Eugene M. Bane was the president of six coal mining companies in the heart of America's bituminous coalfields.
A native of Giles County, Mr. Bane attended Roanoke College with the class of 1933. He entered the coal mining industry in 1934 and became the president of Black Hawk, Flannery Coal & Land Co., Bane Mining, Continental Coal, McCreary Coal, and Bane Coal Corporation.
He served in executive leadership roles with the Bluefield Automobile Club, the Lonesome Pine Council (BSA), the Buchanan County Chamber of Commerce and its better roads committee, the Southwest Virginia Historical Society, the Buchanan County Community Hospital, and the Estate Life Insurance Company.
He held the highest office of Roanoke's Kazim Shrine Temple and the grand chapter of Virginia of the Order of the Eastern Star.
He was a charter member of the Kiwanis Club in Grundy, Virginia, where he lived throughout his career. He was an active Baptist, belonged to the Kentucky Historical Society, was a presidential elector from the 9th Congressional District in 1968, and provided leadership for various Roanoke College alumni endeavors.
Mr. Eugene M. Bane received the Roanoke College Medal in 1973.