Click here to print PDF file
Bethlehem Steel Corporation
For Immediate Release
Washington, D.C. - The Board of Directors of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) has elected Duane R. Dunham, chairman, president and CEO of Bethlehem Steel Corporation, to a one-year term as chairman. He will be chairing the board's winter meeting in Washington, D.C. on February 1.
Dunham succeeds Richard K. Riederer, president, Weirton Steel Corporation, who served as chairman of AISI throughout 2000.
"We expect strong leadership with Duane Dunham's election as the 2001 chairman of the American Iron and Steel Institute. In the midst of extremely difficult business conditions, AISI's work on behalf of our member companies in the public policy arena takes on additional significance, as does our aggressive market development program," AISI President and CEO Andrew G. Sharkey III, said. "Duane will help to lead us in the fight against unfairly traded imports, burdensome regulations and alternative materials."
Dunham assumes the chairmanship of the largest steel trade association in North America at a juncture when steel producers are being hard hit by a combination of forces. The industry is seeking to stem the flow of dumped subsidized imports, which has pushed the value of steel products to dangerously low levels. Add to that a slowing economy and a surge in raw material costs, especially natural gas, and you have a recipe for the industry crisis that currently exists.
A leader in his support of AISI's mission to make steel the material of choice, Dunham will help spearhead implementation of an aggressive five-year business plan aimed at expanding markets for steel by 25 percent. This includes effectively conveying the story of the industry's transformation over the past two decades at a cost of $60 billion into a high tech, innovative, environmentally progressive world leader in steel manufacturing.
"It is ironic that at a time when we should be celebrating tremendous achievements gained at great cost, we are instead fighting for survival against cheap, unfairly traded steel dumped on America's shores," Dunham said. "We will continue that battle in the coming year and we will ask the Bush Administration to support these critical efforts by enforcing our trade laws."
A native of Birmingham, Mich., Dunham graduated in 1964 from Western Michigan University with a bachelor of science degree in administration and a master of science degree in administration from the Pennsylvania State University in 1969. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business in 1991.
He joined Bethlehem Steel in 1965 and first served as a salesman in Buffalo, N.Y. He was transferred to the Bethlehem, Pa., headquarters in 1971 as a salesman in the galvanized and specialty sheet sales division, in which he later served as product specialist, assistant manager and manager.
Dunham was promoted to general manager of marketing services in 1986 and a year later advanced to general manager, tin mill products sales and marketing.
He was named general manager, marketing in 1988. He was elected vice president, marketing, in 1990 and elected president of the Sparrows Point, Md., Division in January 1993. He was elected executive vice president and chief commercial officer January 1, 1999 and president and chief operating officer in August 1999. Effective April 25, 2000, Mr. Dunham became Bethlehem's chairman, president and chief executive officer.
Dunham is a director of the International Iron and Steel Institute. He is a member of the policy committee of The Business Roundtable, and a director of the Pennsylvania Business Roundtable.
The American Iron and Steel Institute is a non-profit association of North American companies engaged in the iron and steel industry. The Institute comprises 46 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 175 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI's membership accounts for nearly three-quarters of the raw steel produced in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The mission of the Institute is to make steel the material of choice and enhance the competitiveness of its members and the North American steel industry. To achieve this, AISI focuses its work on improving the comparative value of North American steel, expanding traditional markets for steel while also growing new markets, and achieving leadership in environmental, health and safety performance. AISI is also the recognized source of accurate statistical information on the North American steel industry.
Return to News Releases