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Gerdau Supports Amyloidosis Research in Memory of Former Knoxville Mill Leader
Representatives of steel recycler Gerdau’s Knoxville mill recently donated $3,239 to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for medical research in memory of Arlan Piepho, former Gerdau Knoxville vice president and general manager.
The funds, raised through two golf tournaments held this year, were donated to research seeking to find better treatments for primary amyloidosis, a rare and devastating disease that took Piepho’s life at age 63.
The donation supports the work of a research team led by Jonathan Wall, PhD, Director of the Amyloidosis and Cancer Theranostics Program.
“Support from companies like Gerdau allows us to make a difference in the lives of amyloidosis patients,” Dr. Wall said. “These funds will help us find new ways to diagnose and treat the disease.”
The first tournament was held at Ruggles Ferry Golf Club this spring and the second this fall at Egwani Farms. Both tournaments were successful in drawing a large number of participants and raising important research funds.
“As always, these golf tournaments were a fun time for a worthy cause,” Gerdau Vice President and General Manager Johnny Miller said. “We are honored to remember Arlan by supporting research that will benefit amyloidosis patients.”
Since Piepho’s death in 2011, Gerdau employees have raised nearly $8,000 for to support amyloidosis research at the medical center.
Gerdau, a leading producer of long steel in the Americas and one of the largest suppliers of special long steel in the world, has a robust social responsibility program that focuses on providing community support in the locations where its business operates. Pillars under the social responsibility program are health and wellness, history and culture, education and affordable housing.
Gerdau is a leading producer of long steel in the Americas and one of the largest suppliers of special steel in the world. It has industrial operations in 13 countries - in the Americas, Europe and Asia - which together represent an installed capacity of more than 25 million metric tons of steel per year. It is the largest recycler in Latin America and around the world it transforms, each year, millions of metric tons of scrap into steel, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. With more than 140,000 shareholders, the Company is listed on the stock exchanges of São Paulo, New York and Madrid.
In 2016, Gerdau won the Knoxville Chamber Impact Award in recognition of its broad community support of its Lonsdale neighbors.
Posted February 16, 2017