U. S. Steel Senior Vice President-Public Policy & Governmental Affairs Terrence D. Straub To Retire; Executive Responsibilities of James D. Garraux Expanded

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John P. Surma today announced that Senior Vice President-Public Policy & Governmental Affairs Terrence D. Straub, 63, has elected to retire effective Nov. 30, 2009, after 28 years of service with the company.

"Over the course of his distinguished career, Terry earned a reputation both inside and outside Washington as a public policy authority, a fierce defender of the American steel industry and a staunch advocate for domestic manufacturing," said Surma. "His expertise and diligence ensured that our company's voice was heard as issues of great significance were debated and legislated."

Besides his representation of United States Steel Corporation itself, Straub was also an effective leader in steel industry organizations and major steel industry undertakings. In a series of leadership positions in the American Iron and Steel Institute, the Stand Up for Steel group, the Alliance for American Manufacturing and a number of ad hoc coalitions, he played a critical role in every significant public policy activity on behalf of the American steel industry for the past three decades. In 2001, he was a central figure in the securing of "safeguard" tariff relief that is widely credited with giving the industry a chance to consolidate and survive. Straub has also been an effective voice for American steel in international settings, including the Steel Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the North American Steel Trade Committee, the U.S.-China Steel Dialogue, and international trade negotiations conducted under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Straub joined U. S. Steel in 1981 as manager-governmental affairs in the Washington, D.C., office. From 1977 to 1981, he served at the White House as Special Assistant for congressional affairs to President Jimmy Carter. During his service in the White House, he was responsible for managing the President's legislative strategies creating the Department of Education, the reorganization of the federal government and many other domestic issues. He has served in a number of capacities in Indiana state government and in numerous national political campaigns.

Since joining U. S. Steel, Straub has served as director-governmental affairs; general manager-governmental affairs, Steel & Diversified Businesses; and general manager-governmental affairs, Energy. He became vice president-governmental affairs for USX Corporation in 1991 and was appointed to the Corporate Policy Committee in 1996 and the Corporate Management Committee in 2004. Straub was named to his current position, senior vice president-public policy and governmental affairs, in 2003.

Previously, Straub served on the Advisory Committee of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and from 2000 until 2004, he served as vice chairman of the Center for National Policy. He is the past chairman of the Council of U.S. Producers of the American Iron and Steel Institute, and past chairman of the Operating Committee of The Steel Alliance, the industry's first comprehensive North American image campaign.

Straub served as a member of the Industry Sector Advisory Committee, a position appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative, and was a leading steel industry spokesman on a number of high profile trade initiatives. He serves on the Advisory Board of Manna Inc., a non-profit community-housing program active in the Washington, D.C., inner city, is co-chairman of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Foundation, and is a member of the Federal City Council and the Washington Economic Club.

Straub has lectured both undergraduate- and graduate-level seminars at several universities, including American University, George Washington University, Connecticut College, and the Harvard University Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government.

Effective Dec. 1, 2009, General Counsel & Senior Vice President-Corporate Affairs James D. Garraux will assume responsibility for the governmental affairs organization, and Thomas M. Sneeringer will advance to managing director-federal governmental affairs and assume daily oversight of the activities coordinated by the company's Washington, D.C., office. Sneeringer will report to Garraux as will Scott R. Salmon, general manager-federal governmental affairs, and Christopher J. Masciantonio, general manager-state governmental affairs. Garraux currently serves as the company's general counsel and also leads its labor relations, environmental affairs and corporate security activities.

"The domestic steel industry currently faces a number of critically important issues, including unfair trade and climate change and health care legislation," Surma explained. "Combining our seasoned public policy and governmental affairs practice under a single reporting structure with the disciplines already reporting to Jim is a natural move."

In his expanded role, Sneeringer will be responsible for the daily operations of the company's Washington, D.C., office and will continue to provide leadership on international trade policy and a host of other public policy matters of significance to the company.

Sneeringer, 61, joined U. S. Steel in March 2003 as director of federal governmental affairs for the company's Washington, D.C., office. In this position, he has been responsible for addressing issues that affected the company, including international trade, pension, tax, health care and market development, before the Congress and the executive branch of the federal government.

Prior to his position at U. S. Steel, Sneeringer served as senior vice president for public policy and general counsel for the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). During his eight years at AISI, he played a significant role in developing policy positions and implementing successful strategies for industry-wide concerns including trade, taxation, environment, energy, transportation, government research and development programs, and appropriations projects.

Sneeringer has gained extensive legislative experience throughout his career in Washington, serving in the following positions: director of national, state and public affairs for The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; legal counsel/adviser for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; legislative director for former U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-IL); partner, governmental affairs for Katten Muchin Zavis and Dombroff, a national law firm; and principal, Liz Robbins Associates, a lobbying firm.

Sneeringer, a native of Gettysburg, Pa., graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor's degree in government in 1970 and a law degree in 1973.

For more information about U. S. Steel, visit www.ussteel.com.

SOURCE: United States Steel Corporation

Web site: http://www.ussteel.com/