Joe Craft

Joe Craft
Born 1950
Hazard, Kentucky, U.S.
Residence Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Nationality American
Alma mater University of Kentucky
Occupation Businessman
Employer Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.
Net worth US$1.4 billion (February 2011)[1]
Spouse(s) Kelly Knight Craft

Joseph Craft III (born 1950)[2] is an American businessman. He is the president and chief executive officer of Alliance Resource Partners, L.P., the third-largest coal producer in the eastern United States.[3][4]

Craft received an undergraduate degree in accounting in 1972 from the University of Kentucky before earning a law degree in 1976. During his time at the University of Kentucky, Craft was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

The Joe Craft Center, a state-of-the-art basketball practice facility for the Kentucky Wildcats men's and women's basketball teams was named for him after he pledged $6 million toward the completion of the project. This was the largest private gift in the history of UK Athletics.[5]

Craft also sponsors the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, a two-year residential early college high school at Morehead State University.

Political activism

In January 2012 Craft donated around $500,000 to Restore Our Future, a Super PAC supporting Mitt Romney.[6] On July 11, 2016, Craft hosted a private fundraiser for Donald Trump at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky.[7] Joe, through his trust JWCIII REV TRUST contributed $1,000,000 to the Trump campaign.[8]

Craft's wife, Kelly Knight Craft, was appointed as U.S. ambassador to Canada by President Donald Trump in 2017.[9]

Awards

  • The University of Tulsa, Collins College of Business - 2008 Outstanding Business Leader[10]
  • 2007 City of Tulsa Oklahoma - Hall of Fame[10]
  • Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Southwest Region energy, chemical, and mining category[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Joseph W. Craft Profile". Forbes. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  2. ↑ "Hazard native gives generously to UK". Hazard Herald. 18 July 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. Announces Acquisition of Coal Supply Agreements from Affiliate of Patriot Coal Corporation". Business Wire. 2 January 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  4. ↑ "A Courtside View of Scott Pruitt's Cozy Ties With a Billionaire Coal Baron". The New York Times. 2018-06-02. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-06-03.
  5. ↑ "UK Athletics Receives Record Gift". The University of Kentucky. 18 August 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "Billionaire Joe Craft at nexus of Kentucky basketball, coal and politics". Lexington Herald-Leader. 4 November 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Donald Trump heading to Kentucky for fundraiser". Washington Times. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  8. ↑ docquery.fec.gov/pdf/286/201704180300150286/201704180300150286.pdf. p. 41.
  9. ↑ "PN603 — Kelly Knight Craft — Department of State". Congress.gov. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  10. 1 2 Joseph W. Craft III - 2008 Outstanding Business Leader
  11. ↑ "Alliance Exec Among Regional Honorees". Tulsa World. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
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