Natural Resources >> CEO Interviews >> July 24, 2000
VERNON E. OECHSLE is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
Officer of Quanex Corporation, a technological leader in the production
of value-added engineered steel bars, aluminum flat-rolled products, and
engineered, formed-metal products for the transportation, capital
equipment, homebuilding and remodeling, defense and other commercial
markets. Mr. Oechsle joined the Houston-based company in 1993 as
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In 1995 he was
named President and was elected to its Board of Directors, adding the
CEO title in January 1996. In February 1999 Mr. Oechsle was elected
Chairman of the Board of Directors for Quanex Corporation. Before coming
to Quanex, Mr. Oechsle served as Executive Vice President and COO with
the automotive sector of AlliedSignal, Inc. in Southfield, Michigan,
where he headed seven business units and was responsible for more than
$4 billion in total revenue. He also spent 26 years with the Dana
Corporation in Toledo, Ohio, holding several positions, including Group
President, responsible for worldwide sales and manufacturing for the
vehicle OEM market. During his tenure with Dana, he also served as
President and CEO of Hayes-Dana, Inc., a publicly traded Canadian
subsidiary of Dana Corporation. Mr. Oechsle earned a Bachelor's degree
in Accounting from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and completed
Harvard University's Advanced Management Program. He currently serves as
a Director of Precision Castparts Corp. Profile
Quanex?
Mr. Oechsle: We were founded in 1927 as a seamless steel tube company in
the suburbs of Detroit and functioned that
