The Official Publication of the National Association of Steel Pipe Distributors, Inc. • 2nd Issue 2010

2010 SummerConference

in Pittsburgh

Inside:Spotlight - Yuki Usuki

Cliff Hobbs RetiresConvention SoftballConvention Photos

Cover photos courtesyOmni William Penn in Pittsburgh

Corporate Headquarters - Mineola, NY (800) 272-8277 www.vasspipe.com

Houston, TX (888) 839-8277 Baton Rouge, LA (225) 755-8277

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Pipeline 3

Bill BucklandNASPD

President

President’s MessagePresident’s MessageThe duties associated with the Presidencyof a large organization are varied andsometimes complex. This past year hasoffered me many opportunities to speakwith other large associations and attendtheir functions. It is always an enlighteningand educational opportunity. Many of ourmembers attend and/or are members ofother related steel associations pertainingto the importation of steel , themanufacturing of steel, the coating of steel,the forming of steel or even the reportingon the steel industry.

Watching our NASPD members speak orcontribute in any form to these associationsmakes us realize the depth of theknowledge and the quality of the expertisewe possess in our organization. We trulyhave a membership of well rounded,expertly trained and hard working men andwomen. It should also be said that theplanning, organizing, directing andcontrolling of our own NASPD functions isoutstanding. The work accomplished bySusannah Porr and Gail Belcik in providingus with consis tent ly classy andprofessionally functioning conventions ismost evident when attending otherconventions.

Congratulations are in order to all of you.Your effort is appreciated by all.

Our trip to Pittsburgh this June will be afirst for the NASPD. In addition to beingthe cradle of the domestic steel industryand the home to many of our largestcorporations, it has a wonderfully diverseand culturally rich population. A great mixof speakers has been assembledhighlighted with our keynote speaker, Mr.John Surma, the president of the UnitedStates Steel Corporation. We hope you willjoin us and experience the rich tradition andwarm hospitality of this great resurgentcity.

See you in the “City of Champions.”

Diameters: 2” to 24”; wall thickness .154" - .500”

OCTG (tubing and casing): 2-3/8” - 4-1/2” o.d. and 4-1/2” - 7” o.d.

Line Pipe in API 5L grades B to X65

OCTG grades J55, N80, L80 and P110

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Call Brian Doner or Luis Salinas

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2010 Events

2011 Events

2010 Summer Conference

2010 Fall Conference

Steel Pipe Basic Education Course &The OCTG Specialty Course

2011 Annual Convention

2011 Summer Conference

2011 Fall Conference

June 24-26, 2010Omni William Penn HotelPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

September 23-25, 2010The Coeur d'Alene Golf and Spa Resort

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

October 18-19, 2010Houston Post Oak Hilton, Houston, Teas

February 17-19, 2011

The Westin Galleria HotelHouston, Texas

June 9-11, 2011The Westin Tabor Center Hotel

Denver, Colorado

Charleston, South Carolina

by Susannah Feux Porr

NASPD Executive Director

From the Executive DirectorFrom the Executive Director

PIPELINE STAFF and NASPD CONTACT

INFORMATION

Executive Director/Publisher

Office Administrator

Editor/Publishing Services/AdvertisingSales

Susannah Feux Porr

Gail Belcik

Linda W. Key

Office hours: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm CST

Linda Key: phone 361-649-5562; Fax 866-381-6172

Email: lwk@key-assoc.com

Delivery address for advertising materials:

103 Garden Place, Victoria, TX 77904

NASPD MEMBERSHIP AND SERVICES:

NASPD Headquarters

1501 E. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 307

Victoria, TX 77904

Phone: 361-574-7878; Fax: 832-201-9479

E-mail: info@naspd.com

Web site: http://www.naspd.com

ADVERTISING IN PIPELINE:

© 2010 National Association of Steel Pipe Distributors,

Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced or utilized in any form, or by any means,

electronic or mechanical, including photocopy or other

recording, or by any information sto age or retrieval

system, without the express written permission of the

publisher, the National Association of Steel Pipe

Distributors, Inc. (NASPD), a nonprofit organization

representing the steel pipe and tubing industry. The views

expressed herein are the opinions of the authors, and do

not necessarily represent the policies or opinions of

NASPD.

r

4 Pipeline

(continued on pg. 20 - EXEC. DIR.)

