Joe Craft

Joseph Craft III (born 1950) is an American businessman. He is the president and chief executive officer of Alliance Resource Partners, L.P., the third-largest coal producer in the eastern United States.

Craft received an undergraduate degree in accounting in 1972 from the University of Kentucky before earning a JD degree in 1976. During his time at the University of Kentucky, Craft was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

In January 2012 Craft donated around $500,000 to Restore Our Future, a Super PAC supporting Mitt Romney. On July 11, 2016, Craft hosted a private fundraiser for Donald Trump at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky. Joe, through his trust JWCIII REV TRUST contributed $1,000,000 to the Trump presidential inaugural committee.

Craft's wife, Kelly Craft, previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, and is the current United States Ambassador to the United Nations appointed by President Trump.

• The University of Tulsa, Collins College of Business – 2008 Outstanding Business Leader
• 2007 City of Tulsa Oklahoma – Hall of Fame
• Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Southwest Region energy, chemical, and mining category

The Joe Craft Center, a state-of-the-art basketball practice facility for the Kentucky Wildcats men's and women's basketball teams was named for him after he pledged $6 million toward the completion of the project. This was the largest private gift in the history of UK Athletics.