Akers selected as 2018 Alumnus of the Year

An internationally renowned metal and manufacturing executive has been selected as the Southeastern Louisiana University Alumni Association 2018 Alumnus of the Year.

Tom Akers, retired president of trading at Metal Exchange Corporation and a 1969 and 1973 graduate of Southeastern, will be honored at the Alumni Association’s annual awards evening held on campus Friday, Oct. 12, as part of Southeastern’s Homecoming Week.

“During his tenure with Metal Exchange Corporation, Tom was responsible for growing the company from a U.S. regional trading company with sales of approximately $400 million to an international organization with sales approaching $2 billion and offices throughout the U.S. and international offices in Switzerland, China and Brazil,” said Beth Carney Ebberman, president of the Alumni Association.

Akers is also an alumnus of Harvard University Business School as a graduate of its Advanced Management Program in 1991. His areas of business expertise include management and strategic planning, marketing, operations, international trade, import/export, commodities markets, risk management, derivatives, logistics, and extensive international negotiating in Europe, South America, the Middle East, Asia and the Eastern Bloc.

Prior to MEC, Akers worked for Consolidated Aluminum Corporation for 13 years, where he was vice-president of metal supply and general manager of its recycling division. He also worked for Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation early in his career in Louisiana and served two years active duty and four years reserve duty in the U.S. Navy in the 1970s.

Over the last decade, Akers has served an adjunct professor in St. Louis at both Maryville and Webster universities, teaching courses in leadership and international marketing.

Now retired, Akers works part-time with MEC coaching and mentoring personnel in their Management Development program.

 

Friday, August 24, 2018 10:04:39 AM CDT