Tom Akers, an internationally-renowned metal and manufacturing executive, has been selected as the Southeastern Alumni Association 2018 Alumnus of the Year. Akers is the retired president of trading at metal exchange corporation (MEC) and a 1969 and 1973 graduate of Southeastern.
“During his tenure with Metal Exchange Corporation, Tom was responsible for growing the company from a US regional trading company with sales of approximately $400 million to an international organization with sales approaching $2 billion. The company’s offices are located throughout the US, as well as internationally 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 US Navy in the 1970s.
Over the last decade, Akers has served as 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. He also serves on the Southeastern Foundation Board of Directors.