With 333 people, Las Vegas was our bestattended meeting to date. I'm not asuperstitious person, but 3 is my luckynumber and I can't help but marvel at thatfinal attendance number. I believe ashowing like that says something about thepositive signs our members are currentlyseeing in the economy. The convention waswildly successful on every level. BillBuckland, our President, has been runningthings behind the scenes with great balanceand leadership. Next time you see DoltyCheramie, be sure to pat him on the back forall the work he is doing as our new ProgramChairman. His Las Vegas program was very

well received and Pittsburgh is shaping upto be even better. I would like to thank JasonRubenstein and Fidel Nabor for their workon our successful first softball game. SeeFidel's article for more insight into that epicmatch. At our Friday night dinner in LasVegas, Don Karchmer put together thekindest tribute in honor of my 15 years withthe NASPD. I could not have been moreblown away. It took me a while to wrap myhead around the honor and why I would bethanked for having the greatest gig around.I genuinely love what I do and the people Ihave been able to work with. As hementioned in his speech, there has certainlybeen a varying cast of characters that I haveworked with over the last 15 years, but I canhonestly say I have learned something fromeveryone and look back on those years withnothing but joy and gratitude. I am blessedwith a right hand named Gail Belcik,without whom nothing would be runningsmoothly. Gail is always behind the scenesmaking sure every detail is perfect. I neverhave to ask her to come in early or stay late.She is more committed than anyone couldever hope for. She is more than just anemployee. Gail and the NASPD havealways felt like a family to me. I am sopleased to see that Gail has come to feel thesame about NASPD.

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CACCRANE

Our Steel Pipe Basic Education Course andOCTG Specialty Education Course arescheduled for October 18th - 20th, inHouston. Thanks to Rusty Fisher, BeauUrech and all the support we have atTubular Synergy. We added the OCTGSpecialty Course last year and are nowadding a tour of the Tejas Casing Line heattreat and threading facility for ourparticipants. This course has been a labor oflove for Gerald Merfish, Bill Buckland andso many others. Cullen King has taken overas Education Chair and is committed tocontinuing to improve and expand on allthat has been done to date. When we sawthe US Army Corp of Engineers signing upfor this course we realized we hadaccomplished our goal of being recognizedas an authority people could trust forindustry expertise.

Our Tubular Products Manual is beingcompletely renovated and we hope to haveit available before the end of the year. BillBuckland and Gerald Merfish have beengiving so much of their time to thisrenovation that we could never give themthanks enough. We will continue to appealto members with different industryspecialties and we appreciate all your

Liberty Coating Company is a premier anti-corrosion

coater and refurbisher of carbon steel,

stainless steel, and ductile iron pipe.

Our services include:

• Cleaning, Lacquering, and Stenciling

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• Heat Number Retention, Capping, and Bundling

• Cutting and Beveling

• Short Term and Long Term Storage

• Tally and Inspection Services

• Receiving and Shipping via Rail or Truck

• Pritec® Coating 3/4” to 36” Diameter

• Internal Epoxy Coatings

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• Specialty External Paint Coatings 3/4” to 72” Diameter

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DispatchesDispatchesContributed by NASPD Members

Marmon/Keystone's SafetyRecord at New HighMarmon Keystone LLC enthusiasticallyannounced that it has reached a new safetyrecord when 21 branches in the U.S.completed the year of 2009 accident-free,the highest number ever to achieve thisresult. This accomplishment representsalmost 700,000 work hours without arecordable accident. The previous recordwas held in 2008, when 14 branches had aperfect safety year. The company's safety-conscious slogan: "KNOW SAFETY = NOACCIDENTS" was a constant reminder fore m p l o y e e s t o w o r k s a f e l y. I nMarmon/Keystone Canada, four brancheswere accident-free, also a record for them.

