Awards & Scholarships

John Turyn, Jr. retired in 1981 after a 42-year career in the coal industry, which began as an underground employee and general laborer with Island Creek Coal Co. He received a B.S. in Mining Engineering from West Virginia University in 1950. After graduation Mr. Turyn was employed by Island Creek as an engineering trainee. His management tenure began in 1951 as a section foreman and then a face foreman. From these first assignments, he was promoted to higher management positions: Asst. Mine Foreman, Asst. Superintendent, Superintendent, Manager of Mines, General Manager, and at the time of his retirement in 1981 , President of the Virginia Pocahontas Division of Island Creek at Keen Mountain, Virginia. Between his initial and last employment with Island Creek, he worked for Freeman Coal Mining Corp. for four years and spent three years with the Pittson Group.

Mr. Turyn is a member of the Society of Mining Engineers, Virginia Mining Institution, Virginia Coal Council and the National Mine Rescue Association. He served on the Advisory Board of the Dominican Bank.