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Cleveland-Cliffs Shuffles PinnOak Management
11/07/2007 - Cleveland-Cliffs announces the promotion of two executives—and departure of the PinnOak President— as part of the company’s ongoing integration of the recently acquired PinnOak Resources.
As part of its ongoing integration of PinnOak Resources, Cleveland-Cliffs announced the promotions of Duke Vetor to the position of Senior Vice President—North American Coal, and David Blake to the position of Vice President, Operations—North American Iron Ore. Ronald Stovash, currently President and CEO of PinnOak Resources, will be leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.
In his new role, which is effective immediately, Vetor assumes responsibility for PinnOak’s corporate offices in Canonsburg, Pa., the Pinnacle Complex in West Virginia and Oak Grove mine in Alabama. Blake, in his new capacity, will head Cliffs’ operating activities at the company’s six North American Iron Ore mines.
Both Vetor and Blake will report to Donald Gallagher, Cliffs’ President, North American business unit.
“Duke and David both have the requisite operational expertise and experience implementing business improvement initiatives to serve our North American business well,” commented Joseph A. Carrabba, Cliffs’ Chairman, President and CEO. “Each has an established track record of quickly achieving operating goals and I look forward to their continuing contributions.”
Vetor previously served as Cliffs’ Vice President, Operations—North American Iron Ore, a position he has held since July 2006. He has nearly 30 years’ experience in operational roles at mines, both with Cliffs and Rio Tinto, where he was most recently vice president of operations at Diavik Diamond Mines in Canada.
Blake previously served as General Manager, Michigan operations, and had responsibility for the Empire and Tilden mines, as well as Cliffs’ LS&I Railroad.
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland-Cliffs is an international mining company, the largest producer of iron ore pellets in North America, and a major supplier of metallurgical coal to the global steelmaking industry. The company operates six iron ore mines in Michigan, Minnesota and Eastern Canada, and three coking coal mines in West Virginia and Alabama. Cliffs also owns 80% of Portman Limited, a large iron ore mining company in Australia, serving the Asian iron ore markets with direct-shipping fines and lump ore. In addition, the company has a 30% interest in the Amapá Project, a Brazilian iron ore project, and a 45% economic interest in the Sonoma Project, an Australian coking and thermal coal project.
