AK Steel Announces Senior Management Changes
06/01/2010 - AK Steel’s Board of Directors has approved the promotion of several members of its executive management team, as well as three new vice president positions and the appointment of a new Controller and Chief Accounting Officer.
AK Steel’s Board of Directors has approved the promotion of several members of its executive management team, including the appointment of David C. Horn (58) to Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, from Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. In his new position, Horn will continue to have responsibility for Law, Environmental Affairs and Labor Relations.
Additional executive management promotions included John F. Kaloski (60) to Executive Vice President and Operating Officer, from Senior Vice President, Operations; and Albert E. Ferrara Jr. (61) to Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, from Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer.
In his new position, Kaloski will continue to hold responsibility for Operations, Engineering and Raw Materials, Manufacturing Planning and Information Technology, Primary Process Research, Quality Assurance, Outside Processing and Energy, Purchasing and Occupational Safety and Health. Ferrara will continue to have responsibility for Controlling, Financial Planning and Analysis, Cost Accounting, Treasury, Investor Relations and Diversified Business Group, which includes AK Tube, LLC, and AFSG and NNIC, the company's discontinued insurance and finance leasing businesses.
"Dave, John and Al have provided our company with solid leadership through the most challenging business conditions in our history,” said Chairman, President and CEO James L. Wainscott, commenting on the executive management promotions. “Our company is fortunate to possess such an outstanding executive management team."
The Board also approved three new vice president positions, including Keith J. Howell (44) as Vice President, Carbon Steel Operations; Kirk W. Reich (42) as Vice President, Specialty Steel Operations; and Roger K. Newport (45) as Vice President, Business Planning and Development. In their new positions, Howell and Reich will continue to report to Kaloski, while Newport will report to Wainscott.
"Keith, Kirk and Roger have clearly demonstrated the management qualities and experience necessary to perform effectively these new executive management positions,” commented Wainscott regarding the new appointments. “This new executive structure is consistent with our goals of planning for the future – both from a succession and a strategy standpoint.”
In addition, AK Steel said Richard S. Williams (51) has been named Controller and Chief Accounting Officer, succeeding Newport in that role. Wainscott remarked, "Rick is an outstanding accounting professional and I am delighted to have him in this role for AK Steel." In his new role, Williams will report to Ferrara.
“I am confident these moves will help AK Steel take the company's operating performance to new levels as we implement our long-term strategic initiatives for sustainable growth," added Wainscott.
Horn joined AK Steel in 2000 as Assistant General Counsel, and was elected Vice President and General Counsel in 2001. He was named Corporate Secretary in 2003, and Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary in 2005. Prior to joining AK Steel, Horn was a partner in the law firm of Frost Brown Todd LLC (formerly Frost & Jacobs) and was a member of the firm's Executive Committee. He is a member of the American, Ohio and Cincinnati Bar associations, and holds a Bachelor's degree from Yale University and a Juris Doctorate degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Law, from which he graduated Order of the Coif.
Kaloski joined AK Steel in 2002 as Director, Operations Technology, with more than 30 years of steel industry experience. He was named Vice President, Operations in 2003, and assumed the additional responsibilities for Quality Assurance, Purchasing, Engineering and Supply Chain Management in 2004. In 2005 he was named Senior Vice President, Operations. Prior to joining AK Steel, Kaloski served as Senior Vice President, Commercial and Planning for the former National Steel Corp. after holding management positions for U.S. Steel Corp. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Business Administration degree from Robert Morris College.
Ferrara joined AK Steel as Director, Strategic Planning in 2003 and was named Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer later that year. He previously had more than 30 years of experience with NS Group and U.S. Steel Corp., holding a number of senior level positions. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance and a Juris Doctorate, both from the University of Virginia.
Howell joined AK Steel’s Middletown Works in 1997 where he managed the Steelmaking, Aluminized and Cold Mill departments. He was named General Manager, Operations, Ashland Works in 2001, General Manager, Operations, Middletown Works in 2003, and General Manager, Operations, Butler Works in 2005. He advanced to Director, Engineering and Raw Materials in 2009. Prior to joining AK Steel, Howell had ten years of operating experience with U.S. Steel. Howell holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a MBA degree from The Ohio State University.
Reich joined AK Steel’s Middletown Works in 1989 as an engineering co-op student. He progressed through several assignments in Engineering before being named Technical Manager in 1995. He later served as Manager for the Processing and Shipping, Annealing, Mobile Maintenance and Hot Strip Mill departments, and has also served as Manager of the Cold Mill, Temper Mill and Anneal departments at Rockport Works. In 2000 he was named General Manager, Operations, Mansfield Works, and in 2006 was named General Manager, Middletown Works. Reich holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and is currently enrolled in the MBA program at the University of Notre Dame.
Newport began his career with the company in 1985 as a college co-op student. Following graduation, he progressed through several assignments in the Finance organization at the Middletown Works and Headquarters as well as several positions in the Sales organization. He returned to Finance in 1998 as Manager, Financial Planning and Analysis and was named Assistant Treasurer later that year. He was named Controller in 2001, and Controller and Chief Accounting Officer in 2004. Newport holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Cincinnati and a MBA from Xavier University.
Williams began his career with the company in 1981 as an Associate Accountant. He progressed to Accountant and Senior Auditor before being named Supervisor, General Accounting at Butler Works. He was named Controller for the Butler / Zanesville Works and Europe in 1991, and Steel Group Controller in 1998. In 2000, he joined CSC Ltd. as Chief Financial Officer, and was later named Vice President, Finance for St. Vincent College (2001), and Chief Financial Officer for Geneva College (2007). Williams rejoined AK Steel in 2008 as Assistant Controller. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Accounting) from The Ohio State University and a Master of Accountancy from Saint Vincent College, and is a Certified Public Accountant.
AK Steel produces flat-rolled carbon, stainless and electrical steels, primarily for automotive, appliance, construction and electrical power generation and distribution markets. The company employs about 6200 men and women in Middletown, Mansfield, Coshocton and Zanesville, Ohio; Butler, Pa.; Ashland, Ky.; Rockport, Ind.; and its corporate headquarters in West Chester, Ohio.
AK Tube LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of AK Steel, employs about 300 men and women in plants in Walbridge, Ohio, and Columbus, Ind. AK Tube produces carbon and stainless electric resistance welded (ERW) tubular steel products for truck, automotive and other markets.
