Past Detroit Member Chapter Events
Dinner Meeting — November 2024
The Detroit Member Chapter held a meeting at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA, on 12 November 2024. Approximately 120 people were in attendance to hear Scott Buckiso, senior vice president and chief manufacturing officer — North American Flat-Rolled Segment, United States Steel Corporation, discuss the benefits of Nippon Steel acquiring U. S. Steel as well as several recent achievements at U. S. Steel, including the start-up of Big River 2.
Detroit Member Chapter chair Joe Hunter (right) presented keynote speaker Scott Buckiso (left) with a plaque of appreciation.
Dinner Meeting — October 2024
The Detroit Member Chapter held a dinner meeting on Tuesday, 8 October 2024, at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA.
Approximately 75 people were riveted by a presentation by Grant Hilbers about the Gordie Howe International Bridge currently under construction in Michigan. Hilbers is the chief capital officer for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. The bridge will cross the Detroit River, connecting the U.S. and Canada, and is expected to be in service in fall 2025. Hilber provided steel-focused information regarding the bridge, which will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America with a main span length of 2,799 feet. The bridge has been designed for a 125-year service life.
 | Detroit Chapter secretary Roger Kalinowsky (left) presented a plaque of appreciation to Grant Hilbers (right) in Southgate, Mich., USA, on 8 October. |
Golf Outing — August 2024
The AIST Detroit Member Chapter hosted their annual golf outing on Monday, 5 August 2024. The group of 136 golfers enjoyed a day on the greens at Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Mich., USA.
Dinner Meeting — April 2024
The Detroit Member Chapter hosted a U. S. Steel Night on Tuesday, 9 April 2024, at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA. Approximately 75 professionals attended an informative presentation by chapter chair, Scott Bishop, U. S. Steel – Great Lakes Works, regarding innovation at U. S. Steel.
Chapter secretary Roger Kalinowsky (left) presented a plaque of appreciation to Scott Bishop (right) for his keynote presentation and his time served as chapter chair.
Dinner Meeting — March 2024
On Tuesday, 12 March 2024, the chapter hosted a dinner meeting at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA. Stuart Street, technical manager, Ironmaking, Cleveland-Cliffs Dearborn Works, presented “Dearborn Works – 2024 Primary Outage” to the 120 people in the audience.
Dinner Meeting — February 2024
On Tuesday, 13 February 2024, the chapter hosted a dinner meeting at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA. Approximately 120 people enjoyed a presentation by Kevin Kondrat, Gerdau Special Steel North America Monroe Mill, and Nicholas Walla, Purdue University Northwest’s Center for Innovation Through Visualization and Simulation. They provided a detailed explanation of a project to reduce CO2 and improve energy efficiency by utilizing hydrogen in a reheat furnace at the Monroe mill. The project will use a physics-based and data-driven approach and include digital simulations.
Roger Kalinowsky, Detroit Member Chapter secretary, presented plaques of appreciation to the two presenters at the 13 February meeting (left to right): Kevin Kondrat, Nicholas Walla and Kalinowsky.
Dinner Meeting — November 2023
The Detroit Member Chapter held a meeting at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA, on Tuesday, 7 November 2023. Approximately 90 people enjoyed the Edward C. Levy Night dinner and listened to a presentation from Tom Green, EHS director, Edw. C. Levy Co. He provided a summary of the National Slag Association focusing on steel mill slag, including its many beneficial uses as a product and its environmental safety.
Detroit Member Chapter secretary Roger Kalinowsky (right) presented keynote speaker Tom Green (left) with a plaque of appreciation.
Dinner Meeting — October 2023
Nearly 90 people were in attendance at the Detroit Member Chapter meeting on Tuesday, 10 October 2023, at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA. Barry T. Schneider, president and chief operating officer, Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI), and 2022–2023 AIST president, gave a presentation regarding the purpose of AIST and its many benefits. He also provided an overview of SDI’s multiple divisions and their numerous innovations.
Detroit Member Chapter secretary Roger Kalinowsky (right) presented a plaque of appreciation to Barry T. Schneider (left) in Southgate, Mich., USA, on 10 October.
Golf Outing — August 2023
The AIST Detroit Member Chapter hosted a golf outing on Monday, 7 August 2023. The group of 126 golfers endured some rain but enjoyed the day on the course at Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Mich., USA.
Jason Vorase, De-Cal Inc., added some excitement to the outing by hitting a hole-in-one on the putt challenge. Chapter secretary Roger Kalinowsky introduced Rebekah Smith and Aidan Ilg, two of the chapter’s four scholarship recipients who attended the dinner following the golf outing.
