern coal mining town under the constraints
that it conform to the Cass system. Then it was on to South
Korea for three years where, under a contract with Pierce
Management, Dick evaluated every active mine for the
government—exploration, mining development, mine feasibility
studies, mine operations, deployment of mining equipment,
establishment of improved mining methods, upgrading of safety
procedures, coal processing, and studies of coal characteristics
and coal utilization.
Richard Storey or, Dick, as he is known by his friends, was born
into a coal mining family on October 11, 1922 in Greensburg,
Pa. When he was seven he moved to Harlan County, Ky., where
his father was chief engineer at U.S. Steel in Lynch.
Upon graduating from high school, Dick entered into the
mining program at the University of Kentucky; unfortunately,
with the outbreak of World War II, the mining program was
suspended. When Dick graduated in December 1943, he
received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with a mining
option instead of a mining engineering degree; however, the
professional engineering registration boards in Kentucky
and Texas recognized the mining option and issued him a
professional mining engineer license.
Continuing his career in coal and consulting, Dick spent over
a decade with the Paul Weir Company as Director and Senior
Vice President. There, his assignments focused on exploration,
mining feasibility studies, mine planning and design, mine
operation problems and development of mining properties in the
U.S., Turkey, Australia, Canada and Africa.
After formally retiring in 1985, Dick continued consulting on
a limited basis. Now, he and his wife, Olivia, are enjoying
retirement in Lexington.
3
4
Thomas W. Lester
D.L. Lobb
Kot Unrug
Thomas W. Lester became dean of engineering and professor of mechanical
engineering at UK on July 1st, 1990. Prior to becoming dean, he had served as
professor and chairman of mechanical engineering at Louisiana State University,
professor of nuclear engineering at Kansas State University, an experimental
engineer in compressor development for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft and as an
engineer with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
A native of Indiana, Dean Lester received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical
engineering with highest distinction from Purdue University in 1970. He received
his master’s and doctorate in the same discipline from Purdue in 1972 and 1974,
respectively, and was named an NDEA Fellow of Purdue University during his
graduate studies. Not surprisingly, in 2005 Purdue University awarded Dean Lester
its Outstanding Mechanical Engineer Award.
To show his support of young engineers, Dean Lester established and instructs,
a class that teaches hand-picked students the basic leadership skills needed to
succeed in the professional world.
Following his service as dean of engineering, he plans to continue his efforts in
helping students prepare themselves for their futures by teaching electrical and
mechanical engineering courses at the University of Kentucky.
A career in mining wasn’t D.L. Lobb’s first choice.
“When I started at UK, I was actually pre-medicine,” Lobb recalls. “While at the
hospital during my first semester, I saw blood and passed out. At that point, I
figured I shouldn’t be a doctor.”
Lobb’s aversion to blood opened the door to a fruitful career in mining. It all started
with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering-mining option—from UK in 1979.
After gaining experience at local coal companies, Lobb moved into managerial
roles—eventually leading international business and development projects in
South America, China and Mongolia. He achieved production records at the
largest surface coal mine in the world and won the President’s Award for safest
underground mine while with Peabody Energy. Recently completing his third year
in China, Lobb was promoted and repatriated to the United States as the Group
Executive of Operations Support – Americas, where he is responsible for all
technical, land, project management, continuous improvement, asset management
and supply chain functions of the Americas Business Unit of Peabody Energy.
Mr. Lobb lives in Colorado Springs, Colo. with his wife, Tamara. They have two
daughters.
Dr. Kot Unrug retired from UK’s Department of Mining Engineering at the conclusion
of the spring 2012 semester. His impact upon the department since his arrival in
1978 is immeasurable.
“When I came here, mining was a section in the civil engineering department,” he
says. “With commitment and time, we built slowly and now are one of the primary
mining engineering programs in the country.”
Dr. Unrug’s philosophy of teaching eschewed easy answers and lack of rigor. He
firmly believes learning through repetition and developing intellectual tools sharp
enough to solve complex problems are far more valuable than simply understanding
information.
In retirement, Dr. Unrug plans to continue working on research projects with Dr.
