Alumna Malisa J. Sommers, managing director of transportation of United States Steel Corporation and president of Transtar, Inc., a subsidiary of U.S. Steel Corporation, returned to IUP on February 26 and 27 to speak to business students through IUP's Eberly College of Business and Information Technology Executive in Residence program.
Sommers earned her bachelor's degree in industrial management from IUP in 1988 and her master's degree in business administration from Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, in 1994. She currently resides in the Pittsburgh area.
“A significant number of regional and national business leaders have served as Executives in Residence in the Eberly College of Business and Information Technology,” Robert Camp, dean of the college, said. “The Executive in Residence program provides an opportunity for Eberly College students to learn firsthand from individuals about career paths, industry challenges and accomplishments, and company operations.
“Several hundred students participated in the sessions presented by Malisa Sommers during her visit. We were honored to have her return to campus to spend time with our students.”
Sommers said she was pleased to share her experiences.
“I was honored to return to my alma mater to participate in this important real-world teaching opportunity,” she said. “The students I had the pleasure of speaking to were energetic and eager to learn more about the skills and qualities employers need in the workplace and the ways their IUP education will prepare them to take advantage of the opportunities available in today's business world.”
Before joining U.S. Steel in 2001, Sommers worked for Wheeling-Nisshin, Inc., a steel coating facility in Follansbee, W.Va., for 13 years. She spent her first three years with U.S. Steel at Straightline, the company's former steel distribution subsidiary, serving two years as manager of demand fulfillment and one year as manager of customer care.
In 2004, Sommers moved to U.S. Steel's corporate headquarters after being named manager of purchasing information technology. A year later, she advanced to manager of CAPEX procurement, in which she managed procurement activities related to capital expenditure projects around the company.
In 2007, Sommers was named manager of materials management and in 2009 she advanced to general manager of global materials management and procurement operations, with responsibility for parts and materials inventory management and procurement support activities at every U.S. Steel facility in North America and Central Europe.
She assumed her current position in February 2011 and is responsible for various aspects of transportation and logistics, including the logistics services group that serves U.S. Steel facilities throughout North America. She also oversees operations at the railroad and barge companies that comprise Transtar, Inc.: Delray Connecting Railroad Co., Fairfield Southern Co., Gary Railway Co., The Lake Terminal Railroad Co., Lorain Northern Co., Texas & Northern Railway Co., Union Railroad Co. and Warrior & Gulf Navigation, LLC.
The Eberly College of Business and Information Technology is routinely selected for inclusion in national guidebooks, such as the Princeton Review's “Best Business Schools,” for academic excellence and an outstanding faculty. The college's bachelor's and master's degree programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International.