Linda McCue, vice president of humanresources, commented, "This is ar e m a r k a b l e a c h i e v e m e n t b yMarmon/Keystone team members,considering the challenges of 2009. We arevery proud of their ability to get the job donewithout getting hurt."

A leading wholesale distributor of tubularp r o d u c t s f o r o v e r 1 0 0 y e a r s ,Marmon/Keystone inventories more than15,000 sizes and grades of carbon, alloy,stainless, and aluminum tubular and barproducts. Service centers and sales officesare located throughout North America, withcorporate headquarters in Butler,Pennsylvania.

Tubular Steel, Inc. NamesHoward G. BeyroutyVice President Of Product

ST. LOUIS — Tubular Steel, Inc., a leadingnational distributor of carbon, alloy andstainless steel pipe, tubing and other barproducts, with over 60,000 tons in stock atseven regionally located service centers,announces that Howard G. Beyrouty joinsthe company. He assumes the role of VicePresident of Product, working from the St.Louis corporate office, and reports to DanHauck, President. Beyrouty has been in themetals industry for over 22 years, holdingpositions in sales, marketing, inventorymanagement and purchasing.

(continued on pg. 6 - DISPATCHES)

Vallourec Invests to Meetthe Needs of the NorthAmerican Oil & GasMarket

Northwest Pipe AppointsRichard A. Roman ChiefExecutive Officer; Brian W.Dunham Continues asPresident

Houston Tubulars, Inc.Celebrates 29thAnniversary

6 Pipeline

(continued on pg. 8 - DISPATCHES)

(continued from pg. 5 - DISPATCHES)

Vallourec, world leader in premium tubularsolutions, announced that it will build anew state-of-the-art small diameter rollingmill in Youngstown, Ohio. This decision issupported by the long term development ofunconventional gas production in the USwhich is driving increased demand forsmall diameter OCTG tubes. The new mill,which will initially produce 350,000 tonnesper year, provides an annual nominalrolling capacity of 500,000 tonnes ofseamless tubes. The project includes heattreatment and threading facilities. Theinvestment will amount to US $650million, with operations expected to startby the fourth quarter 2011. The project willcreate around 350 new direct jobs.

The exploitation of unconventional gasresources has revolutionized the US gasmarket and, thanks to new technologieslowering extraction costs, has become asustainable source of gas supply. Shale gasproduction typically requires an increasednumber of wells, horizontal drilling andsand fracturing at high pressures. Thisimplies higher volumes of small diameteralloy pipes, with an increasing proportionof premium connections.

This new offer will complement the rangeproduced by Vallourec in North Americaand will consolidate the Group’s leadershipposition as a provider of competitive andfully integrated premium tubular solutions.Ideally located close to major shale basins(eg. Marcellus), and combined with theGroup’s other operations in the vicinity ofother shale plays (eg. Fayetteville orHaynesville), this new facility will benefitVallourec’s customers in the US.

Philippe Crouzet, Chairman of Vallourec’sManagement Board stated: “This is astrategic investment to support ourcustomers in the development ofAmerica’snatural gas resources.

We are excited about the opportunities thatthis new investment brings for thedevelopment of the Group. This projectcapitalizes on our long-term commitmentsto the US market, our local businesspartnerships, as well as the support offederal, state and municipal governments.Specifically, we benefit from the talent andskill of our workforce who havedemonstrated their ability and commitmentto delivering world class products and

excellent customer service.”

Vallourec is a world leader in premiumtubular solutions primarily serving theenergy markets, as well as other industrialapplications.

