Byrd serves as the firm’s principal in charge of the Mining Department and oversees the company’s laboratory. Byrd has been with Summit for 39 years working in Grundy and Big Rock, Virginia and now back to Pikeville, Kentucky. Byrd manages all the company’s mining permits and planning in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia. These consist of underground mining and surface mining as well as many other ventures associated with mining. Byrd has been a partner at Summit for almost 20 years and has been very instrumental in the growth of the mining and laboratory business.

Byrd helps clients develop a plan and the permit that will best suit their mining goals to stay in compliance with state and federal agencies and maximize recovery. The mining group has maintained some clients since the company has been in business due to Summit taking great care of them. He is involved in the many agencies that are necessary to facilitate mining such as the Division of Water, Air, MSHA, OSML and the US COE of Engineers. His longevity and respect in these agencies have proven very helpful to Summit’s clients in getting approvals and permits.

Byrd is very much involved with his community and church activities. There he is a deacon and Sunday school teacher for many years as well as coaching kids in almost every sport. He has two adult children and three grandkids, which occupies most of his time outside of work.