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U.S. Steel Announces Executive Changes

United States Steel Corp. Chairman and CEO John P. Surma recently announced several executive-level leadership changes. Vice President-Supply Chain & Customer Service John C. Price will retire effective November 30, after 40 years of service with the company. Anton Lukac, who currently serves as Vice President-Engineering & Technology, will assume Price's position, and Anthony R. Bridge, who is currently Vice President-Operations, will succeed Lukac.

Price, 62, a native of Pittsburgh, started his career with the company in 1969 as an operations trainee at Fairless Works near Philadelphia. From 1969 to 1997, he advanced through increasingly responsible positions in tin mill operations, metallurgical engineering, and quality assurance at Fairless Works, corporate headquarters, Mon Valley Works' Irvin Plant, and Gary Works.

Following the acquisition of National Steel in May 2003, Price was named General Manager of the Midwest Plant and led the successful integration of that facility. In 2005, he was named General Manager-Business Planning. He was appointed Vice President-Supply Chain in March 2008 and added responsibility for customer service in April 2009.

In his new position, Lukac, 49, will be responsible for the company's business planning, logistics services, processed products, and customer service organizations. He will report to Senior Vice President-North American Flat Roll Operations Michael S. Williams.

Lukac began his steelmaking career at Slovak steelmaker VSZ a.s. in 1982 as a technologist in the cold rolling mill. When U.S. Steel Kosice (USSK) was created in November 2000, he was named Vice President of Strategic Implementation and reported directly to USSK's president. In that position, he was responsible for the company's pipe and radiator operations while managing 18 USSK domestic and foreign subsidiaries and supporting regional development through USSK's Economic Development Center.

In July 2003, Lukac was appointed Plant Manager of U.S. Steel's Clairton Plant. In December 2006, he advanced to Plant Manager of Mon Valley Works' Edgar Thomson Plant, and was named General Manager-Mon Valley Works in January 2007 with responsibility for operations at all four Mon Valley Works facilities. Lukac was appointed to his most recent position in March 2008.

Bridge, 55, will assume executive responsibility for research and development activities at the company's Research and Technology Center in Munhall, Pa., Automotive Center in Troy, Mich., and USSE Research in Kosice, Slovakia. He will also oversee engineering; coke battery assessment, reliability, and rehabilitation; and blast furnace engineering and technology activities across the company. He will report to Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer John H. Goodish.

Bridge joined U.S. Steel in 1998 as area manager of the former No. 13 blast furnace at Gary Works in Gary, Ind. He advanced to Division Manager of Iron Producing at Gary Works in 1999 and to Plant Manager of Primary Operations in 2001.

In 2003, Bridge transferred to Pittsburgh headquarters when he was named Managing Director-Blast Furnace Engineering & Technology. He was appointed Vice President-Engineering & Technology in 2005; Vice President-Operations, East in March 2008; and Vice President-Operations in April 2009.

Bridge currently serves as President of the Association for Iron and Steel Technology.