Northwest Pipe Company (NASDAQ:NWPX) announced that the Board ofDirectors has accepted Brian Dunham'sresignation as Chief Executive Officer, andappointed Richard A. Roman to serve asChief Executive Officer of the Company.Mr. Roman has been a member of theCompany's Board of Directors since 2003,and remains on the Board. Mr. Dunhamwill continue to serve as President and as amember of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Roman joins the Company fromColumbia Ventures Corporation (CVC),where he has been President since 2002.CVC is a private investment company withsignificant holdings in the United Statesand Europe. During more than 17 years atCVC, Mr. Roman has served in a variety ofcapaci t ies including ChiefOperating Officer and ChiefFinancial Officer. Prior to joiningCVC in 1992, Mr. Roman was apartner at the independentaccounting firm of Coopers &Lybrand.

Mr. Roman has served on theAuditCommittee of the Board, which, ashas been previously disclosed, isconducting, with the assistance ofindependent professionals, anongoing internal investigation ofcertain accounting matters,inc lud ing cer ta in revenuerecognition practices. As CEO,Mr. Roman's initial primary focus will beon achieving a resolution of these issues.

"I believe this change is in the best interestsof the Company as we continue through ourinvestigation of accounting matters," saidWilliam R. Tagmyer, Chairman of theBoard. "This investigation has placedsignificant demands on the Company andRich Roman's addition will help bringthese issues to resolution. It is importantduring this period to maintain andstrengthen our focus on our operations andopportunities. As President, Brian

Dunham's time and energy will beconcentrated on the day to day operationsof the Company."

Northwest Pipe Company manufactureswelded steel pipe and other products in twobusiness groups. Its Water TransmissionGroup is the leading supplier of largediameter, high-pressure steel pipe productsthat are used primarily for waterinfrastructure in North America. ItsTubular Products Group manufacturessmaller diameter steel pipe for a wide rangeof applications including construction,agricultural, energy, traffic and othercommercial and industrial uses.

Houston Tubulars, Inc. (H.T.I.) celebratesits 29th anniversary servicing the steel pipeand tube industry by announcing itsexpansion into the Marcellus Shale Regionwith the opening of a 90 acre barge and railterminal facility in Weirton, West Virginia.H.T.I. has partnered with Weirton Ice &Coal Company, a division of the 100 yearold Starvaggi Industries, Inc. company inan effort to further support the steel pipeand tube industry’s expansion into therapidly developing Marcellus ShaleRegion.

The barge facility is located on the OhioRiver at mile marker 66 and is only 25minutes from the Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaInternational Airport. Five barges can beberthed simultaneously and serviced withtwo portable cranes. The terminalspecializes in steel pipe, tubes, coil andplate.

The terminal is further supported with aNorfolk & Southern rail spur identified asHalf-Moon Rail Siding; Station WR4Z;Track #C1652. Thirty-five railcars can be

H.T.I. barge and rail terminal in West Virginia.

Contact us for your steel tubular requirements1.800.890.3094 903.984.3094

or fax 903.983.3966Sales@sabinepipe.com1108 North Kilgore StreetKilgore, Texas 75662

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ipe.co

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8 Pipeline

(continued from pg. 6 - DISPATCHES)

(continued pg. 21DISPATCHES)

staged for loading/unloading andarrangements can be made to increasestaging capacity to an additional ninetyrailcars, if needed.

Pipe storage with inventory control isoffered along with a complete range of pipemaintenance services including beveling,straightening, dedenting, bundling,cleaning, etc. Full-time experienced trainedcrews are on site.

Dennis Hayden, President of H.T.I. statestotal pipe and tube tonnage handled at thebarge terminal to date exceeds 30,000 nettons. Cargo has been put on barges andtransported from both the Port of NewOrleans and the Port of Houston, up theMississippi River to theOhio River terminal.Here the barges areunloaded; packing listsaudited and confirmed;as well as damagedmaterial segregatedand set aside for furtherreview and evaluation.T h e i n d u s t r y i sbecoming aware of ourpresence in the area andwe have had pipeshipped to us forrepair /maintenanceservices from cities inOhio, Georgia, NewYork, Pennsylvania,V i r g i n i a , N o r t hC a r o l i n a a n dMaryland.

