Conrad Winkler

Conrad is the president of North Star BlueScope and has been in this role for more than one year.  Conrad is an MIT educated mechanical engineer, with an MBA and Master’s in Manufacturing Management from Northwestern University. Conrad was Navy ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corp) in college and a nuclear submariner in the U.S. Navy on board fast attack submarines. Following business school, Conrad joined Booz Allen Hamilton and as a partner there focused on manufacturing intensive industries, operations and strategy.

Prior to coming to North Star, Conrad was President and CEO of Evraz North America.  He has also been CEO of Ardagh Glass Packaging North America, and of Shield T3, a COVID-19 testing company he helped to start up.

Jim Fox

Jim has been part of the North Star team since 1996, first hired to lead the electrical team for the electric arc furnace (EAF).

Over his 28-year tenure with the company, Jim has gleaned a wealth of experience in management, most recently as Caster Operations Manager.

Prior to joining BlueScope, Jim spent a decade as a U.S. Navy nuclear submariner working in progressive roles supporting electrical maintenance across refuelling overhaul, electrical quality control and electrical decommissioning of nuclear submarines.

Cam Thoroughman, VP.HR.

Cam joins BlueScope from Marathon Petroleum Company, where he gained extensive experience working with terminal and refinery sites. He led HR teams focused on supporting the business and driving strategy and transformation goals. His work spanned six states, with his most recent role in Findlay, Ohio. Cam brings a wealth of experience in HR, including organizational development, talent acquisition, workforce planning, inclusion, performance management, and labor relations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in human resources and industrial relations from West Virginia University.

Ashley Kotowski

B.S. Marketing and MBA; Wayne State University

Ashley joined the BlueScope team in 2021 as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing. In 2006, she began her steel career as a marketing intern at an integrated mill in Dearborn, MI. Ashley has held various positions within the steel industry, notably at Severstal NA, Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN), and Big River Steel. She serves on the Executive Board for the Association of Women in the Metal Industries (AWMI).

Sasha Vasilyev

Sasha brings more than 15 years of international business operations and top-tier consulting experience to the leadership team at the mill in Delta, OH.

Prior to joining North Star, Sasha served as vice president of West Coast operations for Ardagh Group, a leading provider of value-added, infinitely-recyclable metal and glass packaging solutions. Prior to Ardagh, Sasha spent eight years with EVRAZ North America, a vertically integrated steel producer where he held progressively responsible finance roles, including chief financial officer, where he oversaw financial planning and analysis, accounting, tax, treasury, back-office functions, IT and procurement. Sasha also has held positions in audit and financial advisory services with KPMG and Deloitte. He graduated from the People’s Friendship University of Russia and has pursued additional studies at both MIT and Stanford.

Jason Schenk, CSP, CHMM

B.S. Environmental Health & Safety Policy; Bowling Green State University

Jason joined the BlueScope team in 2015 as the HSE Manager, then took on additional roles as National HSE Manager for BlueScope’s BBNA business and Safety Director for North Star’s Project Aristotle in 2019. Prior to coming to North Star, Jason worked at The Andersons as their Corporate HSE Director, which included over 130 locations. Jason is an active member of the Steel Manufacturer’s Association Safety Committee and carries board certifications as a safety professional and a hazardous materials manager.

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