Keith E. Busse, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Steel Dynamics Inc.

Keith E. Busse founded Steel Dynamics Inc., a minimill steelmaker, in 1993 with two colleagues as an entrepreneurial venture. The company began steel production and went public in 1996. Under his leadership, the company has grown to become the nation’s sixth largest carbon steel producer, attaining $8.1 billion in sales in 2008. Busse holds a bachelor’s degree in business finance from the University of Saint Francis and an M.B.A. from Indiana University (1978). He has received numerous awards, including the Willi Korf/Ken Iverson Steel Vision Award in 2008, AIST’s 2005 Steelmaker of the Year, and has served as chairman of both AISI and SMA. Prior to founding Steel Dynamics, Busse worked 21 years at Nucor Corp., ultimately serving as vice president and general manager of Nucor Steel–Indiana. At Nucor, he led a team that built and operated a minimill using new thin-slab-casting steelmaking technology, the first minimill in the world to produce flat rolled steel.

John H. Goodish, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, United States Steel Corporation

John H. Goodish is a 1970 graduate of Waynesburg College (Pa.), where he earned a B.S. degree in business administration. Goodish joined U. S. Steel in 1970 as an accounting management trainee in Pittsburgh, and was promoted to junior auditor the following year. In 1973, he became supervisor of billing at the company’s Irvin Plant and progressed through a series of accounting positions until 1977, when he was transferred to the accounting department at U. S. Steel’s former Homestead Works. In 1982, he was promoted to general supervisor of line accounting at Clairton Works. Later that year, he moved to the Pittsburgh headquarters, where he served in a number of accounting and financial positions. In 1984, Goodish transferred to Gary Works as accounting manager — mill analysis. Three years later, he was named division manager of coke and chemicals. In 1989, he became manager of operations services at Gary Works, and later that year was named division manager of the 84-inch hot strip mill at Gary Works. He became general manager of Mon Valley Works in 1990, and returned to Gary Works in 1994 as general manager. In 1996, he was named president of USX Engineers and Consultants Inc., now called UEC Technologies LLC. In 2000, he was appointed president of U. S. Steel Košice. In March 2003, he was named executive vice president — international and diversified businesses, and in June 2003, executive vice president — operations. He was promoted to his current position in 2005.

Dieter Hoeppli, Managing Director — Investment Banking, UBS Securities LLC

Dieter Hoeppli is managing director — global head of steel and head of metals and mining in the Americas with UBS Securities. Hoeppli has been the lead banker in a number of landmark transactions: advisor to Esmark in its $1.25 billion sale to Severstal; advisor to TMK in its $1.7 billion acquisition of IPSCO’s U.S. tubular business; advisor to Sims Metal in its $1.6 billion merger with Metal Management; advisor to Stelco in its C$2 billion sale to United States Steel Corporation; advisor to Essar Global in its C$1.7 billion acquisition of Algoma Steel (including arranging of $1.3 billion financing package); advisor to Ryerson in its $2 billion sale to Platinum Equity; advisor to Hindalco Industries in its $6 billion acquisition of Novelis; advisor to Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel in its $1.3 billion merger with Esmark; advisor to Oregon Steel in its $2.3 billion sale to Evraz; advisor to Villaceroin its $1.4 billion sale to Arcelor Mittal; advisor to Arcelor in its $45 billion merger with Mittal, advisor to Arcelor in its $5.4 billion acquisition of Dofasco; advisor to Ahmsa in itsfinancial restructuring; advisor for Mittal Steel in its $4.8 billion acquisition of Kryvorizhstal; lead advisor to ISG in its $4.5 billion merger with Mittal Steel; advisor to Ryerson Tull in its acquisition of Integris; advisor for Republic Engineered Products in its sale to Industrias CH; advisor in the financial restructuring of Stelco; bookrunner on the largest bank financing ($1 billion) and IPO ($530 million) done in the North American steel market for ISG; sole bookrunner in the largest steel high-yield bond ($800 million) issued in North America for Ispat Inland; numerous sole bookrun financing transactions for Massey Energy; bookrunner for a high-yield transaction for Ipsco, as well as bookrunner for a $1 billion equity offering for Newmont Mining. Hoeppli was also the lead banker for bookrun equity offerings for Kaiser Aluminum, International Coal Group, Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel and Oregon Steel. His focus is to provide tailored financing solutions for global metals and mining companies, as well as advise them on strategic growth opportunities. Hoeppli has been working for UBS for 19 years and holds an honors M.B.A. in finance from Stern School of Business at New York University.