Houston Tubulars, Inc.continues to dedicateitself to being YourService Center.

Stupp Corp.Employee'sSon WinsScholarshipJared Riddle credits hismom, Adrienne, asbeing the driving forcebehind his scholasticsuccess. Mr. Ed Scram,COO & President ofStupp Corporation,announced that JaredRiddle, son of Mr.&Mrs. David Riddle, wasthe winner of The StuppBros. Bridge & Iron Co.F o u n d a t i o nScholarship. The merit-

Jared Riddle with his parents, David and AdrienneRiddle.

based scholarship is a potential four-year scholarship in an amount of up to$10,000 per year.

Jared attends Central Private Schooland plans to go on to study Biology orWildlife Management at an in-stateschool - maybe LSU. His Grade PointAverage is 3.93.

Jared said “my favorite course isCalculus and my least favorite wouldhave to be English.” His interest andability in the area of Science and Mathis demonstrated by his moving onthrough the District competition onto theState Competition in Physics.

Jared is the youngest of three boys in theRiddle household. In addition to his school

schedule, he works part-time as anapprentice saddle maker and enjoyswakeboarding.

It is evident Jared and his dad share a fiercesense of accomplishment and pride in whatthey do. Jared said “everyone entering high

school should beprepared to workh a r d . ” H i s d a dcommented that “hehad faith in the newStupp Spiral mill andreminds everyonethat Stupp doesn't fail- never has and neverwill.” Besides beingthe driving forcebehind his success,his mom, AdrienneRiddle, has her ownsuccessful career ast h e E x e c u t i v eAssistant to the CEOof LUBA Worker'sComp.

Jared is the thirdrecipient to havereceived this awardf r o m t h e S t u p pFabrication Shop. “Itis a source of pride toall Stupp employeesthat one of our own inL o u i s i a n a w a ss u c c e s s f u l ”concluded Scram.

Stupp Corporation isa l ead ing Nor thA m e r i c a nm a n u f a c t u r e r o fcustom line pipe forthe transport of oiland natural gas. StuppBros., Inc., is theprivately held parentcompany for StuppCorporation.

Guest ArticleQualities of a Leaderby David Baker

10 Pipeline

What are the characteristics of a leader thatothers want to follow? That’s very personalone because we all come up with differentelements when building the list. Trythinking of a complete leader.Ask yourself:can I imagine a leader who isn't fair, forinstance. The answer is obviously no. Eachone of these, then, describes a leader’scharacteristics, any one of which mighthinder their effectiveness if missing in anysignificant proportion. (These are notpresented in any particular order.)

A leader is approachable, even with badnews. There’s an evenness and steadinessthat gives those who must approach him orher a confidence that they won’t be yelled ator blamed unnecessarily. At the heart ofapproachab i l i ty i s s imply awillingness to listen, first, beforereacting to a particular piece of news.

A leader doesn’t need to be somemaster spokesperson or have a Ph.D.in English, but they need to be able toarticulate what they are thinking andfeeling. A vision is not that usefulunless it can be imparted to the otherswho will join along in that journey. It’snot just the words, either, but the toneand the speech patterns and the actualwords that are chosen. You might saythat a leader doesn’t have to bearticulate, but they do need toarticulate.

A leader needs to be the same person on thesurface as they are in reality, deep inside.Employees can smell a rat, and that rat oftentakes the form of a leader who dons a suitwhen at work, trying to be somebody theyaren’t. The opposite of authentic is fake,and that fakeness can be manifested in theform of fake friendship, fake listening, fakehumor, fake caring, etc. Real leaders are thesame person at work as they might be if youbump into them at the grocery store.

