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Steel Industry Veteran Executive John Correnti Dies Suddenly
08/19/2015 - Steel industry leader and visionary John Correnti, who was instrumental in establishing several new steel mills in the U.S., died suddenly in Chicago on 18 August. He was 68.
Correnti was involved in the steel industry for nearly 40 years, and his latest project was Big River Steel, a US$1.3 billion plant that is being built near Osceola, Ark., USA.
"Big River Steel will be one of many legacies John leaves with us all. John was a visionary, an innovator and a leader who dedicated his career to improving the steel industry and creating opportunities for those that worked within it," the company said in a statement.
Correnti, who earned abachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Clarkson University, started in the steel industry in 1969, when he joined United States Steel Corp. He held various construction management roles there and left in 1980 for a position with Nucor Corp. as manager of construction.
At Nucor, he developed methods to fast-track the construction of new steel plants and to shorten project time by as much as 50 percent.
Correnti rose through the ranks at the company, becoming COO in 1991 and CEO in 1996. He held the position until 1999. In 2000, he led a proxy fight to take over Birmingham Steel, which he successfully restructured and sold to Nucor in 2003, according to Bloomberg.
In 2005, he founded Severstal Columbus LLC, serving as its president and CEO until January 2008.
Big River Steel said that Correnti was the driving force behind numerous greenfield steel mill projects.
"John’s efforts led to the creation of thousands of high-paying jobs, an accomplishment that gave him great pride,” the company said.
"John was recognized as an early adapter of new steelmaking technologies. Over the course of his career, John worked with a number of leading technology companies, including SMS Siemag, to continually improve the efficiency of steelmaking."
Tom Schueck, a friend and steel industry colleague, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper that was an organizer who took ideas and made them work.
Philip K. Bell, president of the Steel Manufacturers Association, praised Correnti as a dynamic leader.
"Over the last 40 years he has played a major role in shaping and innovating the North American steel industry. Our industry will miss him,” Bell said in a statement.
"Big River Steel will be one of many legacies John leaves with us all. John was a visionary, an innovator and a leader who dedicated his career to improving the steel industry and creating opportunities for those that worked within it," the company said in a statement.
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| Big River Steel CEO John Correnti |
At Nucor, he developed methods to fast-track the construction of new steel plants and to shorten project time by as much as 50 percent.
Correnti rose through the ranks at the company, becoming COO in 1991 and CEO in 1996. He held the position until 1999. In 2000, he led a proxy fight to take over Birmingham Steel, which he successfully restructured and sold to Nucor in 2003, according to Bloomberg.
In 2005, he founded Severstal Columbus LLC, serving as its president and CEO until January 2008.
Big River Steel said that Correnti was the driving force behind numerous greenfield steel mill projects.
"John’s efforts led to the creation of thousands of high-paying jobs, an accomplishment that gave him great pride,” the company said.
"John was recognized as an early adapter of new steelmaking technologies. Over the course of his career, John worked with a number of leading technology companies, including SMS Siemag, to continually improve the efficiency of steelmaking."
Tom Schueck, a friend and steel industry colleague, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper that was an organizer who took ideas and made them work.
Philip K. Bell, president of the Steel Manufacturers Association, praised Correnti as a dynamic leader.
"Over the last 40 years he has played a major role in shaping and innovating the North American steel industry. Our industry will miss him,” Bell said in a statement.
