The magazine for metal service centers, fabricators & OEMs/end userswww.modernmetals.com A TREND Publication August 2016

®

SPECIAL REPORT

WOMENIN METALSIn their own

words, 10 leaders describe their

fulfilling careers

August 2016 Modern Metals®

WOMENIN METALSCelebrating the movers and shakers who have thrived and

wouldn’t choose to be anywhere elseBY CORINNA PETRY

It’s no longer an anomaly to see awoman at the head of a boardroomtable, operating a band saw or direct-ing a sales force. That fact should becelebrated, yet there are greater

strides to be made. In this issue, we explorea female pioneer; we discuss the gendergap; and we profile outstanding leaders inthe metals world.What draws many women to manufac-

turing and metals is how the work requiresa different set of skills (finance, metallurgy,law and engineering are a few examples)than jobs in “traditional” fields like health-care, education or retail. What keeps themthere is support from their peers. Whatmoves them to the top are hard work, ex-perience, team building skills and theability to command respect.

19th century leaderRebecca Lukens, born Jan. 6, 1794, toIsaac Pennock and Martha Webb Pen-nock, shadowed her father at hisironworks. She visited suppliers at theforges and spent as much time at the millas she spent at home with her mother, ac-cording to the National Iron & SteelHeritage Museum in Coatesville, Penn-sylvania. She married Dr. Charles LloydLukens, who promptly gave up medicineto join his father-in-law at the Federal Slit-ting Mill. Isaac Pennock established theBrandywine Rolling Mill & Nail Factoryon July 2, 1810. By 1817, he offered it tohis daughter and son-in-law to improve itand run it better than he had. Dr. Lukens turned out to be a good

manager of a mill that made boilerplate fora burgeoning steam engine market. On hisdeathbed in 1825, he implored his wife tocontinue operating the ironworks. Suc-cessful at rolling plate for steamships andlocomotives, Rebecca Lukens was as wellregarded as any industrialist of the era. Sheran the company for 22 years before retir-ing. (For more about Rebecca Lukens, see“Iron Maiden.”)

Study findingsA 2015 study, commissioned by The Man-ufacturing Institute, APICS and Deloitte,surveyed 600 women professionals to askhow companies can effectively recruit, re-tain and advance talented women.Women represent a vast pool of untappedtalent, even as the U.S. manufacturing sec-tor faces a shortfall of 2 million workersover the next decade. Here’s a statistic:Women make up 47 percent of the U.S.labor force but fill only 27 percent of man-ufacturing positions. In other words, asolution to the skills gap already exists.More than two-thirds of survey respon-

dents would stay in manufacturing if theywere to start their career today becausethey find opportunities for challenging andinteresting assignments, attractive pay andwork-life balance. Causes to leave a job inmanufacturing include poor working rela-tionships, lack of promotion opportunitiesand inadequate compensation.A tiny majority (51 percent) of the re-

spondents said they saw positive change intheir industry’s attitude toward female pro-fessional employees but definitive action

will move the needle. For example, cul-tural change in the C-suite is a priority andexecutives must lead by example.A separate survey sponsored by Women

in Manufacturing (WiM) focused onyoung women. Some believe the interest-ing and challenging work and highearnings potential that could be found inmanufacturing work aligns closely withwhat they want in a career. More thanthree-fourths of women already in manu-facturing careers confirm their work isindeed interesting and challenging andthat there are multiple job roles to explore.Yet, 68 percent of young women aren’tlikely to consider manufacturing as a ca-reer path because of an antiquated imageof a grimy factory dominated by men.Alison Grealis, founder and president of

WiM, predicts progress, saying, “We are in-fluencing younger people about what sectorto enter and how to apply their experience.We had 70-plus attendees under 30 yearsold at a Northern California meeting. Wehave campus chapters forming,” especiallyat universities with engineering programs.“Locally and nationally we are launching amentorship program in the next year,” addsGrealis. Such endeavors are meant to at-tract talented women into manufacturingcareers. For more, see “About WiM.”

