Milestones

RESIGNED

The CEO of coal-mining giant Massey Energy, Don Blankenship, will retire at the end of December. The announcement came eight months after a deadly explosion in Massey's Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, which had received numerous citations for safety violations. The blast, which killed 29 people, was the worst mine disaster in the U.S. in 40 years and resulted in criminal as well as civil investigations and lawsuits. Blankenship, 60, has been Massey's chairman and CEO for a decade. In an interview just after the April 5 explosion, Blankenship, who has denied responsibility, said, "Anything you do in life has risk." Anything, that is, except retiring as chief of Massey. Blankenship's exit package includes $12 million as well as a two-year consulting gig with health insurance.