Blackhawk Mining
Ryan Couch is currently working as a Safety Manager at Blackhawk Mining, starting in October 2023. Prior to this role, Ryan worked as an Inspector at the U.S. Department of Labor from September 2022 to January 2024. Previously, Ryan held the position of Safety Manager at Blackhawk Mining from August 2020 to December 2022. Ryan also has experience as a Maintenance Assistant and Kentucky Warehouse Manager at Blackhawk Mining, LLC, as well as a Warehouse Manager at Pine Branch Mining, LLC, where responsibilities included inventory management and receiving. Before these roles, Ryan worked as a Water Control Technician at Mineral Labs, Inc. from April 2011 to June 2013. Ryan's educational background includes attending Leslie County High School and Eastern Kentucky University.
Blackhawk Mining
Blackhawk Mining, LLC (“Blackhawk”) is a privately-held mining company based out of Lexington, Kentucky. Blackhawk’s primary focus is the mining, marketing, and sale of metallurgical coal—a globally scarce commodity and indispensable element in the production of steel. The company was founded in 2010 with the acquisition of a single mining complex in Floyd County, Kentucky. In its first full year of operation, Blackhawk produced just over a million tons of coal. Since that time, and in spite of recent volatility in the coal industry, Blackhawk has surmounted significant structural and economic pressures to cement itself as an industry leader that is well-positioned to thrive in shifting market cycles. Blackhawk has become a premier supplier of high vol. metallurgical and CAPP thermal coals by consistently and continually expanding its reach through the strategic acquisition of premium assets from distressed sellers. In 2017, Blackhawk is expected to be the largest metallurgical coal producer in the United States. Presently, the company operates nine mining complexes throughout Kentucky and West Virginia that employ 2,600 people and service customers across four continents.