Profiles in leadershipThe metals industry today better reflectsthe demographic of a professional work-force across all business sectors so it wasquite easy to find 10 women who are at thetop of their game.

As seen in the August 2016 issue of

Modern Metals® August 2016

[ professionalism ]

ABOUT WIMWOMEN IN MANUFACTURING has more than 600 members from 350 manufacturing companies.It supports, promotes and inspires manufacturing career women and those pursuing such ca-reers. Members share perspectives, gain information, improve leadership and communicationskills, participate in sponsoring programs and network with peers. Benefits include mentoringand sponsoring programs, professional development, job postings, online discussion communi-ties, a quarterly newsletter and directory.

“We believe we are helping [further careers], and manufacturing companies are more so-phisticated about attracting, retaining and advancing women in manufacturing,” WiM Founderand President Alison Grealis says. “We have had nothing but positive responses to what we de-liver. From evaluation forms from all events, women write passionately about how we areimpacting their careers, and some find something like a sisterhood at our events.”

YOU CAN ALWAYS DO MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU CAN. BE PREPARED,BE SURE YOU LISTEN TO OTHERS, THEN CHARGE FORWARD.

DAWNE HICKTON, INTERNATIONAL TITANIUM ASSOCIATION

Modern Metals® August 2016

WOMEN IN METALSDAWNE HICKTON, BOARD PRESIDENT,INTERNATIONAL TITANIUM ASSOCIATION“I grew up in western New York and my grandfatherwas a scarfer at [Bethlehem Steel’s] Lackawannaplant. Both my parents worked for Bethlehem so it’sin my blood. I graduated from University of PittsburghSchool of Law and my first job was at U.S. Steel,[which] seemed logical.”Hickton spent more than 10 years with U.S. Steel

working on legal matters involving coal and iron ore mining. She left to raise herfamily and teach graduate school but within the third year of teaching was askedback by U.S. Steel “to become part of the executive team for RMI Titanium.”In the first two years, RMI made several acquisitions, becoming a multi-operation

producer operating plasma and electron beam furnaces. She and her team kept ex-panding the company and pushing it up the value chain through acquisitions andcapital projects. By the time Alcoa acquired RTI International Metals Inc. in 2015, for$1.5 billion, “we became an integrated producer from melting to 3-D printing,” andevery process in between, across 20 facilities.Hickton credits “a great executive team, great management and a great work-

force” for RTI International’s success and profitable divestiture. “My style ofleadership is inclusive. I’m not the smartest person—I relied on other people.”Hickton believes working hard generated the leadership opportunities that

came to her. “My approach was to do the job well,” whether in metals or teach-ing. “I never thought I would become CEO of RTI. That was both satisfying andscary. At first I pinched myself and wondered, why me? But you can always domore than you think you can. Be prepared, be sure you listen to others, thencharge forward,” she advises the next generation of executives.Hickton chairs ITA’s Women in Titanium committee.

ANEESA MUTHANA, PRESIDENT ANDOWNER, PIONEER SERVICE INC.“It was at the ripe age of 11” when Muthana began ma-chining metal. “Some girls got Barbies. I got acenterless grinder.” Her father owned a machine shopin Chicago. “Low-cost labor turned out to be his chil-dren,” she says.“I enjoyed it and was good at it. Dad put a speaker in

the shop so I could hear the phone. I would jump overthe bundles [of steel bar] on the floor to take the sales

call.” Sibling rivalry played a role in Muthana’s career development: “I always wantedto prove myself with two older brothers. Although I love them and we worked hard to-gether, I had to do better,” she recalls.By the time Muthana was 23 and a pro at running a bar grinding business, her

uncle, who owned a machine shop in the west suburbs, asked her to come help runhis company. He made her a partner and the active leader.Aside from skills passed on by her father and uncle, Muthana says she was inspired

