The aftershocks of the North Birmingham Bribery Trial proved that Drummond’s top management brass appears to be foolish enough to abandon corporate and family loyalty.
After Drummond executive David Roberson was convicted in July of 2018, Drummond immediately vowed to fight for justice on his behalf, noting his conviction was unfair and unjust and that Balch had misled Roberson.
Six months later, in February of 2019, then-Drummond CEO Mike Tracy appeared to do a 180 and abruptly fired Roberson. Then 12 days after firing Roberson, Tracy dispatched a cold-hearted letter yanking support to Roberson’s charity of choice: a school that caters to developmentally disabled, special needs, and autistic children.
In the spring of 2019, David and Anna Roberson filed a $75 million civil lawsuit against Balch and Drummond (now under seal in a secretive Star Chamber.) Under intense scrutiny at the time, Tracy abruptly announced his retirement as CEO that summer of 2019.
But was Tracy through? No. He still, today, serves on Drummond’s Board of Directors.
Now sources tell us that Tracy and Drummond Vice Chairman Bruce Webster (above, top right) allegedly attempted a coup d’etat against the Drummond family this past August, three years after Tracy’s resignation as CEO.
Tracy and Webster allegedly attempted to sell Drummond Coal Company and John Drummond, the Chairman, had to fly in voting family members to block the sell, to block the alleged coup d’etat.
Mind you, John Drummond was in mourning. His wife had died of COVID-19, according to sources.
Why in heaven’s name were Tracy, Webster, and others allegedly willing to sell the coal company without unanimous consent of the Drummond family?
Were they taking advantage of the the family patriarch John Drummond at his lowest, saddest and most depressing moment?
Were there secret, undisclosed financial agreements that would benefit them or none at all? Was a generous pay-day on the horizon or not?
Interestingly, the price of coal has doubled since the beginning of the year; and now with the energy crisis and Ukraine war, coal could increase further in value.
As observers, we believe family and corporate loyalty to Drummond has been lost, extremely lost. Each member of Drummond’s management team was made wealthy because of the Drummond family and its companies. The team regrettably appears to have lost their path.
The late Garry Drummond was fiercely loyal to his employees and his company. He would have backed the Robersons over the buffoons at Balch & Bingham that lied to Roberson in regards to the North Birmingham Bribery Scheme.
And if there had been an attempted coup d’etat by members of his management team, Garry Drummond would have fired them all.
Meanwhile, David Roberson sits in federal prison for at least another year or so and sources claim he has lost 50 pounds and is severely ill.
Regardless of the scandal and criminal trial, David Roberson saved the company over $100 million. The Robersons have known the Drummonds for decades. Anna Roberson went to school in Jasper, Alabama with numerous Drummond siblings and cousins.
Like Garry Drummond, the Robersons have been fiercely loyal to the Drummond Company and the Drummond family.
Why has Drummond’s management team abandoned the Robersons? Why have they attempted to sell the coal company? Where is the loyalty? Have they indeed lost their path?
The Drummond Family must rise up, protect their family, and their companies.
Loyalty demands it.
