ATI President and CEO Kim Fields [Photo courtesy of ATI]
ATI’s board elected Fields to the role in February and added her as a board member. She joined Dallas-based ATI as EVP of the Flat Rolled Products group in 2019, became chief operating officer in 2022 and took the additional title of president in 2023.
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“Today is a new beginning,” ATI said of the leadership change. “With the same dedication to continuing solving the world’s challenges through materials science, we are writing ATI’s next chapter of success with Kimberly Fields as president and CEO.”
Fields replaces Bob Wetherbee, who became president and CEO in 2018.
“I’m honored to lead this fantastic team,” Fields said in a news release on her first day as CEO. “ATI is in a great position: we’re executing on a clear strategy, with tremendous capabilities and strong customer partnerships. We’re ready to accelerate, delivering the high-performance materials that make our customers’ extraordinary achievements possible. We appreciate Bob’s leadership in transforming this organization and positioning ATI for such great success.”
Fields called Wetherbee the best mentor she’s ever had, sharing a story about “something he doesn’t even remember doing.”
“When I was just starting out I was working with Bob as a consultant and we were in a meeting with CEOs of all the major metals companies and my role was to come in and make photocopies, put the presentation together so that he could share it and lead a discussion,” Fields said in a video posted to LinkedIn today. “And the gentlemen — all gentlemen — came in, sat down and the meeting starts and Bob introduces both of us. And then he stops and he looks at me and he goes, ‘Kim’s going to walk us through this presentation now.'”
She recalled a feeling of “pure terror … as a 20-something-year-old who’s never done this,” and said Wetherbee “grabbed my chair, rolled me to the middle of the table and said, ‘Yep, go ahead Kim. You got this.'”
“Knowing somebody had that much faith and taking that kind of chance in that moment was what gave me that confidence to go, ‘OK, I can do this and I should keep putting myself out there,'” Fields continued. ” … I think he does that all the time. I’ve seen him do it with other people. … It’s a special gift that he has.”
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ATI Executive Chair Bob Wetherbee [Photo courtesy of ATI]
“We thank Bob for all he has done, and look forward to building on his success for generations to come,” the company said.
“Change has got to continue because the markets change, the customers change and we have to change, but be guided by our value system and our strategy,” Wetherbee said in the video. ” … That will be one of the legacies that will be with the company for a long time. … I hope the leaders of the company continue to be really good at listening and asking the questions [like,] ‘What would have to be true for this to be successful?” — because then you’re stretching beyond what you feel comfortable doing today — and at the same time, ‘Whats the problem we’re trying to solve?'”
Wetherbee, who previously served as board chair, became executive chair on July 1.
“I’m not going to zero in terms of my engagement with ATI,” he said. “I enjoy the team. I want to see them be successful. So I’m here as a representative of the board. Now, am I looking forward to a little bit less stress? Sure. Yeah, it’s been a great run. We’ve accomplished a lot, had an impact and set the company up for long-term success.”
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