Steel Products

SMU Steel Summit 2020 Virtual Conference Agenda
Written by Brett Linton
July 23, 2020
Below is the agenda for the 2020 SMU Steel Summit Conference. For more information and to register, visit: www.SteelMarketUpdate.com/Events/Steel-Summit.
Rising from the Ashes
All timings are in EST and all Agenda items will be available on-demand as well as live
Monday, August 24, 2020
08:00 AM |
How to Get the Most from the Virtual Conference: – Watch the welcome video – Familiarize yourself with the venue – Start networking – Visit the Exhibition |
10:00 AM |
Opening of Conference: Rising from the Ashes – John Packard – President & CEO, Steel Market Update |
10:30 AM |
International View of Steel Industry: How has the world dealt with the pandemic and what will the future look like in Europe, Middle East, Asia and Latin America? – Maximo Vedoya, CEO, Ternium – Jose Gasca, Managing Director, Metrading International AG – John Johnson, CEO, CRU China – Moderated by John Packard – President & CEO, Steel Market Update |
11:15 AM |
Break |
11:30 AM |
CRU World and North American Economic Forecast and Scenarios: – Chris Houlden, Finished Steel Business Unit Head, and Head of Prices Development, CRU – Ippolito Tarabini, Economist, CRU – James Campbell, Principal Analyst, Steel, CRU – Ryan McKinley, Senior Analyst, Steel, CRU – Thais Terzian, Senior Analyst, Steel, CRU |
12:15 PM |
Break and Networking |
1:15 PM |
Keynote Address: – Lourenco Goncalves, Chairman, President & CEO, Cleveland Cliffs/AK Steel |
2:00 PM |
Break |
2:15 PM |
Steel Buyers Panel – Roundtable: View from the Buy Side – Tom Valvo, President, Global Residential, MiTek – Frank Ruane, Executive Vice President, Olympic Steel – Steve Sukup, President & CEO, Sukup Manufacturing – Moderated by: Tim Triplett, Senior Editor, Steel Market Update |
3:00 PM |
Industry Polling: – John Packard, President & CEO, Steel Market Update |
3:15 PM |
Break |
3:30 PM |
Trade Panel: – Philip K. Bell, President, Steel Manufacturers Association – Lewis Leibowitz, Principal, Office of Lewis E. Leibowitz – Moderated by John Packard – President & CEO, Steel Market Update |
4:00 PM |
Virtual Networking and Exhibition |
5:00 PM |
End of Day One |
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
08:00 AM |
Virtual Venue Open – for networking and the exhibition |
09:00 AM |
Special Pre-Summit Program on Futures Trading with CME Group |
10:00 AM |
Conference Opens: Polling Results from Monday – John Packard, President & CEO, Steel Market Update |
10:15 AM |
Keynote: We Will Survive and Prosper – Economic Forecast – Dr. Alan Beaulieu, Managing Director, ITR Economics |
11:00 AM |
Break |
11:15 AM |
Vignette: One on One with Leon Topalian, President & CEO, Nucor Steel – Leon Topalian, President & CEO, Nucor Steel – John Packard, President & CEO, Steel Market Update |
11:30 AM |
Industry Forecasts: Automotive, Construction, Pipe and Tube/Energy – Ken Simonson, Chief Economist, Associated General Contractors – Stephen Brown, Senior Director Corporate Ratings, Fitch Ratings – Rick Preckel, Partner, Preston Pipe – Moderator: Tim Triplett, Senior Editor, Steel Market Update |
12:15 pm |
Break and Networking |
1:15 PM |
Fireside Chat: One-on-One with David Burritt, President & CEO, U.S. Steel – David B. Burritt, President & CEO, U.S. Steel – John Packard, President & CEO, Steel Market Update |
2:00 PM |
Mill Costing: Carbon Costs with Ryan Smith – Ryan Smith, Steel Analyst, CRU |
2:45 PM |
Break |
3:00 PM |
Hot Strip Mill Shortage Looming? – Paul Lowrey, Managing Director, Steel Research Associates – John Packard, President & CEO, Steel Market Update – Other panelists, TBA |
3:30 PM |
Building an Effective Multi-Generational Workplace – Jeff Butler, JButler International – Jeff Butler is the author of two books: The Authentic Workplace and The Key to The New You. He is a professional speaker and workplace strategist |
4:15 PM |
End of Day Two – Networking and Exhibition remain open |
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
08:00 AM |
Virtual Venue Open – for networking and the exhibition |
09:00 AM |
Crowe Pre-Summit Presentation: Two Years of Digital Transformation in Two Months: How the Steel Industry is Prioritizing Technology in the Midst of a Pandemic – Ali Askut, Worldwide Sales Director for Dynamics 365 Supply Chain & Manufacturing, Microsoft – Caitlin Nelson, Innovative Lead of Manufacturing & Distribution, Crowe – John Brandt, CEO, MPI Group |
10:00 AM |
Opening: SMU Proprietary Products – Service Center Inventories/Shipments, Pricing and More – John Packard, President & CEO, Steel Market Update – Estelle Tran, Steel Analyst, CRU |
10:30 AM |
Fireside Chat: with Mark Millett, President & CEO, Steel Dynamics – Mark D. Millett, President & CEO, Steel Dynamics – John Packard, President & CEO, Steel Market Update |
11:15 AM |
SMU NexGen Leadership Award – Philip K. Bell, President, Steel Manufacturers Association – John Packard, President & CEO, Steel Market Update |
11:30 AM |
Break |
11:45 AM |
Vignette: – Steel Mill CEO – TBA |
12:00 PM |
Steel Price Forecasting Round Table – Timna Tanners, Metals & Mining Analyst, Bank of America – John Anton, Associate Director, Steel Analytics, Pricing & Purchasing, IHS Markit – Josh Spoores, Principal Analyst, Steel, CRU |
12:45 PM |
Break and Networking |
1:30 PM |
Keynote: THE New Multi-Generational Company and Leadership – Ryan Avery, THE Keynote Speaker, Avery Today, Inc. |
2:30 PM |
Multi-Generational Workplace in Practice – Todd Leebow, President & CEO, Majestic Steel – Jim Vincent, Senior Director of Sales, Big Ass Fans |
3:00 PM |
Diversity in the Workforce – What to Expect from Recent College Graduates – David Everett – Associate Vice President for Inclusive Excellence, Hamline University |
3:30 PM |
2020 Presidential and Congressional Election – Dr. David Schultz, Professor, Political Science & Legal Studies, Hamline University |
4:00 PM |
Final Round Table: The Phoenix Rises – John Packard, President & CEO, Steel Market Update – Michael Setterdahl, Global Advisory Board, GFG Alliance – Tom Cullen, President & CEO, Magic Coil Products – Other panelist TBA |
4:30 PM |
Conference Closes – but the virtual venue will remain open for networking and the exhibition |

Brett Linton
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