Not only are leaders able to articulate theirvision, they actually do so. That’s what Imean by communicative. They frequentlyimpact the environment by speaking to it.They are present and involved and knowwhat they want, communicating that in

Approachable

Articulate

Authentic

Communicative

ways that make a favorable impression onthose they depend on to get the work done.

Leaders need a basic level of competence.Just enough to understand the issues and beable to evaluate talent. They should not,however, be the most technicallycompetent of the group. If they are, thatmay be a sign that they have hired helpersinstead of experts. It could also mean thatthey were promoted for the wrong reasons(the best doer rather than the best manager).Let’s face it: all over the world you can findwell-run companies whose leaders aremanaging others who are far morecompetent than they are.

Leaders are confident, but this is a toughcharacteristic to describe with balance.That’s because there’s always a fair

Competent at a Basic Level

Confident

measure of self-doubt with leadership. Onthat other end of the spectrum, too littleconfidence makes for ineffectiveleadership. So there’s a balance: enoughconfidence to inspire those following aleader, but not so much confidence that itleads them astray.

Leaders who take too long to makedecisions, or don’t make them decisivelyenough, are bound to struggle. To be aneffective leader you must be a risk taker. Inchaos and ambiguity, you must defymomentum and decide about direction andspeed. It is fine--and even desirable--totolerate ambiguity, but that analogenvironment cannot prevent digitaldecisions from being made.

Leaders are direct. Not rude, but direct. The

Decision Makers

Direct(cont. on pg. 22 - LEADERS)

TOOLS OF LEADERSHIP

difference lies in the intent and result. Beingdirect is motivated by a desire to trulycommunicate in a means wherebyeverything that’s necessary is includedwithout any ancillary information or clutter.Hurting someone with directness is anexample of poor leadership because it getsin the way of good, honest communication.Leaders are direct so that there’s noconfusion about what’s being said or what’sbehind it.

Leaders are disciplined. That means thatthey get things done, do what they say, planand execute. They can set goals, controltheir actions, and systematically worktoward a set of accomplishments. It’s notone unmet promise after another but realaccomplishment, little by little.

A leader’s fairness will most likelyshow up when he or she is alone withsomeone else, talking about a thirdparty who isn’t there. Will theyrepresent the facts accurately? Willthey provide an appropriate benefit ofthe doubt? Are they free from biasand dishonesty? Impartial andunprejudiced might be the best waysto describe a leader who is fair.

I’ve noted elsewhere that curiosityand gratefulness are high up on thelist of characteristics I’m looking forin a leader. Gratefulness puts thingsin perspective because, first off,there’s no false pride that something

has really be earned. Grateful peopleunderstand that luck and circumstances arepart of success, and they don’t get too full ofthemselves.

What sort of list would this be if we weredescribing a leader and didn’t includehonest. And how could you work well forsomeone you didn’t trust and respect. It’simpossible. The last thing you need is aleader who says different things to differentpeople, either because they’re afraid ofconflict or because they are trying to amasspower.

Great leaders are hopeful, even when theyknow all the facts about the circumstances.That’s not to say they’re optimistic, which

Disciplined

Fair

Grateful

Honest

Hopeful

By Robert A. Baker

We encourage your suggestions for anindividual NASPD member for theSpotlight. NASPD has a diversemembership full of unique, specialstories. Email us your idea of a memberwe should Spotlight: info@naspd.com.

MemberSpotlight

12 Pipeline

Yuki UsukiAn Extraordinary Story

(continued on pg. 30 - USUKI)

