Cleveland-Cliffs executive steps in to lead AISI board

The board of directors of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), Washington, has elected Lourenco Goncalves, chairman, president and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., to serve as chairman of AISI for a two-year term.

Kevin Dempsey, president and CEO of AISI, says Goncalves is “a dynamic leader in the global and domestic steel industry and a vocal advocate for the industry in the public policy arena.”

He adds, “We are grateful to have such an outstanding leader serve as our chairman. I am confident that under Lourenco’s guidance and leadership, we will continue to see many successes.”

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“I am honored that my fellow AISI board members have placed their trust in me to lead the Institute,” Goncalves says. “American-made steel is the cleanest and most energy-efficient in the world. Our member companies continue to make significant investments in decarbonization and clean steel production, and we must work together to make this fact completely understood and accepted. We also must put an end to foreign governments’ trade-distorting policies that could undermine the progress we have made.

“After several years of giving away our strength as a country that actually makes things, we are finally seeing manufacturing coming back to America. I will continue to fight to make sure that the American steel industry remains the backbone of manufacturing in America, creating jobs and improving the quality of life of our fellow citizens.”

According to a news release from AISI, the AISI board of directors also has elected Luca Zanotti, president of Tenaris USA, to serve as a new director on the board. AISI’s board also has elected Leon Topalian, chair, president and CEO of Nucor and former AISI chairman, to serve as the board’s vice-chairman.