U. S. Steel Announces Executive Transitions

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Dec 02, 2010, 08:35 ET

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 2, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) today announced several executive transitions effective Jan. 1, 2011, following Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John H. Goodish's retirement from the company effective Dec. 31, 2010.

George F. Babcoke, who currently serves as senior vice president – European operations and president – U. S. Steel Kosice, will be returning to the United States from Slovakia to assume the new role of senior vice president – European operations and global operations services. In addition to maintaining executive responsibility for the company's European operations, Babcoke will assume global oversight of safety and industrial hygiene; research and development; engineering; procurement; materials management; raw materials; logistics services; real estate development; and corporate marketing.

Senior Vice President – North American Flat-Roll Operations Michael S. Williams and Senior Vice President – Tubular Operations Douglas R. Matthews will maintain their current individual responsibilities for the company's North American flat-roll and tubular organizations, respectively. Babcoke, Williams and Matthews will report directly to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John P. Surma effective Jan. 1, 2011.

In addition, David J. Rintoul has been elected vice president – European operations and president – U. S. Steel Kosice. In his new role, Rintoul will oversee U. S. Steel's two European operations: U. S. Steel Kosice in the Slovak Republic and U. S. Steel Serbia in the Republic of Serbia. He will relocate to Slovakia and will report to Babcoke. Rintoul currently serves as general manager of Great Lakes Works, an integrated steelmaking facility outside Detroit, Mich., and president of the company's U. S. Steel Canada subsidiary. A successor for those roles will be named at a later time.

Commenting on the changes, Surma said, "U. S. Steel has substantial bench strength and these appointments are evidence of the leadership capability within all of our operating units. I have worked closely with George, Doug, Mike and Dave in recent years, and I know that their deep steelmaking and commercial expertise, strong commitment to our safety values, strategic orientation, and ability to work collaboratively across our company will contribute to our continued success. I have complete confidence in them and I look forward to working with them to lead us in the future."

George F. Babcoke

George F. Babcoke, 53, joined U. S. Steel in 1976 at Gary Works' general services department in Gary, Ind. He moved into management in 1981 and advanced through increasingly responsible positions in operations at Gary Works and the former USS/KOBE joint venture in Lorain, Ohio. In 2001, he was appointed general manager of Gary Works, and in 2004, he was named managing director – engineering and technology for the company. Babcoke was elected vice president – plant operations in 2005 and named to his current position, senior vice president – European operations and president – U. S. Steel Kosice, in March 2008. Babcoke received a bachelor's degree in organizational management from Calumet College and a master's degree in management from National-Louis University.

Michael S. Williams

Michael S. Williams, 50, began his U. S. Steel career in 1992 as a senior process control engineer at the company's Mon Valley Works near Pittsburgh and advanced through operations roles there and at Gary Works. In 1999, he joined Ormet Corporation and was named president and chief executive officer in 2004; he subsequently served as vice president – commercial products for Cleveland, Ohio-based Special Metals Corporation. Williams returned to U. S. Steel in 2006 as general manager – Gary Works, and in 2008, was elected vice president – operations, Midwest. He advanced to his current post, senior vice president – North American flat-roll operations, in April 2009. Williams received a bachelor's degree in information science from the University of Pittsburgh and graduated from the Executive Management Program at the University of Indiana at Bloomington.

Douglas R. Matthews

Douglas R. Matthews, 45, joined U. S. Steel in 1988 as a management associate at Mon Valley Works' Edgar Thomson Plant. During the next 10 years, he progressed through increasingly responsible managerial roles at Edgar Thomson Plant and Mon Valley Works' Irvin Plant and managed the installation and commissioning of the company's PRO-TEC Coating Company joint venture in Leipsic, Ohio. From 1998-2003, Matthews held operations positions at the former USS/KOBE joint venture and Gary Works. He was named general manager – blast furnace engineering and technology in 2005, vice president and general director of U. S. Steel Serbia in 2006, and president and general manager of U. S. Steel Canada in 2007. Matthews was elected vice president – tubular operations and president – U. S. Steel Tubular Products in February 2009 and was named senior vice president in November 2010. Matthews holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a master's degree in business administration from Duquesne University.

David J. Rintoul

David J. Rintoul, 53, joined U. S. Steel in 2007 as general manager-Granite City Works in Granite City, Ill., after having spent 30 years advancing through increasingly responsible management roles at Algoma Steel Corporation in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; Rouge Steel Corporation in Dearborn, Mich.; Acme Steel Company in Riverdale, Ill.; and North Star BlueScope Steel in Delta, Ohio. In 2008, he advanced to general manager – Great Lakes Works in Ecorse and River Rouge, Mich. In March 2009, he was appointed president – U. S. Steel Canada Inc., adding management oversight for all U. S. Steel Canada operations to his existing responsibilities at Great Lakes Works. Rintoul earned an associate's degree in mechanical engineering technology from Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology in his native Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario in 1979. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., in 1983 and received a master's degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame in 2006.