has been Chief Executive Officer of both Severstal International and Severstal North America since July 2009. He first joined Severstal in 2002 to head the business planning group created to acquire foreign assets and develop international projects. In 2004 Sergei was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Severstal North America. In 2008 he became Chief Financial Officer of OAO Severstal in Moscow, Russia. Sergei graduated from Bauman Moscow State Technical University. He holds a master of business administration degree (MBA) in finance from California State University.
Chief Financial Officer
Mark J. Yost
has been Chief Financial Officer since May 2008. From December 2007 to May 2008, Mr. Yost was General Manager, Maintenance, Repair and Operations Purchasing. He was Manager, Profit Analysis and Business Planning, from 2005 to 2007, and Manager, Profit Analysis, Budgeting and Treasury, from 2004 to 2005. Mr. Yost also held various finance positions with Rouge Steel. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he has 14 years of experience in the steel manufacturing industry.
Chief Executive Officer, Severstal Columbus
James P. Hrusovsky
has been Chief Executive Officer and President, Severstal Columbus since January 2008 and was Chief Operating Officer, Severstal North America, from November 2006 to December 2007. Hrusovsky served as Vice President and General Manager at Mittal Steel's Burns Harbor, Ind. plant from 2005 to 2006, and held the same title at ISG's Indiana Harbor plant from 2003 to 2005. He was Division Manager in the Steel Producing and Finishing Divisions at ISG from 2002 to 2003. He worked in various management positions at the Hot Rolling and Finishing Division, Hot Strip Mills Division and Direct Hot Charge Division at LTV Steel from 1997 to 2002. Earlier in his career, Mr. Hrusovsky held a variety of managerial, metallurgical and engineering positions at The Timken Company. He has 26 years of experience in steel manufacturing. He holds bachelor and Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in metallurgy and materials science from Case Western Reserve University.
Chief Operating Officer, Integrated Mills
Alexander Pogozhev
has been Chief Operating Officer since July 2009. Mr. Pogozhev has worked at OAO Severstal since 1991 in various operating and strategic planning positions. In 1997, he became head of the operating department and in 2000 was named Chief Operating Officer at OAO Severstal's Cherepovets, Russia, steel operations. In 2008, Mr. Pogozhev began working with Severstal North America as well as OAO Severstal in a variety of executive management and strategic positions. He graduated from SevMash Technical University with a degree in machinery technology. Mr. Pogozhev also holds a degree in financial management from the State Academy of Management and master of business administration degree from the Newcastle Business School at the University of Northumbria.
Vice President, Human Resources
Melvin E. Baggett
has been Vice President, Human Resources, since January 2004. From 1999 to 2004, he was Director, Employee Relations and Union Affairs, of Rouge Steel Company. Mr. Baggett was Manager, Employee Relations, from 1996 to 1999 and Manager, Salaried Personnel and Benefits Planning, from 1991 to 1996. Mr. Baggett held various human resources positions at Rouge Steel and Ford Motor Company. A graduate of Wayne State University, he has 20 years of steel manufacturing experience.
Director, Communications and Public Affairs
Elizabeth A. Kovach
has been Director, Communications and Public Affairs, since April 2009. Kovach who is known as Bette has more than 30 years of corporate communications leadership experience. She worked in public affairs for Bethlehem Steel Corporation for more than 27 years, managing corporate-wide internal and external communications and serving as the corporation's spokesperson and speechwriter. Ms. Kovach, a native of the New York metropolitan area, holds a degree in Journalism from Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa.
Vice President, Commercial
Thomas M. Marchak
has been Vice President, Commercial, since May 2009. He served as Vice President, Sales and Marketing, for Severstal Columbus since 2006. Before joining Severstal, he was Vice President, Commercial, for Kenwal Steel located at Kenwal's Burns Harbor, Ind., facility. Mr. Marchak began his career with Bethlehem Steel where he worked in sales and marketing for 20 years, becoming Manager of Cold Rolled Products. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Scranton and has completed executive courses at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
Vice President, Business Development
Patrick J. Murley
has been Chief Executive Officer, Northern Steel Group, since November 2009. Mr. Murley most recently served as Vice President, Business Development, Serverstal North America, in 2007 to 2009 and before then was Vice President, Operations, at Worthington Steel Company from 2001 to 2007 and North Region Operations Director from 1999 to 2001. He was Vice President and General Manager at Spartan Steel Coating from 1996 to 1999 and Plant Manager at Worthington Steel's Porter, Ind., plant from 1993 to 1996. Prior to 1993, he held positions in technical service and corporate research and development at Worthington Steel. Mr. Murley has over 20 years experience in the steel industry. He graduated from The Ohio State University and the University of Michigan.
Vice President, Government Relations
Douglas C. Schrader
has been Vice President, Governmental Relations, since November 2008. He started his career in the steel industry in 1976 by joining the former Inland Steel Company management team in East Chicago, Indiana. Mr. Schrader brings over 30 years of experience in the field of governmental relations in the steel, mining and utilities industries. He has represented companies in government affairs including Ryerson, Inc., International Steel Group, LTV Steel Corporation, Iron Mining Association of Minnesota and the former Inland Steel Industries in the areas of energy, taxation, environmental and other industrial concerns. He is a graduate of Ball State University.
Vice President, Purchasing
Mikhail Smirnov
has been Vice President, Purchasing, since May 2009. Born in Cherepovets, Russia, Mikhail Smirnov began his steel industry career with OAO Severstal in Russia in 1999. During his years at Severstal, he advanced through key positions at the company and, in 2004, became Director of Strategic Planning and Development at Severstal North America's headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. In 2005, Mr. Smirnov became Vice President of Finance for Severstal Columbus. His educational background includes a Master's degree in Economics from the Moscow State University of Management, an MBA from the University of Northumbria in Newcastle, England, and a Master of Law degree from Moscow State Academy of Law.
Vice President, General Counsel
Martin Szymanski
has been Vice President, General Counsel, since January 2004. From 1999 to 2004, Mr. Szymanski was Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, for Rouge Industries, Inc. and Rouge Steel Company. He served as General Counsel and Secretary from 1998 to 1999 and was Associate General Counsel from 1997 to 1998. He served as General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Modern Engineering, Inc. from 1990 to 1996 and before then held key legal assignments at Stroh Brewery Company and Fruehauf Corporation. Mr. Szymanski has over 26 years of corporate and private legal experience. He graduated from the University of Detroit and the Detroit College of Law.
The Board of Directors / Managers
Sergei Kuznetsov - Member of the Board, Severstal North America Martin Szymanski - Member of the Board, Severstal Dearborn Mark J. Yost - Member of the Board, Severstal North America James P. Hrusovsky - Member of the Board, all locations except Dearborn
Chief Executive Officer and President 
Chief Financial Officer 
Chief Executive Officer, Severstal Columbus 
Chief Operating Officer, Integrated Mills
Vice President, Human Resources
Director, Communications and Public Affairs 
Vice President, Commercial
Vice President, Business Development 
Vice President, Government Relations 
Vice President, Purchasing 
Vice President, General Counsel