Features

Steel Manufacturers Association elects new officers
Written by Ethan Bernard
February 10, 2025
The Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) has elected eight officers to serve on its 2025-27 SMA Executive Committee.
Ty Garrison, SVP at CMC in Irving, Texas, will return as chair of the committee.
The other board members set to serve two-year terms on the committee are:
First Vice Chair: Matt Ruckwardt, president of Cascade Steel Rolling Mills, McMinnville, Ore., and VP and chief of business performance, planning, and investments at Radius Recycling.
Treasurer: Ed Goettl, VP of market development, Optimus Steel, Beaumont, Texas.
Immediate Past Chair: Mark Millett, chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Steel Dynamics Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind.
Vice Chair at Large: Greg Murphy, EVP of business services and general counsel, Nucor, Charlotte, N.C.
Vice Chair at Large: Charles Schmitt, president, SSAB Americas, Mobile, Ala., and EVP at SSAB.
Vice Chair at Large: Lenore Trammell, chief administrative officer, chief compliance officer, and general counsel, U.S. Steel’s Big River Steel in Osceola, Ark.
Vice Chair at Large: Michael Williams, president and CEO, Metallus, Canton, Ohio.
Bell says ‘pivotal’ time for steel
SMA President Philip K. Bell pointed out that this committee will be dealing with a dynamic time in the American steel industry.
“Returning Chair Ty Garrison headlines an impressive group of steel industry leaders on our executive committee at a pivotal time for domestic steelmakers,” Bell said in a statement on Feb. 5.
“One of their top priorities will be to support the new administration and Congress as they stand up to unfair trade, embrace pro-growth tax policy, and reduce the regulatory burden on manufacturers,” he added.

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