Heenan Retiring from Steel Recycling Institute

The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI) has announced that William Heenan, Jr., president of the Steel Recycling Institute for the past 20 years, is stepping down due to health reasons. In addition to his time with SRI, Heenan worked for United States Steel Corp. for 19 years.

To replace Heenan, the SMDI has named Gregory Crawford as executive director of the SRI, effective Dec. 1, 2010.
In a release announcing Heenan’s retirement, Lawrence Kavanagh, president of the SMDI, says, "Bill's service to the steel industry over the last four decades will have an impact at least that far into the future. Building SRI from the ground up and establishing steel as the world's most recycled material together are tremendous career accomplishments for one individual. However, Bill's contributions to the industry go beyond these successes. His tireless work has positioned our industry to meet the increasing global demand for sustainable materials. We appreciate all that Bill has accomplished during his career and we wish him all the best for the future."

In naming Crawford to head the SRI, Kavanagh adds, "Greg brings a broad range of technical and managerial expertise in both recycling and sustainability to his new position. This will be important, as the mission of the SRI broadens to include the exceptional life cycle performance of our material. We see this shift in focus as critical in helping the steel industry and its customers meet the changing needs of society and the marketplace."

"I am excited about this new responsibility with its many challenging aspects," Crawford says. "Fortunately, the SRI can draw upon its many steel partners, both domestically and worldwide, in its efforts to shape a more promising future through technical innovation and conservation."