Charles Graham Preble

1998 Inductee into American Mining Hall of Fame

 Charles G. Preble, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Peru Copper Corporation (SPCC). He received a B.S. degree in Mining Engineering in 1956 and was awarded the honorary degree of Professional Engineer in 1981, both from the University of Arizona. He also has received honorary professor titles from the Universities of Tacna and Puno, both in Peru. In July of this year, he received an honorary doctorate degree from San Marcos University in Lima, Peru, which is the oldest university in the Western Hemisphere.

Upon graduation from the University of Arizona, he was employed by ASARCO at Silver Bell as a mining engineer. In 1957, he entered the United States Air Force and served until 1961 when he returned to ASARCO. In 1967, he joined SPCC at their Toquepala operation as General Mine Foreman and Assistant Mine Superintendent. In 1984, Preble was appointed to his present position of President and CEO.

Preble has distinguished himself by his corporate and civic leadership as an executive of an American-owned company operating in a foreign country. His leadership was most noteworthy during the long unrest in Peru resulting from the activities of the Sendero Luminoso. In spite of personal and company hardships during this time, he was able to maintain his company's performance as the premier and only privately owned copper operation in Peru. During this period and since, he has exhibited his personal dedication to Peru and the Peruvian people in numerous ways. He serves on the boards of numerous professional and civic organizations. He has received the “Charles F. Rand Gold Medal” from AIME and was named 1997 “Copper Man of the Year” by the Copper Club in New York City.

Print Version     Previous     Archive    Next