The team from Cleveland-Cliffs and ChemTreat won first place at the Detroit Member Chapter golf outing on 7 August 2023 (left to right): Bryce Thompson, Jeff LaFave, Shawn Greenleaf and Tristan Burkhard.
Cleveland-Cliffs Night — April 2023
The Detroit Member Chapter hosted Cleveland-Cliffs Night on Tuesday, 25 April 2023, at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA. Taylor Murphy, general manager, Cleveland-Cliffs Dearborn Works, provided an interesting keynote presentation regarding the renovation and expansion of the plant’s basic oxygen furnace electrostatic precipitator. More than 100 members and guests were in the audience.
1. Detroit Member Chapter chair Joseph Juronoc (left) presented a plaque of appreciation to keynote speaker Taylor Murphy (right), Cleveland-Cliffs Dearborn Works, at the chapter’s 25 April 2023 dinner meeting in Southgate, Mich., USA.
2. Detroit Member Chapter secretary Roger Kalinowsky (right) presented Juronoc (left) with a plaque in honor of his service as chapter chair at the meeting.
2. Detroit Member Chapter secretary Roger Kalinowsky (right) presented Juronoc (left) with a plaque in honor of his service as chapter chair at the meeting.
U.S. Steel Night — March 2023
The Detroit Member Chapter hosted U. S. Steel Night on Tuesday, 28 March 2023, at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA. Eugene Nikitenko, senior research consultant finishing processes, process innovation, United States Steel Corporation, provided a presentation titled “Benefits of Usage of Various Models in a Hot Strip Mill” to the 130 members and guests in the audience.
Gerdau Steel Night — February 2023
After an ice storm postponed the meeting by a day, 42 people attended the Detroit Member Chapter’s Gerdau Steel Night on Thursday, 22 February 2023, at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA. The audience enjoyed a keynote presentation from Lindsey Erb, ESG and communications manager, and Christopher Hessler, regional environmental manager, Gerdau Special Steel North America.
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1. Detroit Member Chapter vice chair Scott Bishop (center), U. S. Steel – Great Lakes Works, presented plaques of appreciation to Christopher Hessler (left) and Lindsey Erb (right), Gerdau Special Steel North America, at the chapter’s 23 February 2023 meeting. 2. Midwest Member Chapter chair Ted Vrehas (left), Graycor Industrial Constructors Inc., presented a plaque of appreciation to 2022–2023 AIST president Keith Howell (right), ArcelorMittal North America, for his keynote address at the chapter’s dinner meeting on 15 February 2023. | |
Dinner Meeting — January 2023
Keith J. Howell, chief operating officer, ArcelorMittal North America, gave his first presentation as 2022–2023 AIST president to a member chapter at the Detroit Member Chapter’s dinner meeting on Tuesday, 17 January 2023.
Howell’s keynote provided an overview of AIST, including key initiatives, as well as an informative synopsis of ArcelorMittal North America.
There were 97 members and guests in attendance at the Wyndham Garden Inn Southgate in Southgate, Mich., USA
Dinner Meeting — November 2022
The Detroit Member Chapter held a meeting at the Wyndham Garden Southgate Hotel in Southgate, Mich., USA, on Tuesday, 1 November 2022. More than 65 people enjoyed the Linde Night dinner and listened to a presentation from Pravin Mathur, executive director — Metals, Combustion, Energy, Linde, regarding hydrogen steelmaking, which was followed by a question-and-answer session.
Detroit Chapter secretary Roger Kalinowsky (left) presented keynote speaker Pravin Mathur (right) with a plaque of appreciation at the 1 November 2022 meeting.
Dinner Meeting — September 2022
The AIST Detroit Member Chapter held an EES Coke Night dinner meeting on Tuesday, 13 September 2022, at the Wyndham Garden Southgate in Southgate, Mich., USA. Keynote speaker Mike Lafferty, technology engineer, EES Coke Battery, presented “Ammonia Scrubber Rebuild,” to the 80 attendees.
Roger Kalinowsky (left) presented keynote speaker Mike Lafferty (right), EES Coke Battery, with a plaque of appreciation at the Detroit Member Chapter’s dinner meeting in Southgate, Mich., USA.
Golf Outing — August 2022
The AIST Detroit Member Chapter hosted a successful golf outing on Monday, 2 August 2022. The group of 133 golfers played at picturesque Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon Mich., USA, on a pleasant summer day.
The team from the Barton Malow Co. won first place. In the group were Kelly Transit, Mark Burke, Chris Wicks and Mike Mueller.
