GOP Leader Tells Metalworking Industry: “It’s Up to You”

Bill Brock, a former senator, Republican party chairman, U.S. trade representative and Labor Secretary, says one way to heal this country’s political divisions and get the economy moving again is for metals industry leaders to step up. The GOP statesman was the opening keynote speaker in a “fireside chat” with M. Robert Weidner III, the president and chief executive officer of the Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI; Rolling Meadows, IL) at MSCI’s annual meeting held in the Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT.

“You’ve got to work with your Congressional representatives to open things up,” Brock told the audience. “You need to know the members of Congress in your district, so you can call them or walk into their office and explain your problems.” He noted that when he was in Washington, “we were a community of people who believed in this country and worked hard to get things done. Now we are not talking to each other anymore. Maybe you can help get a Democrat and a Republican in your area to meet and come to grips with one of the real problems you are having. They need your help; they can’t do it by themselves.”

In other news from the meeting, MSCI recognized some industry leaders and named new board members. Weidner announced that Bruce and Shirley Stein, the founders of Triple-S Steel (Salt Lake City, UT) and prominent Houston philanthropists, were the 2016 recipients of the MSCI’s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“The Steins gave their lives to our industry, their employees and their community,” noted Weidner. “They represent the very best of what free enterprise can accomplish in this country.” He described the Stein’s drive and business acumen, building Triple-S from its beginning in 1960 to a $750 million a year enterprise today that employs 1,200 people in 25 facilities. “That, combined with their hard work and compassion for others, their dedication to their community and their employees, make it a distinct honor to have had the Steins as leaders in our industry,” he added.

MSCI also recognized Lee Kushman, the vice president and general manager of Pennsylvania Steel’s York facility with the Jack Malec Chapter Leadership Award for his effective advocacy, talent development and his “inspiring passion” for the Institute and the industry. Four new board members were named at the annual meeting:

• Richard O’Toole, the president of special products group for Kloeckner Metals
• Todd Zyra, the president and chief executive officer of Klein Steel Service, Inc.
• Eddie Lehner, the president and chief executive officer of Ryerson
• Joe Ulrich, the vice president of sales for Ruan Transport Corporation.

Two directors were named to the Executive Committee: Bill Ring, the president of Dalco Metals, and Bill Sales, the executive vice president of operations at Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. Rick Marabito, the chief financial officer of Olympic Steel, Inc., was named a vice chair of the board.

Founded in 1909, the Metals Service Center Institute is a nonprofit association based in Rolling Meadows that serves the metals industry with more than 300 members in over 1,200 locations in North America.

www.MSCI.org