SMU Community Chat

Join us for Wednesday's Community Chat with SMA President Philip K. Bell
Written by Laura Miller
January 10, 2025
Philip K. Bell, president of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA), will join SMU for our first Community Chat of 2025.
We’ll talk about what to expect from the incoming Trump administration, the changing trade and tariff landscape, and what it all means for the domestic steel industry.
Please join us on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 11 am ET. You can register here. (Editor’s note: The live webinar is free for all to attend. A recording will be available only to SMU subscribers.)
Why should you listen?
Because SMA is one of the leading steel trade associations in the US. And because Phil is a Washington veteran. He’s seen trade policy evolve and change across the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations. That means he has the contacts and experience to give you a good idea of what to expect when Trump 2.0 comes to town on Jan. 20.
Phil’s also got experience in operations – something that sets him apart from just about any other DC lobbyist I can think of. He started his career in maintenance and operations in the 1980s with Elementis Chromium in Corpus Christi, Texas. He later moved into steel and up in the executive ranks at Qualitech Steel (now owned by Nucor) and Gerdau.
In other words, Phil knows his stuff – whether that’s the nuts and bolts of how government power works or what’s needed to power a modern EAF mill.
Join us on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 11 am ET (10 am CT) for what is sure to be a lively and informative discussion. We’ll take your questions too. So make sure to bring some good ones to the Q&A.

Laura Miller
Read more from Laura MillerLatest in SMU Community Chat

Join AMU’s Greg Wittbecker on May 14 for a Community Chat on aluminum, tariffs, and trade
AMU’s Greg Wittbecker, an aluminum industry veteran, will address not only US tariffs but also evolving trade routes - and how supply chains are (or aren’t) adjusting. He’ll also touch on broader industrial impacts, from auto layoffs to the potential ripple effect of maritime tax policies.

SMU Community Chat: Bilstein’s Wilson talks tariffs and pretzels
Brent Wilson talks about the different takes on President Trump's tariffs in Europe and the US.

Join SMU on Wednesday for a Community Chat with Bilstein Cold Rolled Steel CEO Brent Wilson
Bilstein Cold Rolled Steel LLC CEO Brent Wilson will be the featured speaker on the next SMU Community Chat webinar on Wednesday, April 30, at 11 am ET. You can register here. Reminder: The live webinar is free to attend. A recording will be available only to SMU subscribers. About Bilstein and Wilson Bilstein Cold […]

Join us for the April 9 Community Chat with Algoma Steel CEO Michael Garcia
During the chat, we’ll discuss trends in the North American sheet and plate markets, as well as the unique aspects of the Canadian market. We’ll talk all thing tariffs — and the timing couldn’t be better in the wake of Liberation Day on April 2.

SMU Community Chat: Alan Price unpacks latest in rapidly shifting tariff terrain
International trade attorney Alan Price sat down with SMU to unpack the latest developments in Trump’s tariff merry-go-round.