by her mother, who came from a small village, spoke no English and worked at a fac-tory to provide for her family. “The inspiration was not to fail everyone. That drove me.Whatever it took, I was not going to fail.”As a woman, Muthana says, “I’m not naive. I ignore the setbacks, the negativity. I

know my team, I know my strengths. It doesn’t matter that I’m a minority or a woman,I will find opportunities.” At industry conferences, Muthana always “takes a quicktally.” There might be “three women in the room and 100 guys. I don’t want to blamethe industry or the men. Women need to get their hands dirty.”She pays her success forward. “I buy from women. I interview women for positions

at my company. I am blown away by the talent out there.” There is no reason forwomen not to excel in metals, she says. “You’ll find closed doors but also open doors.If you know your business, you’ll get in.”

JODI KELLER-WHEELER,VICE PRESIDENT, UNITEDSCRAP METALKeller-Wheeler moved to Chicago after col-lege to pursue a career in IT consulting but“it was not fulfilling.” A recruiter asked herto interview at United Scrap Metal. “Myfirst reaction was ‘hell no.’” But she went,and “fell in love” with owner Marsha Serlin.

She worked in sales and eventuallyclimbed up the executive ladder. Serlin wasa constant inspiration, says Keller-Wheelerwho, over 14 years, has greatly expandedher view of the role of manufacturing in theeconomy. “I think about everything, likehow does 3-D printing affect scrap? Or, isa wage war at McDonald’s forcing automa-tion, which would create demand forequipment that takes your order?

“This is not a typical industry. You haveto understand how things are made andhow you provide value. You also have todeal with the good old boys.” For that, sherecommends, “Don’t be intimidated or selfconscious. Know what you’re talkingabout.” Those who have “conviction andcourage, who fight for the principles thatmatter, can survive and thrive. I have anobjective. I can be heard. I belong here.”

Women, she says, “are stronger withevery generation and understand that gritand dirt is more interesting than sitting be-hind a desk. Our company’s female-to-male ratio is quite high—it doesn’t haveto be a man’s world. Be confident, be cred-ible, be seen as a leader and not a ‘girl.’You own that. You don’t have to tolerate orparticipate in harassment.”

Keller-Wheeler walks the walk. Shecalled a local high school and, using herown money, offered to sponsor a scholar-ship for students who are interested inmanufacturing careers. “I am advocatingwhat I truly believe in to impact individualsin the future.”

August 2016 Modern Metals®

KARLA LEWIS, EVP AND CFO, RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO.Lewis audited Reliance’s books for four years as a public ac-countant at Ernst & Young LLP. She was encouraged to joinReliance just as she was looking for a place “where I could learna lot and provide insight.” She never dreamed the distributorwould become the No. 1 service center chain in North America.

From the beginning, the draw “was the people and quality ofthe company. I like challenges and we were always involved intransactions and organic growth. I was always learning and doing new things.”

Lewis works with investors and analysts on Wall Street, bond traders, ratings agencies, the Se-curities and Exchange Commission—none of these duties were in the original job description.

“One of the most satisfying things about working at Reliance is we all come to work wanting todo the right thing, even if we don’t initially agree on what the right thing is. Whether for employ-ees, customers or shareholders, we are good and fair, which makes it worthwhile.”

More women are taking on key roles at Reliance and among peers, says Lewis. “We havewomen in key positions and have two women running Reliance businesses on an operationalbasis. Every year, we see more women at our suppliers, too. The industry is more open; it hastransformed from an old boys club to more professionalism.”

Personally, says Lewis, “I never felt held back. I would encourage women to put aside stereo-types and perceptions about what they think the metals industry is and pursue a meaningfulcareer—and concern themselves with real obstacles.”

