Altrudo will be responsible for Peabody's international sales, marketing, trading and brokerage activities. He will continue to report to sales, marketing and trading executive vice president Richard Whiting and will continue to be based in St. Louis.

Previously, Altrudo was COALSALES senior vice president of sales and marketing for Appalachia. He has nearly 25 years of industry experience in sales and marketing and has served in a variety of senior management roles.

Reporting to Altrudo are COALTRADE Australia managing director Christopher "Ross" Crump, based in Newcastle, Australia; COALTRADE vice president of U.S. export and coking coal sales Terry Hale, based in Richmond, Va.; and COALTRADE vice president of Atlantic sales and trading John Hanekamp, based in St. Louis.

"International thermal and coking coal markets represent a major growth opportunity for Peabody," said Whiting. "We have established a top-notch sales and trading team under Mike's leadership to capture new business in these markets."

COALSALES served more than 270 electric generating stations and industrial customers in 11 countries on five continents in 2003. Peabody COALTRADE Inc. is a COALSALES subsidiary that engages in domestic and international coal trading and brokerage activities.

New U.S. trading, transportation and market development vice president Ebetino will be responsible for Peabody's domestic coal market development, trading, brokerage and transportation activities. He will continue to serve on the boards of Peabody's U.S.-based joint venture mining companies and will continue to report to sales, marketing and trading executive vice president Richard Whiting.

Ebetino joined Peabody in 2003 as senior vice president of market development for COALSALES. He has more than two decades of experience in engineering, operations, marketing and management and has served in a number of management roles in fuel procurement and supply.

Reporting to Ebetino are COALTRADE president Stephen Miller, COALTRADE vice president of brokerage and agency Robert Bennett, COALTRADE vice president of industrial sales Vaughn Mavers and COALSALES vice president of transportation David "Bryan" Bashore.

"We look to Chuck's leadership to continue the growth of our U.S. coal trading business, our coal brokerage and agency relationships and our market development activities," said Whiting.

"The improving economy and favorable market conditions provide numerous opportunities to develop innovative transactions, and Chuck is uniquely qualified to lead this important part of our business."