Daniel C. Deer III
President & CEO, AKJ Steel Industries, Inc.
Daniel Deer III graduated from Grove City College in 1967 with a BS in Chemical Engineering. Dan started out as a Foreman at United States Steel. A few years later Dan moved into a District Sales and Management role for Betz Laboratories. 10 years later Dan became VP of Specialty Sales and Services for ARCO Performance Chemicals. During Dan’s career he experienced much as it pertained to the Steel Industry, Chemical Handling Services, as well as the Refinery Industry. In 1981 Dan and his partner at the time developed a solution for the effective and safe handling and processing of tar decanter sludge (TDS), a “listed” hazardous waste that is recycled in the coke plant. What resulted was an award-winning patented process recognized by both the Steel Industry and the EPA as the best environmental practice, taking the TDS, as well as other coke plant wastes, and turning them into completely pumpable fuels recycled back to the coal, therefore creating multiple alternative uses within those facilities. Today, AKJ Steel works with many names in the Steel Industry, while remaining unmatched their ability to innovate and problem solve as well as the services they provide.
Thomas A. Helinski
Chief Operating Officer, AKJ Steel Industries, Inc.
Tom graduated from West Virginia University with a BS in Chemical Engineering as well as a MS in Engineering. Tom joined Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel as the coke and sinter technical assistant where he was directly involved in environmental projects including coke plant biological wastewater treatment plant and coke oven gas desulfurization. Tom progressed through various management positions including division manager coke and sinter, division manager blast furnaces, general manager -Steubenville Works Primary Operations (fully integrated facility coke making through 80” hot strip mill including blast furnaces and BOF), purchasing director for raw materials and energy, general manager of coal mine operations and vice president of purchasing, traffic and raw materials. Throughout his career, Tom has built up many years of experience in the Coal, Coke, and Steel industry. As COO for AKJ Steel, Tom utilizes his take charge general management experience in overseeing the various aspects of operations. Tom provides experienced professional assessments in areas of safety standards, environment, operations, maintenance, productivity, and quality to manufacturing operations within the steel industry.
John W. Bielich
Vice President/Steel Operations, AKJ Steel Industries, Inc.
John Bielich graduated from Carnegie Mellon with a BA in History in 1978. Upon graduating, he quickly became the Blast Furnace Supervisor for US Steel’s Mon Valley Works facility in Pennsylvania and stayed in that role for 7 years. In 1985, John was named Vice President of Operations for AKJ Steel Industries. Since that time John has been an integral part of the day to day operations. AKJ Steel provides its services in steel plants across several states; John is crucial in managing the various aspects of production, the employees working within the plants, as well as maintaining outstanding customer relations within those facilities.
Stacy Soderholm
Administrative Office Manager, AKJ Steel Industries, Inc.
Stacy graduated from Douglas Education Center in 2006 with an Associates in Business. Stacy joined the AKJ team in December, 2019 and manages their PA based office. She maintains the office by organizing various office operations and procedures, preparing payroll, controlling correspondence, designing filing systems, as well as tracking and monitoring the financial operations of AKJ Steel.