Mario Longhi

Mario Longhi joined Gerdau Ameristeel as president following a 23-year international career with the executive team of Alcoa, a leader in the aluminum industry. Prior to his appointment at Gerdau Ameristeel, Mr. Longhi served as a vice president with Alcoa, as a member of Alcoa's Executive Council, and as group president, global extrusions and end products. Mario Longhi was appointed president and chief executive officer of Howmet Castings in 2002. Prior to this appointment, he served as president of Alcoa Wheel and Forged Products, based in Cleveland, Ohio. He was elected an Alcoa vice president in 2001.

Mr. Longhi began his career with Alcoa at Aluminio, Alcoa's Brazilian affiliate, as construction superintendent for the Alumar consortium in São Luis, Brazil. He then spent the next four years at Alumar in a series of supervisory positions, culminating in 1987 as refinery and port works manager. In 1989, Mario was named refining and smelting operations manager at Pocos de Caldas Operations and in 1992 rolling and extrusions director at Recife, Brazil. In 1994 he became director, castings division at Alcoa Aluminio and one year later, castings and rolling division director. He moved to Cleveland in 1998 as vice president and general manager of Alcoa Wheels International. Two years later he was named president of the business unit.

Mr. Longhi holds a metallurgical engineering degree, with a specialty in nonferrous metallurgy, from Escola de Engenharia Mauá in São Paulo, Brazil.

Terry Sutter

Terry Sutter serves as Gerdau Ameristeel’s chief operating officer. In this role, Mr. Sutter is responsible for all North American consolidated steel manufacturing and commercial operations, as well as raw materials procurement, reporting to the president and chief executive officer. Mr. Sutter oversees daily operations and spearheads production growth.

Mr. Sutter has more than 21 years of experience in international and North American business activities and substantial profit and loss experience gained at Allied Signal/Honeywell, Cytec Industries and Tyco. Most recently, he served as president of plastics and adhesives for Tyco International and was named president and chief executive officer after the acquisition of the business from private equity firm Apollo Management.

Mr. Sutter has an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and an MS degree in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Barbara Smith

Barbara Smith serves as Gerdau Ameristeel's vice president and chief financial officer.  Ms. Smith is responsible for all strategic financial planning, fiscal matters and investor relations.

Ms. Smith has more than 20 years of experience in international and North American business activities and substantial financial experience gained at Alcoa Aerospace, Automotive and Commercial Transportation Group and Alcoa Fujikura. Most recently, she served as senior vice president and chief financial officer for FARO Technologies at which she was a key member of the senior executive team, responsible for developing and executing company growth strategies.

Ms. Smith earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. She also earned the title of a certified public accountant from the State of Tennessee.

Robert E. Lewis

Robert E. Lewis serves as the company's vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. As chief legal officer, he is responsible for management of all legal matters, including reviewing all property and equipment leases and contracts, leading due-diligence efforts, and ensuring adherence to corporate governance and business integrity standards.

Mr. Lewis has 20 years of legal experience, most recently as senior vice president/general counsel and secretary for Eckerd Corporation. He was formerly an attorney and shareholder with the Tampa law firm of Shackleford, Farrior, Stallings, & Evans, P.A.

A graduate in accounting from the University of Florida, Mr. Lewis also earned his law degree with honors from the University in 1985. He has been a member of the Florida Bar and American Bar Association since 1985.

J. Neal McCullohs

James Neal McCullohs III, vice president, downstream operations, has been leading downstream operations since October 2001. He is responsible for the company's more than 40 rebar fabrication and steel-related business operations, including Rail Products, Atlas Steel and Wire, and Bright Bar. He is also responsible for leading all aspects of commercial sales for the company. Mr. McCullohs has been instrumental in the fabrication operations' growth and diversification, including the company's expansion into the Midwest with the 2004 acquisitions of the assets of Potter Form & Tie and Gate City Steel.

In his 25+ years with Gerdau Ameristeel, Mr. McCullohs has developed expertise in steel fabrication and sales and a comprehensive understanding of the market. In April 2004, he was elected to a two-year term as chairman of the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI). CRSI, which is one of America's oldest trade associations, promotes the use of reinforced concrete in the construction industry. Mr. McCullohs has served on the CRSI board and executive committee for the past nine years.

His previous management roles at Gerdau Ameristeel include vice president of mill product sales, regional manager for Fabricating Division-Florida Region, manager of the St. Albans Reinforcing Steel division, and manager of the Atlanta Reinforcing division. His sales leadership experience includes roles as sales manager of the Orlando Reinforcing Steel division, and sales manager and contract sales representative for the Charlotte Reinforcing Steel division. He originally joined the company as a management trainee at the Atlanta Reinforcing Steel division in 1978.

A native of Columbus, Ga., Mr. McCullohs is a graduate of Auburn University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in construction.

Michael P. Mueller

Mike Mueller was appointed as vice president of southeastern steel mill operations for Gerdau Ameristeel in 2001. His prior position with Gerdau Ameristeel was vice president and general manager.

