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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2000

JACK N. GERARD TO SUCCEED RICHARD L. LAWSON AS NMA PRESIDENT

Washington--The board of directors of the National Mining Association today named Jack N. Gerard, 42, as the association's new president and CEO.

Gerard will succeed Richard L. Lawson, NMA's president and CEO for the past 13 years, who is retiring at year-end.

In announcing Gerard's selection, NMA Chairman Steven F. Leer, president and chief executive officer of Arch Coal Inc., said "Gerard brings a wealth of experience and government relations expertise to the job. He is an excellent communicator who is well acquainted with many of the issues facing the mining industry. His wide experience on Capitol Hill will allow him to make very significant contributions to the mining industry in the years ahead. "Leer said that Gerard was selected from a group of several truly excellent candidates that were interviewed by a search committee over the past year.

Gerard is currently chairman and CEO of the government relations consulting firm of McClure, Gerard and Neuenschwander, Inc., which specializes in representing natural resource and energy clients.

Here, Gerard had managed and organized the Mineral Resource Alliance in the early 1990's with 24 CEOs involved with the mining industry representing most of the mineral production in the U.S. This effort was focused on reforming the 1872 Mining Law.

Former Sen. James McClure (R-ID) is one of the founding partners of the firm, whose clients include: National Mining Association, Verizon Wireless, World Cup USA 1994, Space Imaging, Placer Dome, Boise State University, and the City of St. George, Utah.

Prior to the establishment of the firm, Gerard was a veteran of 10 years on Capitol Hill. From 1985 to 1990, Gerard was legislative director for former Senator McClure, who was chairman of the Senate Energy Committee and the Interior Subcommittee on Appropriations.

From 1981 to 1985, Gerard served as a legislative assistant in the office of Congressman George Hansen (R-ID).

Prior to coming to Washington, Gerard was a lobbyist for the Associated Students of the University of Idaho, Boise, in 1981, where he was liaison to the governor, attorney general, university president and state legislators to improve the quality of the Idaho educational system.

Gerard is a graduate of George Washington University, Washington, D.C., where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with Honors and a Juris Doctor degree.

Gerard will officially join NMA on November 1, 2000 and work with retiring President Richard Lawson in the transition process through the end of the year.

The U.S. mining industry produces coal, metals, building materials, and many other essential minerals that define the daily lives of 267 million Americans. The mining industry generates over $500 billion in total economic benefit each year and helps to sustain nearly 5 million U.S. jobs.