Economy

ASD Names Bill Hickey Exec of the Year for 2019

November 21, 2019

The Association of Steel Distributors has named Bill Hickey, chairman of Lapham-Hickey Steel Corp. in Chicago, as its 2019 Steel Executive of the Year.

Hickey served as president of the family-owned service center for 40 years, growing the company to 10 locations and 700 employees before stepping back from day-to-day management. Son Brian now serves as company president and son Will as chief commercial officer, while daughter Laura works as a project manager.

Bill Hickey has long been considered an elder statesman of steel and continues his work as an outspoken advocate for the industry. In national leadership positions with the Metals Service Center Industry, the Illinois Manufacturers Association and other trade and government organizations, Hickey’s has been a leading voice in the industry’s call for free and fair trade.

In selecting Hickey for the Executive of the Year Award, ASD called him “one of the steel industry’s strongest advocates.” As he commented to FMA in a recent article:

“The majority of the elected officials in this country, especially in the U.S. Congress, just absolutely have no clue about manufacturing. They’re lawyers…. They just don’t have the understanding about manufacturing and the understanding of risking your money to build a dream of making a product or service. The problem is, when they make the rules, American manufacturers have it harder than competitors in other parts of the world. Somebody has to start talking about leveling the playing field.”

Hickey will be honored at an award ceremony and dinner March 3, 2020, at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort in San Antonio, Texas, during the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association’s annual meeting. ASD is an affiliate of FMA.