Aluminum Association President, J. Stephen Larkin, to Retire

ARLINGTON, VA--April 10, 2011: Aluminum Association President J. Stephen Larkin today announced to the Association's Board of Directors that he will retire at the end of 2011. Larkin joined the Association in 1998.

“While the board of directors is sorry to be losing such an outstanding leader, this is a well-earned retirement”

Aluminum Association chairman Steven J. Demetriou, chairman and chief executive officer of Aleris, is leading a search committee to identify Larkin's successor. "While the board of directors is sorry to be losing such an outstanding leader, this is a well-earned retirement," said Demetriou. "Steve has remade the Association into a lean, cost-effective organization that provides real value to its members."

"This has been a great 13 years," said Larkin. "I am extremely proud of what our volunteer leaders, member companies and the Association"s staff have accomplished. Together, we have taken aluminum's sustainability message to customers, policymakers and media all over the world. It has been a privilege to work with the best executive leaders in the industry and the dedicated professionals at the Aluminum Association."

Under Larkin's leadership, the Aluminum Association achieved a global reputation and became a strong voice for balanced legislative and regulatory policies for ensuring the global competitiveness and environmental stewardship of the United States aluminum industry. Other Aluminum Association accomplishments during Larkin's tenure as president include:

• Restructuring of Association governance, including the establishment of a strategic planning committee of the Board of Directors
• A renewed emphasis on workplace safety, and on industry-wide temper and alloy standards
• Leadership in the Asia-Pacific Partnership, which links the United States aluminum industry with its counterparts in Asia-Pacific countries and the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to reduce energy consumption and improve environmental performance in the Asia-Pacific region
• Establishment of a partnership with Mexico and Canada for data sharing, which enabled statistical reports for the North American aluminum industry
• Establishment of an Associate Member category; current Association membership is at a 20-year high
• Widespread global recognition of the sustainability of aluminum and the sustainability work of the aluminum industry

A successor to Larkin will be named as soon as possible to ensure an orderly transition.

The Aluminum Association, based in Arlington, Virginia, works globally to aggressively promote aluminum as the most sustainable and recyclable automotive, packaging and construction material in today's market. The Association represents U.S. and foreign-based primary producers of aluminum, aluminum recyclers and producers of fabricated products, as well as industry suppliers. Member companies operate more than 200 plants in the United States, with many conducting business worldwide.