AK Steel has announced that Mr Alan H McCoy VP Government and Public Relations, has elected to retire effective January 31st 2012.

AK Steel also said that, effective February 1st 2012, the company's contact for news media relations and government relations will be Mr Barry L Racey director, Government and Public Relations.

Mr McCoy began his steel career in 1976 in employee and community relations for the former Kansas City Works of Armco Inc. He progressed through several positions before joining Armco's former Eastern Steel Division in Middletown, Ohio in 1987. He held several public relations positions with Armco Steel Company LP, the successor company to the Eastern Steel Division, before being named General Manager, Public Relations for AK Steel Corporation in 1994. Mr McCoy was named Vice President, Public Affairs for AK Steel in 1997 and Vice President, Government and Public Relations in 2004.

Mr James L Wainscott chairman, president & CEO of AK Steel said that "Following a distinguished career spanning 35 years with AK Steel and its predecessor company, I want to thank Mr Alan for his significant contributions to our company's public relations, government affairs, and community relations activities over the years. Mr Alan is a true professional and his leadership and ability to convey our company’s message to these key constituent groups has helped to shape AK Steel into the world class company it is today."

Mr McCoy is currently a director of the Ohio Steel Council and also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Ursuline Academy of Cincinnati. He is a past chair of the Council of US Producers of the American Iron and Steel Institute, Washington DC. He has been honored by the Ohio Manufacturers' Association with the Babington award for his public policy work, and he is a past recipient of a Bronze Telly award as writer and executive producer of the corporate film Making AK Steel.