MARION BRITTON,EXECUTIVE VICEPRESIDENT AND CFO,RUSSEL METALS INC.Britton joined Marshall DrummondMcCall after working for an ac-counting firm. She kept her headdown and learned all she possiblycould about the metals industry.When the firm was sold to Russel,she liked the people and found awider range of opportunities. “Everycouple years my job changed. It forcedme into more of an operational role,working with operational guys.”Learning the production side was in-

triguing, but Britton also found that“anything that involved acquisitionswas interesting.”Early in her career, few women

worked in metals. Often, she says, “Iwas the only female. So you put up

with some rude language or com-ments. But I had the support of myCFO and CEO all along the road.”That allowed her space to “build a

team around me. In finance and admin-istration, some have been with me a lotof years and we work well together.”“It’s been proven women are always

an asset on a team,” Britton says. “Alot of big companies realize that. We

think differently, turn over differentrocks and add value because of that.” In hiring, she says Russel Metals

“looks at each candidate equally.Sometimes, someone will observe,‘you should hire some guys.’ But someguys don’t want to pay their dues firstto move up. Most women roll up theirsleeves and work hard to get recog-nized. They stay longer.”

REBECCA LUKENS would be considered the man-ager of Brandywine Iron Works & Nail Factory(predecessor of Lukens Steel Co.) and other businesses,according to LeAnn Zolovich, educational services man-ager for the National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum.“Rebecca managed the commercial side: buying sup-plies, making contracts and negotiating sales. Herbrother-in-law, Solomon Lukens, oversaw the labor andmill operations. Rebecca also managed a store, ware-house, freight agency, housing and a farm.”While devoted to her husband, children and grand-

children, Rebecca Lukens expanded Brandywine’s localmarket to the national level when a railroad was estab-lished near her mill. Some things never change: “Whencheap, poor quality iron products were coming intoAmerica, she lobbied legislators to establish tariffsprotecting the American iron industry,” says Zolovich.During the Panic of 1837, which began a major eco-

nomic recession that lasted until the mid-1840s,Lukens would not shut down Brandywine Iron Works.

Instead, she “slowed production and set her employ-ees to maintaining and repairing equipment andworking on her farm.” This helped workers and keptthe mill operating when many others closed.Although many in the iron industry would attempt

“to take advantage of a female” like Rebecca Lukens,others helped her. “Charles Brooke, ironmaster of Hi-bernia, supplied her bar iron on generous credit andloaned her money when needed,” says Zolovich. Andonce established as a producer of quality iron, Lukens“did gain the admiration, respect and cooperation frommale leaders of the day.”Armed with such qualities as strength, resilience,

courage and leadership, Lukens remains an inspirationtoday. “Rebecca knew the importance of iron to theAmerican economy, accepted new technology and herstrategic outlook allowed her to establish an iron site inthe 1800s that remains the longest continuously oper-ating steel site in the United States,” says Zolovich.

[ pioneer ]

IRON MAIDEN

Modern Metals® August 2016

WOMEN IN METALSDONNA PETERS, TECHNICAL SERVICEMANAGER, ARCELORMITTAL USA INC.After obtaining an associate’s degree in graphic design, Peterstook a “temp job as a Kelly girl at Jones & Laughlin Steel inPittsburgh. “I was planning to go back to school,” but after beingoffered a full-time post, “I never left.” The job paid well and sheenjoyed it.

“I was doing claim credits. I would read all the claims reports. Ifound it fascinating,” Peters recalls. She was continually askingquestions about what the company did and how all the activities fit together. She found a mentorwho “got me my first plant tour so I could understand all the things that didn’t make sense to me.”

Over time, J&L was consolidated with other big steel mills but Peters was kept on under everyphase of new ownership. For a while, she left to work as a quality manager at a service centerbut the company “wasn’t using my talent and I wanted to use my talents again.” So she cameback to Big Steel as a technical representative and [within Arcelormittal] “I made some really goodmoves in the last 10 years. I’m on my third job, managing tech reps.”

