On Monday, United States Steel Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Surma announced that the company's Board of Directors has elected Mario Longhi to the position of executive vice president and chief operating officer.
Longhi will be responsible for US Steel's North American Flat-Rolled, Tubular and Central European operations, as well as global operations services. "The global steel sector is facing one of the most complex and dynamic economic environments in recent decades, which places increasing strategic and operating demands on our company as we continue to execute our longer term business strategy while remaining flexible in the near term," said Surma.
Most recently, Longhi spent six years at Gerdau Ameristeel Corporation, serving first as president from 2005 through 2006 and then additionally in the role of chief executive officer from 2006 until 2011. Prior to his tenure at Gerdau Ameristeel, Longhi spent 23 years at Alcoa, where he advanced through increasingly responsible positions in his native Brazil, the United States and Switzerland, including president - Alcoa Wheels International, president - Alcoa Forgings Division, president and chief executive officer - Howmet Castings, and Alcoa vice president and group president - Global Extrusions. Previously, Longhi also served as chairman, director and executive committee member of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) and director of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
The company also announced the appointments of George F. Babcoke, Douglas R. Matthews and Michael S. Williams to the company's executive management committee. Babcoke, senior vice president - Europe and global operations services, Matthews, senior vice president - Tubular Operations, and Williams, senior vice president - North American Flat-Rolled Operations, will report directly to Longhi.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, on June 22, 2011, Gerdau announced abruptly that Mario Longhi would be departing the company immediately and Guilherme Gerdau Johannpeter would take over Longhi's position as President of Gerdau Long Steel North America.