Fillion, Fisher Receive 2008 Market Development Industry Leadership Award

Keith Busse, John Fillion, and Andy Sharkey

The 2008 Market Development Industry Leadership Award was presented to John Fillion and James Fisher by AISI Chairman of the Board Keith Busse, chairman and CEO, Steel Dynamics, Inc., at the AISI General Meeting on May 6, 2008. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in advancing the competitive use of steel in the marketplace as a direct result of AISI Market Development initiatives in the automotive, construction and container markets.

Fillion, retired from Chrysler LLC as senior manager of materials engineering, was a member of the Auto/Steel Partnership's Strategic Planning and Review Committee (SPARC), where he helped guide the lightweighting and enabler technology projects of the partnership. He opened up doors in the automotive research community and at Chrysler for innovative steel solutions by convincing representatives at the U.S. Automotive Materials Partnership (USAMP) and the U.S. Department of Energy to expand their lightweight design research effort to include funding for new steels. The USAMP support of steel development has averaged about $2 million per year since 2001. This steel research has revolutionized automotive design at Chrysler and other automotive companies. Today, advanced high-strength steels are the fastest-growing materials in automotive design.

Fisher is a vice president at Computerized Structural Design, S.C. in Milwaukee. In the diversified construction market, he is recognized industry-wide for his expertise in advancing the design of cold-formed steel structures in the marketplace. He is an authority on the performance of structures and the design of heavy industrial structures, metal building systems, and light-gauge steel structures. His contributions include co-authoring several AISI design guides and leading industry research projects that have advanced the competitive use of sustainable steel framing and design practices nationwide. He has participated on the AISI Committee on Specifications since the 1970s and is currently a member of its Executive Subcommittee.

"These individuals have demonstrated outstanding commitment and leadership in implementing the objectives of AISI Market Development programs in the marketplace and within their companies," said David C. Jeanes, AISI senior vice president of market development. "We have long recognized and credited the critical role that customer partnerships play in the success of our programs. Customer involvement is essential to the timely implementation of new steel products and design technologies. This leadership award provides an opportunity to give special industry recognition to our customer partners." For more information, contact Debbie Bennett.