Having started her career in the late 1970s, Peters faced discriminatory attitudes. “I was in aplant meeting talking about an ongoing issue a customer was having: Its claims were higher thanthey should be. This guy asked me, ‘Are your decisions challenged more because you are awoman?’” Another time, she had to inform a customer that his new metallurgist was a woman.“He says, ‘A girl?’ It was culture shock. He’s losing his best buddy, Earl, and getting Rhonda.”

Once, she was taking notes, for her own edification, in a staff meeting. The leader was like,“‘Would you mind taking minutes?’” My boss said, ‘She’s not taking minutes for you.’ I always re-spected that boss.”

The most satisfying aspects of her career are “being able to show I am capable of leading peo-ple and demonstrating my knowledge,” based on years of hands-on experience.

Today, Peters is president of the 35-year-old Association of Women in the Metals Industries.For more, see “About AWMI.”

CONNIE MAYHILL,PRESIDENT, ALTEMPALLOYS INC.“Feeling unhappy with the way mycareer was going, I purchased a redpower suit, drove to Los Angelesand walked in to the largest head-hunter in the city and landed aninterview,” Mayhill recalls. “A fewhours later, I received a call askingif I would entertain the idea of inter-viewing for a position with a metalscompany. That evening, still in myred suit, I had a dinner interview atthe Beverly Hills Hotel—and gothired on the spot.”She met her future husband on the

job. Some years later, Mayhill feltconstrained. Her husband brought homea gift one evening. She opened it and heexplained, “Every president needs a redphone.” So she launched a metals com-pany from their home, servicing “ahandful of customers, including Boeing.”The Mayhills “had maxed out our

credit cards” so she contacted a for-mer colleague who had joined a forgingcompany. The owner of that forgingcompany, along with her colleague,

“became my silent partners.”She moved into offices, gained ac-

cess to warehouse staff, and learnedthe forging and heat treating business.“This laid the foundation for my abilityto form Altemp Alloys. A few years laterI was able to repay my partners, andaway I went.”The company won work providing

high-temperature alloys to the aero-space, defense and power generation

industries. “One of our proudest mo-ments was being invited by NASA towatch the launch of rocket engines thatcarried a lot of our materials.”Thirty-seven years later, says Mayhill,

“that red phone, the gift from my hus-band that launched my career, still sitsin a special place in my office.”As far as careers go for women in

metals, “we are all excelling in manydifferent areas,” she says.

[ empowerment ]

ABOUT AWMIINCORPORATED IN 1981, AWMIbegan with the vision of founderHeidi Doran, who sought to pro-mote and develop the educationand professionalism of women inthe metal industries. AWMI alsoprovides networking for members,which enhances their career op-

portunities. F. Kenneth Iverson,president and CEO of Nucor Corp.,spoke at the first Industry Dinner.By 1985, there were five chap-

ters; by 1989, AWMI had 17chapters. By 1991, membershipsoared past 1,000; in 1996, it sur-passed 1,700. When a chapterformed in Toronto, Canada, AWMIbecame international.Membership shrank in 2001

and 2002 as the industry consoli-dated, rationalized, closed plantsand laid off thousands of people.After that hit, however, member-ship grew again, albeit moreslowly, largely through the successof a new category of corporatemembership.Donna Peters, current AWMI

president, joined the Chicagochapter 25 years ago. “Women at

the plant level are not seen as anoddity; they’re just part of theworkforce. If you have the skills,companies want you to be suc-cessful. More women are goinginto engineering and in the fieldsthat men train, including the mili-tary. That helps build acceptance.”Members of AWMI, says Peters,

“have the talent, they have theskills. Gender doesn’t matter.”

