U. S. Steel Appoints Three More Executive as Part of Leadership Restructuring
02/25/2009 - United States Steel announce three more executive appointments as part of the company’s leadership restructuring process.
United States Steel Corp. announced the appointment of David H. Lohr as Senior Vice President—Strategic Planning, Business Services and Administration; Michael S. Williams as Senior Vice President—North American Flat Roll Operations; and Gregory A. Zovko as Vice President and Controller. The three executive appointments, which are part of the company’s leadership restructuring process, will become effective April 1.
In his new position, Lohr (55) will have oversight responsibilities for Strategic Planning and Business Development, Business Services, Enterprise Resource Planning, Public Affairs, Community Affairs and the United States Steel Foundation. These departments previously reported to J. James Kutka Jr. and Thomas W. Sterling, whose retirements were previously announced. Lohr will report to U. S. Steel Chairman and CEO John P. Surma and will become a member of the Executive Management Committee.
Williams, 48, succeeds Lohr as Senior Vice President—North American Flat Roll Operations. In his new position, Lohr will oversee the company's North American Flat-roll steelmaking facilities, as well as Flat-roll Sales, Supply Chain and Customer Service, reporting to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John H. Goodish.
In his new position, Zovko (47) will be the company’s chief accounting officer, with responsibility for all U. S. Steel global accounting and financial analysis functions. Zovko, who will report to Executive Vice President and CFO Gretchen R. Haggerty, succeeds Larry G. Schultz, whose decision to retire was previously announced.
“Our company's comprehensive succession planning and leadership development process have prepared this next generation of executives to lead our company today and into the future,” said Surma, commenting on the appointments. “We are fortunate to have talented and tested leaders ready to guide our company through these challenging economic times.”
David H. Lohr began his U. S. Steel career in 1974 at the company’s former National Plant in McKeesport, Pa. He progressed through a series of increasingly responsible position, including Assistant Superintendent—Finishing (National Plant); Manager—Operations (Fairfield Seamless Pipe Mill); General Manager—Tubular Products (U. S. Steel Headquarters); General Manager (Mon Valley Works); Vice President—Operations (U.S. Steel Sheet Products); Vice President—Plant Operations;
Lohr was named Senior Vice President (European Operations) and President (U. S. Steel Košice) in 2005, with responsibility for directing operations at U. S Steel Košice in the Slovak Republic and U. S. Steel Serbia in the Republic of Serbia. He assumed his current position in March 2008, overseeing flat-rolled operations, sales and customer service, and supply chain functions for all of the company’s North American facilities.
Lohr graduated in 1975 from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, and completed the executive management program at Pennsylvania State University in 1998.
Michael S. Williams held a series of increasingly responsible managerial positions at several companies including Koppers Corp. and Armco Steel Corp. prior to joining U. S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works in 1992 as a senior process control engineer. Subsequent positions with the company included Division Manager—Systems and Process Control at Gary Works (1994); and Division Manager for Steel Producing–South, Steel Producing–North, and Hot Rolling (1996-1999).
Williams accepted a position with Ormet Corp. in 1999, where he progressed through executive posts before he was named President and Chief Operations Officer (2002) and President and CEO (2004). He joined Special Metals Corp. in 2006 as Vice President—Commercial Products.
He later returned to U. S. Steel as General Manager of Gary Works (September 2006) with responsibility for Gary Works’ steelmaking and finishing operations, tin production at the East Chicago Tin Plant, and finishing operations at the Midwest Plant. He was elected to his current position in March 2008, with oversight for operations at Gary Works, which includes the East Chicago Tin Plant and the Midwest Plant; Granite City Works; and Fairfield Works’ flat-rolled operation. He is also responsible for Minnesota Ore Operations in Mt. Iron, Minn., (Minntac) and Keewatin, Minn., (Keetac).
Williams earned a Bachelor of Science degree in information science with a minor in economics in 1983 from the University of Pittsburgh. In 1998, he graduated from Indiana University at Bloomington’s Executive Management Program.
Gregory A. Zovko joined U. S. Steel in 1983 as a management associate in the accounting and finance department at its Mon Valley Works. He progressed through a series of increasingly responsible positions over the next 14 years in corporate audit and accounting before being named controller for Mon Valley Works’ Clairton Plant in 1997.
Zovko was subsequently appointed Manager—Financial Analysis (1998); Controller for the entire Mon Valley Works (1999); Assistant Controller—Operations Accounting & Financial Analysis (2002); Controller—Flat-Rolled products & Assistant Corporate Controller (2007). He was elected to his current post in June 2008, where he oversees accounting functions for all of U. S. Steel’s business units, including North American flat-rolled and tubular as well as European operations, and also directs financial analysis activities.
Zovko earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from The Pennsylvania State University in 1983, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh in 1988, and a master’s degree in tax administration from Duquesne University in 1998. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