Kyle Perry, who has taken over as Director of the Rock Mechanics Laboratory. He
will likely also take time to reflect on his career as a professor and the many mining
engineering students on whom he had an opportunity to put his stamp of influence
over the past three decades.
“The best reward of teaching is when you see the students you’ve taught doing well
in life,” he summarizes. “That’s better than any of the other metrics we use.”
5
6
2011-2012 Scholarship Recipients
Bill Eads Memorial
Ernest E. Hollyfield
Cynthia Ballinger • Sarah Parrigin
Brandy Chenault • Andrew Goderwis
David Norton
AIME
Kathryn Gardner
ISEE
Alliance Coal
David McLane • John Rathbun • Joshua Hoffman • Chase Guengerich
Erin Morris • Mark Faulhaber • Rex Meyr
Justus Carter • Zachary Clayton • Taylor Gabbard • Levi Griggs • Joseph Jury
Daniel Masterson • Mallory Miller • Owen Moreland • John Young
Alpha Natural Resources
Cynthia Ballinger • Charles Bearse • Jacob Brashear • Levi Griggs • lan Hamilton
Michael Henderson • Kyle Hogue • Joseph Jury • Justin Lamb • Tessa Monday
Jesse Murphy • James Samples • William Turner
Joy Mining Machinery
Kentucky River Properties
Justin Ratliff
Jacob Brashear • Zachery Gibson
Alex Jolly
Marshall
Massey Energy
Clayton Cross
Michael Henderson
Newmont Mining
Alumni
Gabriel Nickell
Arch Coal
Alex Douglas • Zachery Gibson • Kayla Mayfield • Jonathan Nickell
James Samples • Drew Schleuter • Anna Tanner • Jarrod Willis
Kathryn Gardner • lan Hamilton • Tyler Hawkins • Broderick Herd • Andrew Hill
Jonathan House • Brett Jackson • Charles Johnson • Corey Kiser
Edward Lawson • Daniel Masterson • Melyssa McFarland • Dylan Rohar
North Carolina Coal Institute
Adam Bryant
James “Mike” Barron Sr. Memorial
Justin Lamb
Patriot Coal Fund
Samuel L. and Arthur L. Bastin
Bradley Coleman • Justin Lamb • Gabriel Nickell • Colton Parsons • Fadi Qutaish
Max Shrout • Adam Thompson • William Walker
Alexander Douglas • Robert Eades • Dustin Halcomb • Kayla Mayfield • David Norton
Jerry Booher
John A. Creech
Clayton Cross • Rachael Cash
W. Tyler Meadows
Friends of Coal
Douglas Dorsel • Joseph Durham • Kristin Floyd • Jonathan Fryman
Anthony Fugate • Taylor Gabbard • Jared Garrett • Michael Gordon
Travis Hall • Haley Herrell • Joshua Hescock • Carey Holton
Alex Jolly • Patrick Jorgenson • Austin Kulengowski
Thomas Lemaster • Eamonn Magner • Kody Maikranz • Robert McRay
Ethan Miller • Dalton Mills • Jeffrey Poston • Alex Shaklette
Jordan Sheraka • Matthew Skeans • Emma Smith • Adam Stork
Benjamin Stork • Trevor Tackett • Naz Taylor • Spencer Vance
Mitchell Weinstock • Addison Wheatley • Kyle Williams • Zachery Zourakis
CONSOL Energy
Brandy Chenault • John Cybriwsky • Justin Ratliff • T. Chase Richardson
Daniel Schwendeman
W.T. Patterson
PEM
The Rodeo Scholarship
Andrew Goderwis
Kathryn Gardner
William Walker
Bradley Coleman
James Rose
Ross
Donald R. Russell
Bradley Coleman
Katy Petry
Kayla Mayfield
Jesse Murphy
Southern Coal
Dylan Rohar
WAAIME
Sampurna Arya • Charles Bearse • Jacob Brashear • Gregory Brenner • Austin Brock
Joshua Calnan • Brandy Chenault • Bradley Coleman • Clayton Cross • Raghav Dube
Mark Faulhaber • Kathryn Gardner • Joshua Hoffman • Brett Jackson • Mallory Miller
Tessa Monday • Gabriel Nickell • David Norton • Fadi Qutaish • Mohammad Razaee
Drew Schlueter • William Thamrin • Jarred Willis • Lingyu Zhang • Yigong Zhang • William Turner
David Zegeer
Gabriel Nickell
7
8
Sponsors
Principal
AKJ Industries, Inc. • Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.
Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. • Armstrong Coal Company, Inc.
A.T. Massey Coal Company • CONSOL Energy Inc.
Friends of Coal • The Richard & Leslie Gilliam Foundation
Guohua Technology Corporation • James River Coal Company
Joy Mining Machinery • Kentucky River Properties LLC
H. Louis & Mary H. Kirkpatrick Family • Nelson Brothers, LLC
Newmont USA Limited • Patriot Coal Corporation
Peabody Energy • The Rodeo Committee
SNF Inc. • TECO Coal Corporation
Corporate
Arch Coal, Inc. • Big Sandy Company LP
Central Appalachian Section of SME • The Cliffs Foundation
Coal, Energy Investments & Management, LLC • CYTEC Industries, Inc.
Georgia Pacific Financial Management, Inc.
Howard Engineering & Geology, Inc. • Kentucky Coal Association
D. L. Lobb • Luminant Mining • Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC
Natural Resource Partners L.P. • North Carolina Coal Institute Inc.
Professional Engineers in Mining • Summit Engineering, Inc.
Patrons
Robert R. Addington • Alan A. Campoli • Catesby W. Clay
Michael & Jacalyn Day • ECSI, LLC • FGX Septech LLC
Gaither Frazier • Green River Collieries, LLC
Hazard Coal Corporation • Mathew Haaga • Dell & Debbie Jaggers
Jennmar Corporation • R. M. Johnson Engineering, Inc.
Samuel S. Johnson • Kenneth P. Katen • Lexington Coal Exchange
Thomas & Holly Myers III • Brian P. O’Dea • Stanley & Karen Pigman
Southern Coals Inc. • James & Diane Stuckert
Richard & Nena Sweigard • The Whitaker Foundation Inc.
Sponsors
Larry D. Adams
Elizabeth S. Haley
Dexter J. Patton, Jr.
Russell Adams
Lee Harris
Robert J. Patton
Tarsem Aggarwal
James H. Justice
Todor Petrov
Beibei Li Allen
Dennis R. Keefer
Leland A. Pollitt
Don R. Batten
Kim King
John T. Popp
Brian Bergman
William B. Kirk Jr.
David & Kyra Quarles
Eric Blanford
Kewal K. Kohli
Marco M. Rajkovich Jr.
Tyler R. Booten
Kathy Kotora
Scott Ratliff
Raymond A. Bradbury
Garth A. Kuhnhein
Charlie Reeves
Eugene Brashear
Russell L. Lamont
David Ross
Jeffrey D. Brock
Bryan Lummus
Orby R. Sanders
Brunner & Lay
Lee W. Saperstein
Craig M. Burke
Howard J. Siegel
Geaunita Caylor
Timothy K. Slone
James M. Charles
David K. Smith
Arnold Connelly
Douglas E. Smith
E. M. Cope
William R. Stamler
Tim Cornelius
Mining Engineering
John W. Crawford
Charles Stone
Daniel Tao
Jared Curry
Danny Maggard
Ernest Thacker
Michael Damron
James E. Manning
Anthony W. Tharp
Nicholas Dawson
Robert E. McCray
Justin F. Thompson
Andrew J. DeSimone
James E. McCullum, Jr.
Ed Thompson
Danny Durham
Joy McDonald
David Turner
Philip D. Ellis
Thomas McClain
Andrzej Wala
Joe Evans
Jerry Meade
Nathaniel Waters
Maoming Fan
Philip L. Meade
Mark Watson
J. Steven Gardner
Mallory Anne Miller
Shane Watts
William R. Gardner
Deborah Moses
Timothy Webb
Dennis R. Hatfield
Hans & Catherine Naumann
Mike T. Wedding
Jack R. Hagewood
Amirala Pasha
9
10
Mining Engineering