August 2016 Modern Metals®

BRIGETTE DOUGLASS,VICE PRESIDENT-SALESAND MARKETING,ALUMINUM SHAPES LLCDouglass’ father worked in carbonand alloy steels so she recalls“soaking up dinner conversationswhen he was developing new mi-croalloy patents. I visited my firstrolling mill with him when I was 5years old.”Her own career started at Ryerson

Steel and she absorbed “everythingfrom CAD drawings to working withcustomers that were making MRImachines and ice makers, doorknobs and downhill drilling compo-nents. It was excitingly diverse.”She moved to Kaiser Aluminum,

then to SAPA, then to AluminumShapes—the customers are verysimilar with each. Douglass’ chal-lenge has been to pair the vastexperience of the existing workforcewith all the fresh young talent that’sbeen recruited, and get them tofocus on how to capitalize on thecompany’s strategic advantages.To grow the next generation,

Douglass led the effort to give em-ployees tools they need to do theirjob, a voice in the process, andcross training so workers learneach phase of production and bringthat expertise to their own stations.“We’re seeing the benefits of

that: Younger employees come inwith newer sales methods and in-stincts that meld well with thechanging market environment,”Douglass says. “When we mix themin with our veteran sales staff, weend up with a team that can lever-age deep experience alongsidenew tools.”

LISA GOLDENBERG, PRESIDENT,DELAWARE STEEL CO.With her father, Jerald Brownstein, Goldenbergrestarted an older company owned by her grandfa-ther. Steel trading “was in my blood.” Early on, thelogistics of being a full-time working mother provedchallenging. She recalls “long hours, long days.”Yet, “people who are successful take work home.

You look at inventory at night, make calls at 6 a.m.,and you’re aware of what’s happening on third shift.”The metals industry’s gender gap, says Golden-

berg, is “definitely better today” but she occasionally had to emphasize, “‘I’m amom, not a babe.’ I’m traditional. Guys do things in a group that are not forme—I did not go out and party. [Some] conversations can get super off color.”She doesn’t “wave a banner” for feminism. “Everyone should have a voice.” A

former president of the Association of Steel Distributors, she is often tapped tospeak at industry conferences and is interviewed on air by television and radiobusiness reporters. But it’s not for a “female perspective” that she’s asked to doso. “I’ve been through a lot of market cycles and experience matters.”Like Muthana, Goldenberg tallies the demographics at industry events. “Rather

than me being the only woman in the room, there are now two or three womenat each table,” she says. In addition, “We are getting inquiries from womentraders every day, not just once a month.“I know a woman at a steel mill who just had a baby and is working from

home. For a steel mill to let a young mom work full time from home—that’s thefirst I heard of that. But she is talented and it would have been foolish [for thecompany] not to recognize that.”Goldenberg mentors women in her company. “Women are an asset, equal to

any other viable employee.”

THERESA WAGLER, EXECUTIVE VICEPRESIDENT AND CFO, STEEL DYNAMICS INC.Wagler’s 1998 entry to the metals industry “was a bit fortu-itous and unplanned.” She was on her way to accept a jobin Chicago when she was asked to interview with a newpublic company. “I declined the interview three times.”Once she agreed and met SDI’s executives, “I felt

very much aligned with a culture that was exciting to meand [drawn by the fact] I would be in the C-suite. “I thought I was merely postponing my move to

Chicago,” recalls Wagler, but one reason she stayedwith SDI was the absence of negative feedback for her

ideas, such as “‘That is not in your area,’ or ‘You don’t have the authority to do that.’”Instead, “you are in charge of your own accomplishments.”Among the challenges she faced was to leverage a lean management culture to ac-

complish all that a much larger executive structure does. As head of finance, Waglercovers taxation, public reporting and investor relations, internal auditing, informationsystems and risk management.The key, “I realized, is to place experts around you. We have the right people and

we do have fun.” Wagler’s contributions include assuaging creditors and investorsthat SDI can take calculated risks and succeed in returning value. For example, SDIwas not highest bidder for Severstal North America’s Columbus, Mississippi, flat-rolled mill, but it won, in part, because the company was “very nimble and quickabout getting the finances in order.”Wagler is gratified to see more women in engineering and metallurgy positions as

well as in corporate finance. She mentors young people in her organization “who havea passion and a spark but it’s up to the individual herself to take advantage of oppor-tunities.” The crucial element is to be “curious; the rest can be taught.”