The SMU NexGen Leadership Award 2025, recognizes and celebrates the excellence of emerging leaders within the greater steel community.

Nominations are due for the SMU NexGen Leadership Award are open until 13 June. If you have an impressive emerging leader in your company, nominate them for this prestigious award. The winner will have the opportunity for a mentorship session with a leading industry executive and be recognized on stage at this year’s Steel Summit.

Over the past few years, the  SMU NexGen Leadership Award has been a platform for many individuals as they grow and develop in the steel industry. Since launching in 2019, we have seen some amazing talent enter and win the award - don't miss your opportunity to join them.

Durgesh Singh of Magswitch Technologies was the recipient of the 2024 SMU NexGen Leadership Award.

Singh was presented with the award at the SMU Steel Summit 2024 conference in Atlanta on Tuesday. As COO of Superior, Colo.-based Magswitch Technologies, Singh has over a decade of experience in management and operations.

Nicola Coslett, CEO of CRU Communities; Philip K. Bell, president of SMA; and Michael D’Alexander, publisher of Modern Metals magazine, presented him with the award.

SMU congratulates Singh and the award’s other finalists, Braden Halley of Priefert and Gilberto Padilla of Andes Coil Processors, for their contributions to the industry and for being recognized as upcoming leaders in the next generation of steel.

Daniel Doderer of Flack Global Metals (FGM) was the recipient of the 2023 SMU NexGen Leadership Award.

Doderer was recognized on stage at the SMU Steel Summit this week in Atlanta in front of an audience of over 1,400 industry professionals. Presenting the award were Nicola Coslett, CEO of CRU Events; Phillip Bell, president of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA); and Kenneth Jaycox, chief commercial officer of U.S. Steel.

Doderer, an economist and research director for FGM, has been with the company since October 2018. His extensive historical analysis and reports on the steel industry and broader US economy help the team at Flack Metal Bank in making crucial financial and risk management decisions for their clients.

In 2022, the NexGen Metals Community granted the SMU NexGen Leadership Award to another deserving nominee. The 2022 nominees were Ben Bullock of Flack Global Metals, Robert Donovan from Jemison Metals, and the winner, Austin Reynolds of Ace Steel Supply.

The NexGen Leadership Award was presented by Phil Bell of the Steel Manufacturer’s Association, Mike D’Alexander from Modern Metals, and John Packard of Steel Market Update.

In addition to the plaque that was awarded, the winner receives a mentorship experience with Laurenco Goncalves, CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs, an invitation to attend the Steel 101 workshops at no cost, recognition in the SMU newsletter and on the SMU/CRU websites, an invitation to attend the 2023 SMU Steel Summit Conference with registration fees waived, a video of the award being presented, an invitation to membership in the new NEXGEN Metals Community, and will also be featured on the cover of the October issue of the Modern Metals magazine.

Hear from the 2024 Winner: