Trading in coal, developing souls
Raphael B. Pierce is a VP at Peabody and advocate for blacks
By Daniel R. Brown
Of the St. Louis American
Raphael Pierce is a Southern man to the core, with a strong work ethic, core family values and a deep, Southern drawl. As a child growing up in Alabama, he always knew that he would have a successful career, but he never thought that his career path would lead him to Peabody COALTRADE in St. Louis.
However, while Pierce was finishing up his master’s degree in finance at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, he got a call from a recruiter who was trying to fill a position for the Southern Company, one of America’s largest generators of electricity. That single call changed the direction of Pierce’s life.
“It definitely was not the first thing on my radar in terms of where I wanted my career focus to be. I had not had my mind set on entering the energy sector. In fact, I thought my future would be on Wall Street,” he explained.
“But, as fortune would have it, I joined Southern Company and began working in their analytics group for a short while. It’s a testament to moving through different positions and finding opportunity wherever you can.”
While working for Southern’s analytics group, Pierce worked primarily in coal and fossil fuel procurement. He was then given the opportunity to move into the natural gas and power markets and to work on the company’s trading floor.
Of his early trading experience, Pierce said, “I always knew that I wanted to trade in some form or fashion, but I thought I would be in the equity or bond markets, whereas working in the energy arena allowed me to focus on commodity trading. Ultimately, a trading floor attempts to profitably buy and sell commodities while managing and accessing risks.”
Pierce’s success on Southern’s trading floor turned him into an attractive commodity to other energy companies. As a result, in 1999 Pierce accepted an offer in St. Louis to join COALTRADE, a subsidiary of Peabody Energy, the world’s largest private-sector coal company, which is headquartered here.
“I came here for opportunities and growth in the energy sector,” Pierce explained. “I enjoyed my stint with Southern Company, and I learned a tremendous amount, but I was seeking growth opportunities, and Peabody was willing to provide that.”
Over the next five years, Pierce rose through the ranks of COALTRADE until he reached his current position as the company’s vice president of trading. He now oversees the company’s coal and emission allowance trade.
Another major opportunity presented itself when he moved to St. Louis: he met his wife, Staci. “Marriage has enhanced my life,” Pierce said.
“As a bachelor in the city trying to work on charitable initiatives, trying to grow the business here, trying to take care of my home, and trying to take care of all these other things, for one person it was very difficult to do,” Pierce said.
“It has been a blessing indeed to have a like-minded partner who has been able to help me. We have our own professional lives, and we work very diligently on improving our life together.”
In addition to his professional responsibilities, Pierce also serves as the president and chairman of the newly chartered South East Missouri Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy. He also serves as a board member for the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club and the Coal Trading Association.
Now that he has established himself within the energy industry, Pierce hopes to bring other minorities into the fold.
“What I have found is that, by and large, many minorities do not see the energy sector and the breadth thereof,” he said.
“My life strategy is two-pronged: to provide opportunities for individuals interested in careers in the energy sector and to promote socio-economic equality among all people.”
