The Manufacturing Institute Recognizes U. S. Steel Chief Financial Officer Christine Breves With STEP Ahead Award

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Manufacturing Institute awarded a national STEP Ahead Award to U. S. Steel Chief Financial Officer Christine Breves. The STEP Ahead Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry from the factory floor to the C-suite.

Of the award, President and Chief Executive Officer David B. Burritt said, “Christie has driven results throughout her career. Her leadership contributions, insights, and impact at U. S. Steel have been exceptional, including not only her ability to drive change as Chief Financial Officer, but also her sponsorship of U. S. Steel’s Women’s Inclusion Network Employee Resource Group. Recognition of her leadership and achievements in manufacturing is well deserved.”

“The 2020 STEP Ahead Honorees and Emerging Leader Awards reinforce the exciting opportunities available in manufacturing and help inspire more women to pursue these careers,” said Erika Peterman, 2020 STEP Ahead chair and senior vice president of BASF Corporation’s Chemical Intermediates North America business. “A natural evolution of the manufacturing workforce is taking place as more women enter into leadership roles, bringing innovative ideas and transforming how we work and increase productivity.”

The STEP Women’s Initiative is the nation’s marquee program to close the gender gap in manufacturing. STEP works to foster a 21st-century manufacturing workforce by empowering and inspiring women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research and leadership, as well as by motivating alumnae to pay it forward by mentoring the next generation. The STEP Ahead Awards honor exceptional women in manufacturing and motivate them to mentor the next generation through an annual awards gala and alumnae programs.

The stories of these women and their leadership inspire next-generation female leaders in manufacturing and support current female talent within the industry. In the program’s first five years, STEP Ahead Award winners impacted more than 300,000 individuals—from peers in the industry to school-age children. The biggest challenge facing manufacturers continues to be the growing workforce crisis—the shortage of skilled talent to fill open positions.

Manufacturers can close the skills gap by 50% simply by bringing 10% more women into the industry. Women account for about half of the U.S. labor force but represent less than one-third of the manufacturing workforce. STEP Ahead empowers and inspires women in the manufacturing industry. The goal is to build networks for women to have support in their industry and to elevate the role models that can motivate and mentor the next generation.

Founded in 1901, the United States Steel Corporation is a Fortune 250 company and leading integrated steel producer. With extensive iron ore production and an annual raw steelmaking capability of 22 million net tons, U. S. Steel produces high value-added steel products for the automotive, infrastructure, appliance, container, and energy industries. The company’s “best of both” integrated and mini-mill technology strategy is advancing a more secure, sustainable future for U. S. Steel and its stakeholders. With renewed emphasis on innovation and customer focus, the company produces cutting-edge products such as U. S. Steel’s proprietary XG3™ advanced high-strength steel. U. S. Steel is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with world-class operations across the United States and in Central Europe. For more information, please visit www.ussteel.com.