Steel Mills

Reliance Announces Executive Retirement, Promotions

Written by Michael Cowden

July 1, 2021

William K. Sales Jr., Reliance Steel & Aluminum’s executive vice president of operations, will retire in January 2022.

In the meantime, Sales will work as a special advisor to the metals service center – North America’s largest – in a transition effective from Thursday, July 1.

Reliance

“On behalf of the entire Reliance team, I would like to congratulate Bill on a very successful career – including 24 years of service to the company,” Reliance CEO Jim Hoffman said in a statement. 

Ahead of Sales’ retirement – and as part of Reliance’s executive succession plan – Sean M. Mollins has been promoted to senior vice president of operations. And Brian Yamaguchi has been promoted to vice president of supplier development.

Mollins was previously president of PDM Steel Service Centers Inc., a subsidiary of Reliance, where he managed nine service center locations. He began his career at Kaiser Aluminum Corp. in 2002, Reliance said.

Yamaguchi previously served as senior director of supplier development. He joined the Earle M. Jorgensen (EMJ) Co. in 1986. EMJ was acquired by Reliance in 2006.

“I would like to congratulate both Sean and Brian on their well-deserved promotions,” Reliance President Karla Lewis said. 

Reliance has announced several important executive changes this year. Chief among them: Lewis, previously Reliance’s CFO, was promoted to president and given a seat on the company’s board of directors in January.

By Michael Cowden, Michael@SteelMarketUpdate.com

Michael Cowden

Michael Cowden is editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. Cowden has covered the steel industry since 2007. He specializes in flat-rolled steel but has also reported on steel long products, steel pipe and tube, and aluminum. Before joining SMU, Cowden held reporting jobs at Fastmarkets AMM in Chicago, the Associated Press in Pittsburgh, and the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh. He has also worked as a copy editor and in marketing at the University of Chicago Press. Cowden has a BA in English from the University of Chicago and an MSJ journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Contact him at michael@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7872.

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