Michael F. Nemser. (Balance Sheet).

It's hard to envision Michael Nemser without a broad smile across his face. Yet there are likely times over the past year when smiling might've been a stretch! He's had a busy year -- chairing FEI's Annual Summit, while, at the same time, helping to bring a company through a Chapter 11 restructuring. A New York City-born world traveler of varied interests, he's figured out that the keys to his success involve other people. With over 15 years' experience in the coal industry, he's a firm believer in his company's product: "The success of our country in the world markets is based on low-cost energy, and coal accounts for more than 50 percent of the electric generation of the U.S."

Name: Michael F. Nemser

Title: CFO 

Company/Industry: Horizon Natural Resources (formally AEI Resources); the fourth largest coal company in the U.S., as measured by revenues.

Born: New York City, Jan. 9, 1950

Spouse: Married for 30 years to Lynn Seavey Nemser, SPHR, President of Partners in Performance Inc.

Children: Stephanie, 24

Education Summary: BA with high honors in Economics, Hobart College, 1972; MBA, Wharton, 1974

Career Summary: 1974-'87, Various domestic and international positions at DuPont Co.; 1987-'98, VP & Treasurer, then SVP Administration, CONSOL Inc.; 1999-Aug. 2000, SVP & CFO CONSOL Energy; Nov. 2000 to present, CFO, Horizon Natural Resources

FEI Service: Pittsburgh Chapter, where he's held various leadership positions including past Chapter President; Founding President in 1982 of the English-speaking Chapter of FEI Venezuela; Area Vice President for North Central, 2000-02, and the newly elected Vice President at Large and a member of the Office of the Chairman.

Time Management: "Live by the Palm Pilot; delegate and trust the capabilities of your staff and their ability to rise to increasingly higher levels of potential."

Leisure: "I live for downhill skiing in Utah, Colorado and British Columbia, enjoy boating on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, mountain biking in N.H. and street biking, and I collect classic cars (1954 MG TF and 1975 MGB). And, my passion is cruising on ocean liners and cruise ships around the world with my family. (I have a collection of antique prints of ocean liners which crowds my office walls.)"

Stress Management: "Take your vacation. You must periodically clear your brain, and taking vacations away from the office is the only way to do it. When stress builds, I often take a 10-minute mental vacation by placing myself on the deck of one of the ocean liners pictured in my office, and then reflecting on Rudyard Kipling's insights in his poem, 'if.'"

Best Job/s: "I've been fortunate to have jobs that have given me the opportunity to: travel the world, work with talented financial people, reorient a business plan, take a company public and enhance a company's future through acquisitions.

One of my best jobs was at CONSOL, due to the breadth of responsibility and quality of people I worked with. I managed the entire finance function, mergers and acquisitions, public and government affairs, systems and purchasing and was CEO of a supply distribution company. Each day was different, unplanned and exciting. The chairman's trust and support was a great motivator, and the staff's desire to succeed was thrilling and rewarding."

Favorite Deal: "Working with a group of committed people during the past 18 months to successfully restructure Horizon Natural Resources, and helping to save roughly 4,000 jobs. We had to balance the interests of vulture funds, lenders, federal and state regulators, lawyers, employees, customers and suppliers.

We restructured roughly $1.5 billion in debt and secured roughly $400 million in surety bonds in an impossible market following September 11 and Enron. Our pre-packaged plan received a rare 100 percent approval; and was confirmed within six weeks. Now we are working to establish a culture focused on success through working safely, increasing profitability and reducing debt."

E-mail address: [e-mail].