SMDI recognizes automotive leaders for steel advocacy

The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), has presented three awards to automotive industry leaders who advocate for the use of steel in automotive applications. The awards include a $2,500 donation in honor of each recipient to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Foundation to help students, educators, and corporations excel in STEM fields by providing educational programs and scholarships.

Joe Riggsby, principal engineer, upperbody design group, Honda R&D Americas Inc., has won the Industry Innovator Award, which acknowledges an automotive designer or engineer who identifies industry challenges and implements new grades of steel as the solution. He won the award for employing more than 50 percent ultrahigh-strength steel in the 2019 Acura RDX.

Carla Bailo, president and CEO, Center for Automotive Research (CAR), has won the Community Hero Award, which recognizes individuals and organizations whose work using steel impacts the quality of life of the community. She has spent 35 years as a prominent resource in the automotive industry.

Doneen McDowell, manufacturing executive director of General Motors North America, has won the inaugural SMDI Manufacturing Leader Award in recognition of her exemplary leadership. The award is presented to an individual who implements steel for intended automotive applications and collaborates to overcome manufacturing challenges. McDowell has served in leadership positions in nine different GM plants covering stamping, assembly, and powertrain.