Arch Coal Inc. announced that Charles G. Snavely has elected to retire as president of the company's eastern U.S. operations, following an exceptional 35-year career in the coal industry. Upon joining Arch in 2011, Snavely helped lead the company's integration of ICG. He will continue serving Arch in a consultancy role on critical projects that fall outside the scope of the day-to-day operations through 2014.

Gary L. Bennett will succeed Snavely as president of eastern operations. Bennett will have responsibility for all aspects of Arch's eastern subsidiary operations as well as the eastern engineering group. Bennett joined Arch as a senior engineer in 1990.

During his 23-year tenure with Arch and 33 years in the coal industry, he has held various engineering and operating positions in West Virginia and St. Louis. He most recently served as vice president of operations support.

Both Bennett and Snavely will report to Cochran.