Robert E. Murray was an American businessman and coal executive, best known for founding Murray Energy Corporation in 1988. Under his leadership, the company became one of the largest privately-owned coal producers in the United States, focusing on mining and selling coal to power plants. Murray was also known for his outspoken views on energy policy and environmental regulations. He often advocated for the coal industry and was involved in various legal and political efforts to support coal mining and oppose regulations that he believed harmed the industry.