University Park, Pa. – Steve A. Garban, senior vice president for finance and operations/treasurer emeritus of Penn State, was elected chair of Penn State’s Board of Trustees Friday (Jan. 22). John P. Surma was elected vice-chair.
Garban currently serves as a director of Metropolitan Life Series Fund in New York; State Street Research and Management Mutual Funds in Boston; and on The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Board of Directors. Garban was elected to the Board of Trustees by the alumni for a three-year term beginning July 1, 1998 and has been reelected for succeeding terms. He was elected vice chair of the Board of Trustees in 2007 and now succeeds James Broadhurst as chair.
Before his election to the Board of Trustees, Garban had completed a 33-year career at the University, where he served as an officer for 22 years, 10 as controller and 12 as senior vice president/treasurer. He oversaw Penn State's nationally recognized athletic program and its entrance into the Big Ten and was pivotal in the development of The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, The Nittany Lion Inn, the Bryce Jordan Center and the Penn State Research Park.
Garban served as treasurer and on the board of The Pennsylvania College of Technology, The Pennsylvania Research Corp., The Corporation for Penn State and the College Football Association. He is past president of the Smeal College of Business Alumni Society, the Lion's Paw Alumni Association, and the Quarterback Club. He received the John E. Wilkinson Award for Administrative Excellence in 1993 and was named a Distinguished Alumnus in 1995. Garban is a 1959 graduate of Penn State.
Surma has been chairman and chief executive officer of United States Steel Corporation since Jan. 1, 2002. He was named president in March 2003, and president and chief operating officer in June 2003. He was elected president and chief executive officer in 2004, and chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer in February 2006.
Before being named chief financial officer of U.S. Steel, Surma served as president of Marathon Ashland Petroleum. He also served Marathon Oil as senior vice president, finance and accounting, and president of Speedway SuperAmerica. Surma graduated from Penn State in 1976 with a degree in accounting. Early in his career, he joined Price Waterhouse, where he quickly rose through the ranks of the firm in positions of greater responsibility before joining Marathon Oil in 1997.
Surma is a member of Smeal's Board of Visitors and also a member of the boards of The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. and the American Iron and Steel Institute, of which he previously served as chairman and vice chairman. He serves as vice chairman of the World Steel Association and held the title of chairman from 2006 through 2007. Surma also is a current member of both the National Petroleum Council and The Business Council.
Several other incumbent officers of the Board of Trustees were re-elected for additional terms: Paula R. Ammerman, associate secretary; Carolyn A. Dolbin, Kimberly J. Belcher and Wendy L. Peck, assistant secretaries; Albert G. Horvath, treasurer, Deborah M. Meder and Susan J. Wiedemer, assistant treasurers. In accordance with the bylaws of the University, President Graham B. Spanier serves as ex officio secretary of the board.