At the dinner following the golf outing, chapter secretary Roger Kalinowsky introduced Robert Papalas and Rebekah Smith, two of the chapter’s four scholarship recipients who were present.
The winning team from Barton Malow Co. celebrated with their first-place trophies at the Detroit Member Chapter golf outing on 2 August (left to right): Kelly Transit, Mark Burke, Chris Wicks and Mike Mueller.
United States Steel Corporation Night — April 2022
The Detroit Member Chapter hosted United States Steel Corporation Night on Tuesday, 12 April 2022, at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA. Kevin J. Siebeneck, annealing coating development engineer, U. S. Steel – Great Lakes Works, provided a presented titled “CGL Zinc Wiping Equipment Upgrade” to the 130 members and guests in the audience.
Gerdau Steel Night — February 2022
More than 90 people attended the Detroit Member Chapter’s Gerdau Steel Night on Tuesday, 8 February 2022, at the Wyndham Garden Inn Southgate in Southgate, Mich., USA. The audience enjoyed an interesting presentation titled “Development and Production of 52100 Bearing Steel at Gerdau Monroe” by Nick Johnson, R&D technical specialist, Gerdau Special Steel North America, and Mike Zuker, metallurgist, Gerdau Special Steel North America.
On Tuesday, 8 March, the Detroit Member Chapter hosted Cleveland-Cliffs Night at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate, Mich., USA. Matthew Rea, general manager HBR, Cleveland-Cliffs IronUnits LLC, gave a keynote speech on Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.’s new hot briquetted iron plant in Toledo, Ohio, USA, to the 162 attendees.
Detroit Member Chapter chair Joe Juronoc (right) presented a plaque of appreciation to Matthew Rea (left), Cleveland-Cliffs IronUnits LLC, for his keynote presentation at the chapter’s Cleveland-Cliffs Night on 8 March 2022 in Southgate, Mich., USA.
Dinner Meeting — January 2022
Steven J. Henderson, vice president western region, CMC Steel Arizona, gave his first address to a Member Chapter as 2021–2022 AIST president at the Detroit Member Chapter’s dinner meeting on Tuesday, 18 January 2022. The dinner was a welcome return as it was the Detroit Member Chapter’s first meeting in 22 months.
Henderson provided an overview of AIST and its key initiatives, and information on Commercial Metals Company and their micro-mill production process. There were 52 members and guests in attendance at the Wyndham Garden Inn Southgate in Southgate, Mich., USA.
Golf Outing — August 2021
The AIST Detroit Member Chapter hosted its golf outing on Monday, 2 August 2021. The group of 156 golfers enjoyed a great day on the course at Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Mich., USA.
Dinner Meeting — March 2020
The Detroit Member Chapter hosted a successful AK Steel Night dinner meeting on Tuesday, 10 March 2020, at the Holiday Inn Southgate in Southgate, Mich., USA. Ronald H. Radzilowski, principal research engineer, AK Steel Corp., was the keynote speaker.
The group of 140 professionals enjoyed Radzilowski’s presentation, titled “Emerging Technologies and Process Innovations in the Steel Industry.”
Detroit Member Chapter vice chair Joe Juronoc (left), AK Steel Corp., presented a speaker’s plaque to Ronald Radzilowski (right), AK Steel Corp., at the Chapter meeting on 10 March 2020 in Southgate, Mich., USA.
Dinner Meeting — January 2020
“Gerdau: Shape the Future — How We Are Living Our Purpose” was presented by Giuliano Costantino, Gerdau GMaker and product line manager, Gerdau Special Steel North America, at the AIST Detroit Member Chapter dinner meeting on Tuesday, 11 February. Gerdau Special Steel North America shared how it is getting prepared for a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world and for the ever-changing automotive industry. The presentation included highlights about the company’s GMakers leadership training, its digital road map and initiatives Gerdau is taking to help customers develop products of the future. There were 110 members and guests in attendance at the Holiday Inn Southgate in Southgate, Mich., USA.
Dinner Meeting — January 2020
The AIST Detroit Member Chapter hosted a dinner meeting on Tuesday, 21 January 2020, at the Holiday Inn Southgate in Southgate, Mich., USA. More than 70 professionals listened intently as Daniel Matzeg, project engineer, Firebridge Inc., presented “Burner Technologies for Heating Steelmaking Ladles.”
AIST Detroit Member Chapter chair Jamie Lash (right) presented a plaque of appreciation to keynote speaker Daniel Matzeg (left) at the Chapter’s 21 January 2020 meeting.