U. S. Steel Senior Vice President-Public Policy & Governmental Affairs Terrence D. Straub To Retire; Executive Responsibilities of James D. Garraux Expanded

Wed Nov 4, 2009 12:29pm EST
 
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U. S. Steel Senior Vice President-Public Policy & Governmental Affairs
Terrence D. Straub To Retire; Executive Responsibilities of James D. Garraux
Expanded


PITTSBURGH, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United States Steel Corporation
(NYSE: X) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John P. Surma today announced
that Senior Vice President-Public Policy & Governmental Affairs Terrence D.
Straub, 63, has elected to retire effective Nov. 30, 2009, after 28 years of
service with the company.  

"Over the course of his distinguished career, Terry earned a reputation both
inside and outside Washington as a public policy authority, a fierce defender
of the American steel industry and a staunch advocate for domestic
manufacturing," said Surma.  "His expertise and diligence ensured that our
company's voice was heard as issues of great significance were debated and
legislated."

Besides his representation of United States Steel Corporation itself, Straub
was also an effective leader in steel industry organizations and major steel
industry undertakings.  In a series of leadership positions in the American
Iron and Steel Institute, the Stand Up for Steel group, the Alliance for
American Manufacturing and a number of ad hoc coalitions, he played a critical
role in every significant public policy activity on behalf of the American
steel industry for the past three decades.  In 2001, he was a central figure
in the securing of "safeguard" tariff relief that is widely credited with
giving the industry a chance to consolidate and survive.  Straub has also been
an effective voice for American steel in international settings, including the
Steel Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD), the North American Steel Trade Committee, the U.S.-China Steel
Dialogue, and international trade negotiations conducted under the auspices of
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade
Organization (WTO).

Straub joined U. S. Steel in 1981 as manager-governmental affairs in the
Washington, D.C., office.  From 1977 to 1981, he served at the White House as
Special Assistant for congressional affairs to President Jimmy Carter.  During
his service in the White House, he was responsible for managing the
President's legislative strategies creating the Department of Education, the
reorganization of the federal government and many other domestic issues.  He
has served in a number of capacities in Indiana state government and in
numerous national political campaigns.

Since joining U. S. Steel, Straub has served as director-governmental affairs;
general manager-governmental affairs, Steel & Diversified Businesses; and
general manager-governmental affairs, Energy.  He became vice
president-governmental affairs for USX Corporation in 1991 and was appointed
to the Corporate Policy Committee in 1996 and the Corporate Management
Committee in 2004.  Straub was named to his current position, senior vice
president-public policy and governmental affairs, in 2003.

Previously, Straub served on the Advisory Committee of the Export-Import Bank
of the United States, and from 2000 until 2004, he served as vice chairman of
the Center for National Policy.  He is the past chairman of the Council of
U.S. Producers of the American Iron and Steel Institute, and past chairman of
the Operating Committee of The Steel Alliance, the industry's first
comprehensive North American image campaign.  

Straub served as a member of the Industry Sector Advisory Committee, a
position appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade
Representative, and was a leading steel industry spokesman on a number of high
profile trade initiatives.  He serves on the Advisory Board of Manna Inc., a
non-profit community-housing program active in the Washington, D.C., inner
city, is co-chairman of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Foundation,
and is a member of the Federal City Council and the Washington Economic Club.

Straub has lectured both undergraduate- and graduate-level seminars at several
universities, including American University, George Washington University,
Connecticut College, and the Harvard University Institute of Politics at the
Kennedy School of Government.

Effective Dec. 1, 2009, General Counsel & Senior Vice President-Corporate
Affairs James D. Garraux will assume responsibility for the governmental
affairs organization, and Thomas M. Sneeringer will advance to managing
director-federal governmental affairs and assume daily oversight of the
activities coordinated by the company's Washington, D.C., office.  Sneeringer
will report to Garraux as will Scott R. Salmon, general manager-federal
governmental affairs, and Christopher J. Masciantonio, general manager-state
governmental affairs.  Garraux currently serves as the company's general
counsel and also leads its labor relations, environmental affairs and
corporate security activities.  

"The domestic steel industry currently faces a number of critically important
issues, including unfair trade and climate change and health care
legislation," Surma explained.  "Combining our seasoned public policy and
governmental affairs practice under a single reporting structure with the
disciplines already reporting to Jim is a natural move."

In his expanded role, Sneeringer will be responsible for the daily operations
of the company's Washington, D.C., office and will continue to provide
leadership on international trade policy and a host of other public policy
matters of significance to the company.

Sneeringer, 61, joined U. S. Steel in March 2003 as director of federal
governmental affairs for the company's Washington, D.C., office.  In this
position, he has been responsible for addressing issues that affected the
company, including international trade, pension, tax, health care and market
development, before the Congress and the executive branch of the federal
government.

Prior to his position at U. S. Steel, Sneeringer served as senior vice
president for public policy and general counsel for the American Iron and
Steel Institute (AISI).  During his eight years at AISI, he played a
significant role in developing policy positions and implementing successful
strategies for industry-wide concerns including trade, taxation, environment,
energy, transportation, government research and development programs, and
appropriations projects.  

Sneeringer has gained extensive legislative experience throughout his career
in Washington, serving in the following positions: director of national, state
and public affairs for The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; legal
counsel/adviser for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services;
legislative director for former U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-IL); partner,
governmental affairs for Katten Muchin Zavis and Dombroff, a national law
firm; and principal, Liz Robbins Associates, a lobbying firm.

Sneeringer, a native of Gettysburg, Pa., graduated from Georgetown University
with a bachelor's degree in government in 1970 and a law degree in 1973.   


For more information about U. S. Steel, visit www.ussteel.com.

SOURCE  United States Steel Corporation

Erin DiPietro, +1-412-433-6845, or Courtney Boone, +1-412-433-6791, both of U.
S. Steel

 

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