James P. Hrusovsky, CEO, Severstal Columbus

James P. Hrusovsky serves as chief executive officer of Severstal Columbus LLC, the world’s next generation steel mill and a unit of Severstal International.  Prior to his current position, he was chief operating officer of Severstal North America Inc from November 2006 until December 2007. Hrusovsky served as vice president and general manager at Arcelor Mittal’s Burns Harbor plant from 2005 to 2006, and at ISG’s Indiana Harbor plant from 2003 to 2005. He was division manager in the Steel Producing Division and Finishing Division at ISG from 2002 to 2003, and at the Hot Rolling and Finishing Division, Hot Strip Mills Division and Direct Hot Charge Division at LTV Steel from 1997 to 2002.  Previously, Hrusovsky held a variety of managerial, metallurgical and engineering positions at The Timken Company from 1982 to 1996.  He has over 26 years experience in the steel manufacturing industry and holds bachelor of science, master of science and PhD degrees in metallurgy and materials science from Case Western Reserve University. Hrusovsky currently serves as a trustee of the AIST Foundation.

Louis L. Schorsch, Executive Vice President, ArcelorMittal, and President and Chief Executive Officer, ArcelorMittal Flat Americas

Louis L. Schorsch is an ArcelorMittal executive vice president and chief executive officer of the company’s Flat Carbon Americas business unit, with responsibility for the company’s flat rolled facilities in Canada, the United States, Mexico and Brazil. He assumed both positions in August 2006. Previously, Schorsch was chief executive officer of Mittal Steel USA, the U.S. subsidiary of Mittal Steel Co. He had been president and chief executive officer of Ispat Inland Inc., a predecessor company, since October 2003. Schorsch had spent most of his career as an analyst of the steel industry and a consultant to steelmakers all over the world. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a doctorate in economics from American University, both in Washington, D.C.

AISTech 2008 Town Hall Forum Chair and Moderator
George J. Koenig, President, Berry Metal Co., Town Hall Forum Chair

Koenig serves as president of Berry Metal Co. and as a trustee of the AIST Foundation. He has participated on numerous committees for AIST, including serving as Session Chair for the Town Hall Forum at AISTech since 2004. Koenig earned a B.S. degree in business management and marketing from Drexel University and an associate’s degree in metallurgy from Pennsylvania State University.

John D. Callaway, Moderator

With more than 50 years of experience, John D. Callaway is a broadcast journalism pioneer. He began his career as a police reporter for Chicago’s famed City News Bureau, and then went on to a l7-year career with CBS Radio and TV in New York and Chicago. He was the founding director of the all-new format at WBBM Radio in Chicago in l968 — a format that continues to this day. He spent the next 35 years with WTTW Public Television in Chicago, where he was the founding host of its "Chicago Tonight" news analysis and interview program. Today, he is the host of WTTW’s "Friday Night" interview program and host and senior editor of its "Chicago Stories" documentary series. He is also host of the Pritzker Military Library’s "Front and Center" monthly public affairs program. Callaway was the founding director of the William Benton Fellowships in Broadcast Journalism program at the University of Chicago and author of the best-selling book of essays, The Thing of It Is. His work in broadcast journalism has been honored with more than l00 awards, including l7 Emmys.