Nucor Leadership
Our leadership is focused on empowering our teammates to drive Nucor’s long-term success.
Mr. Topalian was named Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer effective September 15, 2022. He previously served as President and Chief Executive officer beginning January 1, 2020 and as President and Chief Operating Officer from September 2019 through December 2019. Mr. Topalian began his career with Nucor as a project engineer at Nucor Steel-Berkeley in 1996 and was promoted to Cold Mill Production Supervisor in 1998. He has held various leadership positions throughout his Nucor career in Australia, at Nucor Steel South Carolina, Nucor Steel Kankakee, and Nucor-Yamato Steel Company. He served as Executive Vice President of Beam and Plate Products from 2017 to 2019.
Mr. Laxton has been Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Executive Vice President since March 2022. He previously served as Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Planning from 2014 to 2022 and General Manager of Business Development from 2003 to 2014.
Mr. Sumoski was named Chief Operating Officer in January 2021. He served as an Executive Vice President from September 2014 to December 2020. He previously served as Vice President and General Manager of Nucor Steel Memphis from 2012 to 2014; Vice President of Nucor in 2010; General Manager of Nucor Steel Marion in 2008; Maintenance Manager of Nucor Steel Berkeley County, South Carolina in 1999; and Electrical Supervisor there in 1995.
Mr. Hanners began his career with Nucor in 2011 as Melt Shop Engineer at Nucor Steel South Carolina. He next served as Shift Supervisor and was then promoted to Melt Shop Manager of Nucor Steel Auburn, Inc. Mr. Hanners later served as General Manager of Nucor Tubular Products and General Manager of Nucor Steel Kankakee, Inc. and was promoted to Vice President in 2019. He most recently served as Vice President and General Manager of The David J. Joseph Company. Prior to joining Nucor, Mr. Hanners served as a major in the United States Army.
Mr. Jellison was named Executive Vice President in January 2021. He began his Nucor career in 1990 as Materials Manager at Nucor Bearing Products and has worked in various positions and businesses in his 30 years with Nucor, including several controller and business development roles. Mr. Jellison served as General Manager of Nucor Bearing Products, Vice President and General Manager of Nucor Steel Seattle, Inc. and Vice President and General Manager of Nucor-Yamato Steel Company. He then subsequently worked as President of Nucor Tubular Products before most recently serving as President of Nucor’s steel piling subsidiary, Skyline Steel LLC.
Mr. Murphy was named Executive Vice President in January 2021. He began his Nucor career in 2015 as Vice President and General Counsel and later assumed responsibility for environmental and public affairs in 2020. Prior to joining Nucor, Mr. Murphy was a Partner with the law firm of Moore & Van Allen PLLC in Charlotte, where he was the team leader of the Litigation Practice Group and served for a decade on the firm’s Executive Committee.
Mr. Needham was named Executive Vice President in February 2021. Mr. Needham began his career with Nucor in 2000 as Controller at Nucor Steel Hertford County. He subsequently served as Controller of Nucor Steel Decatur, LLC and Nucor Steel Utah. In 2011, Mr. Needham became General Manager of Nucor Steel Connecticut, Inc. He later served as General Manager of Nucor Steel Utah and was elected Vice President in 2016. He most recently served as Vice President and General Manager of Nucor Steel Indiana from 2019-2021.
Mr. Query was named Executive Vice President in January 2021. He joined Nucor in 1990 as a financial analyst in the Corporate Office and subsequently served as Controller at Vulcraft South Carolina, Nucor Steel Berkeley and Nucor Steel Hertford. After serving as General Manager and Corporate Controller, Mr. Query’s positions included Vice President and General Manager at Nucor Steel Auburn, Inc., Nucor Steel Decatur, LLC, Nucor Steel South Carolina and Nucor Cold Finish as well as President of Nucor Europe. He most recently served as President of Nucor’s Vulcraft/Verco Group.
Mr. Utermark has been an Executive Vice President since May 2014. He previously served as the Vice President and General Manager of Nucor-Yamato Steel Company from 2011 until 2014; Vice President of Nucor in 2009; General Manager of Nucor Steel Texas in 2008; Roll Mill Manager of Nucor Steel Texas in 2003; Hot Mill Manager of Nucor Steel Arkansas in 1999; Shift Supervisor there in 1995; and Utility Operator there in 1992.
Retired Vice President
The Boeing Company
Retired President & CEO
Barnes Group Inc.
Lead Director Nucor Corporation
Retired Chairman, CEO & President SPX FLOW, Inc.
Retired President
Boeing International
Retired Executive Chair & CEO
Trane Technologies plc
Retired Chairman and CEO
Olin Corporation
Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer
Nucor Corporation
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army (Retired)
& Former Commander of
U.S. Army Medical Command
On March 25, 2022, we filed our definitive proxy statement relating to our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which names each of our current directors as nominees for election as directors.
Our Corporate Governance Principles provide that (i) in addition to service on the Board, directors may not serve on more than three public company boards and (ii) a director who is a CEO of a public company may serve on the board of that company and only one other public company board of directors.
The Board of Directors has adopted a policy that, in connection with reviewing the qualifications of and making recommendations to the Board regarding nominees for election as directors at each annual meeting of stockholders, the Governance and Nominating Committee will annually evaluate each candidate's prior service on and contributions to the Board, including consideration of each candidate's public company leadership positions and other outside commitments. All of our directors are currently in compliance with our overboarding policy.
Committee Membership & Charters
Audit Committee | Compensation and Executive Development Committee | Governance and Nominating Committee | |
---|---|---|---|
Norma B. Clayton | |||
Patrick J. Dempsey | |||
Christopher J. Kearney | |||
Laurette T. Koellner | |||
Mike Lamach | |||
Joseph D. Rupp | |||
Leon J. Topalian | |||
Nadja Y. West |
* Committee Chair