Meet Vic Patrick

Down to Earth, Down to Business
Meet Walter Energy’s New Chief Executive Officer
October 13, 2009

Vic Patrick, the new CEO of Walter Energy knows how to get right to the point. Five minutes into his first introductory meeting with JWR employees at the Training Center, Vic answered an important question about moving his family to Birmingham from Tampa. “I’m leaning toward the crimson elephant but I have a healthy respect for the orange eagle.”

Patrick then laid out his vision for Walter Energy and specifically for JWR. “We want to expand our business and look for more coal reserves,” Vic told the packed house. “We have a great export market and while the U.S. dollar weakens, our business strengthens.”

Vic then took the opportunity to thank JWR employees for their hard work. “Our business depends on what all of you in this room do everyday,” Vic explained. “It takes all of us to get the coal out of the ground, to keep the costs down and above all to do it safely.”

On the move of the headquarters from Tampa to Birmingham, Vic told the crowd it should be complete between April to June of 2010. The location of the new office is still in the negotiation stages but it will probably be on I-459 between Highway 280 and Highway 31 South. About 50 jobs will be relocated with the move and Vic mentioned this would be a great opportunity for the careers of current employees. “There will be a lot of chances to strengthen your career with Walter Energy as Birmingham becomes our new corporate office.”

On the personal side, if you think being the CEO of a large corporation has its

challenges, try doing it with eight children. Vic and his wife Liz have eight children ranging in age from five to 22. “It’s a balancing act to have family time and corporate time,” Vic explains. “You have to set priorities and make time for your children and your work. It’s not easy but it is worth it. I spend a lot of time taking red-eye flights back home to attend family events or just to have breakfast with the kids. When your five-year old daughter excitedly runs up to you at the beach with a shell to show you it makes all the grueling flights worth it.”

A big part of Vic’s life is his work with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He serves as Stake President over eight congregations. With these added duties he still finds time to cook dinner for his family every Sunday. “The menu is pretty simple,” says Vic. “It’s either baked chicken or grilled steaks.”

Vic grew up in a Chicago suburb and is still a White Sox fan. During high school he learned to play the viola and began singing and acting as well. This led him to his first job at the Great American Theme Park where he played the “Ringmaster” in one of their productions. After high school he went to Princeton University. “Now you know why I am coming to Alabama,” he joked, “to get to see real football.”

Vic took two years off after Princeton to serve a two-year mission in Milan, Italy for his church. Later he studied law at Harvard and worked for a judge in Denver, Colorado and then a law firm in Washington, D.C. and Brussels, Belgium for eight years. He spent another eight years working for Allied Signal before joining Walter Energy in 2002. He joined the board of directors in December 2006 and was named Chief Financial Officer in February 2008. In September 2009 he became Chief Executive Officer.