Previously, Mr. Mueller was chief executive officer of Auburn Steel in Auburn, N.Y. In 1995, he joined Birmingham Steel Corporation as general manager. He was later named vice president and general manager of Birmingham's Special Bar Quality division. Mr. Mueller began his steel mill career in 1969 with Republic Steel, progressing through various management positions to plant manager of LTV's Tubular Division.

Mr. Mueller is a graduate of Cleveland State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also holds an MBA from Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.

Jack C. Peterson

In January 2006, Jack C. Peterson was appointed as Vice President, Management Systems for Gerdau Ameristeel. In his current role, he is responsible for the implementation of the Gerdau Ameristeel Business System (GABS) for all Gerdau Ameristeel locations. His responsibilities include identifying and implementing policies and practices to ensure continuous operational improvement leading to the achievement of industry best practices. Prior to his appointment as Vice President, he was Director of Management Systems of the company.

Mr. Peterson began his career at Dana Corporation and served there from 1973 to 1994. At Dana Corporation, he progressed through several managerial/supervisory positions where he was responsible for product engineering, quality control, employee training and facility operations. In 1993, he was awarded Dana's Quality Excellence Award. He continued his leadership role in quality processes and operations at Honeywell and Procter & Gamble from 1994 to 2003, and then at SterilMed Inc., where he was an Executive Director of Quality, responsible for all aspects of FDA Regulatory and process/quality control.

Mr. Peterson holds a bachelor's of science degree in Microbiology from Eastern Michigan University and an MBA from Bowling Green State University. He has been a Senior Member of the American Society for Quality since 1979 and has written articles for several national publications.

Matthew Yeatman

Matthew Yeatman serves as vice president, raw materials for Gerdau Ameristeel. In this role, he is responsible for all raw materials purchasing, including iron and steel scrap. He is also responsible for the company's recycling division, which includes seven scrap yards and shredders in Ontario and one in Buffalo, New York.

Mr. Yeatman has 19 years of experience as part of Gerdau Ameristeel and its predecessor companies. His most recent position with the company was vice president and general manager of recycling operations. Under Mr. Yeatman's leadership, Gerdau Ameristeel's recycling division has been profitable since it was transitioned to an operational unit in 1994.

Mr. Yeatman served as scrap purchasing manager from 1992 to 1999. During his tenure in this role, external sales increased from 20,000 tons/year to 500,000 tons/year. He previously served as division manager at Co-Steel Lasco, in the industrial metals division.

Terry Danahy

Terry Danahy serves as Gerdau Ameristeel’s vice president and chief human resources officer. Mr. Danahy has more than 20 years of experience in leadership roles in human resources in various industries, including positions at Campbell Soup Company, Pepsi, Tropicana and USAir.

He was senior vice president and chief of human resources for the Campbell Soup Co. in Camden, NJ, and held senior level HR positions at Pepsi Co, Tropicana, Black & Decker, and USAir. 

Mr. Danahy has an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pa. He also holds a BA from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY. 

Diane Drum

Diane Drum serves as Gerdau Ameristeel’s Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Ms. Drum’s responsibilities in this role include all aspects of the information technology area.

Ms. Drum has more than 25 years of experience in diverse leadership roles within the information technology arena as well as the managing Dupont’s deepest global SAP system implementation to date. Her experience incorporates a multitude of information technology areas including, global information systems management, global IT planning, global software strategy, supply chain & operations electronics, and data management.

Ms. Drum completed her academic training at Clemson University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and computer science.

Jim Kerkvleit 

Jim Kerkvliet serves as Gerdau Ameristeel’s Vice President of Commercial Sales. In this role, he is responsible for all domestic mill sales operations, international commercial sales operations and commercial marketing.

Mr. Kerkvliet has over 20 years experience in the international Steel realm and vast knowledge of international and North American sales strategy. He has held various senior leadership positions throughout his career and prior to becoming Vice President Mr. Kerkvliet served as general manager for Gerdau Ameristeel’s downstream non-fabrication operations. Before coming to Gerdau Ameristeel he worked within the leadership of such companies as Cargill Ferrous International and Cargill Steel & Wire as well as holding regional sales responsibilities for North Star Steel.

Mr. Kerkvliet received his undergraduate degree from the College of St. Thomas in Marketing Management.

Steven Hendricks

Steven Hendricks serves as Gerdau Ameristeel’s Director of Public Affairs and External Communications. In this role, he guides the company’s efforts in the realms of public affairs, media relations, community relations and brand management.

Mr. Hendricks brings over twenty years of experience to Gerdau Ameristeel’s Executive Committee. Included in his work history are various positions both domestic and international. Mr Hendricks has an advanced understanding of both the private sector, from his time with such international corporations as Motorola; Xerox; Compaq; AT&T and Hallmark; as well as the public sector where he served under the Governor of Kansas.

Prior to coming to Gerdau Ameristeel, Mr. Hendricks served as the Director of Communications and Public Affairs for Motorola.

Mr. Hendricks has received his undergraduate degree in Journalism from Wichita State University.