Yuki Usuki is an independent consultantwith MC Tubular Products, Inc.(Mitsubishi International Corp. and MetalOne). Many people may be surprised tolearn that he can trace his rich ancestralbloodline dating back 27generations to the Samurai ofJapan. The traditional protectorsof Japan and its ruling class, thesewarriors lived within a strict codeof moral principles known as

which stresses loyalty,frugality, mastery of martial arts,and honor until death. The code ofthe Samurai is loosely analogousto the Western concept ofchivalry. The violent warriorexistence of the Samurai wastempered by the wisdom andserenity of Japanese Shinto andBuddhism. Both of Yuki's sonswere born in New York but havebeen raised to follow the samecode of honor. If you areinterested in learning more aboutthis rich tradition, the movie,

is an inspiredportrayal of a 10 year period inwhich the Samurai struggled toprotect Japanese culture againstoutside western influences. The moviebuilds toward an epic final battle in whichYuki's sixteen year old grandfather foughtand sustained a serious head wound. Due tothe extent of his injuries he was removedfrom the battle field and was one of only ahandful of survivors. His grandfather'ssurvival of this ordeal is one of the reasonswe are lucky to have Yuki's friendshiptoday.

bushido

“Last Samurai”

Yuki was born in a Tokyo bomb shelterduring a period of significant bombing bythe allies toward the end of World War II.The sustained bombing resulted in a lack ofmedical care and nutrition. Yuki and hismother were not expected to survive.Living on grass water and roots he sufferedfrom malnutrition but lived through theordeal. Yuki and his first cousin, Junichiro

Koizumi, who incidentally would becomethe Prime Minister of Japan serving from2001 to 2006, had Tokyo as theirplayground growing up. By the time Yukireached adolescence he had developed aninterest in gymnastics and participated inthe 1964 Tokyo Olympic Trials. Whilethere, he was approached by a USgymnastics coach from the University of

S o u t h e r n I l l i n o i s a tCarbondale who offeredhim a spot on the collegeteam. Yuki moved to theUSA and joined the teamwhich would go on to wint h e 1 9 6 8 N C A Ac h a m p i o n s h i p i ngymnastics.

After graduation, Yukidecided to remain in theUSAand began his career in

I can only say positive things about Yuki. He is what I wouldcall the perfect gentleman. He has always been truthful withme in all our dealings. His word is good. Yuki was the 1969NCAA gymnastics Champion. He is also a Samurai. Thedojo where he grew up is still there and he and his sons useit when they are in Japan. It has been in the same locationand building for over 750 years. In our business, wherethere are so many people of questionable character, it is anhonor to be friends with and do business with Yuki Usuki.

—Douglas Fortenberry - Fortenberry Pipe & Supply Co.

When I first met Yuki (20+ years ago), Isaw the persona of an individual, whohad worked for a large Japanesetrading company in the metal business.As time passed I found that this quietindividual had considerable depth andbackbone; the way he related to hissons, his marriage and familybackground, his martial arts and hisstrong business ethic.

—Karay MetalsJim Demetrios Karayannides

intention that Terri would have Yuki'sfamily as a contact in Japan. They began todate and were married in 1973.Ashort timelater, Terri was transferred to Tokyo tobegin her new assignment. While they were

Chicago with Mitsubishi International, theparent company of MC Tubular Productsand was soon transferred to New York.There he met his wife Terri, an AssistantVice President of a New York bank whowas preparing to be transferred to Japan forthe purpose of opening a branch in Tokyo.They were introduced by a mutual bankingassociate in New York in 1972 with the

Yuki and Terri Usuki with sons Kenneth and Andrew.

ConferenceNotes

Summer Conference ProgramPittsburgh, PAThurs., June 24 - Sat., June 26, 2010Historical, Opulent Omni William Penn Hotel

14 Pipeline

Conference InformationConference Information

Wednesday, June 23 - Thursday, June 24, 2010

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Friday, June 25, 2010

Saturday, June 26, 2010

NOTE: Steel Business Briefing is hosting the Shale Play Tubulars Conference and offering a discountto NASPD members. See more details on this link:

1:15 - 4:30pm Registration -1:00 - 1:45pm Education Committee Meeting –1:45 - 2:15pm Membership Committee Meeting –2:15 - 2:45pm Program Committee Meeting –2:45 - 3:30pm Executive Committee Meeting –3:30 - 4:00pm Finance Committee Meeting –4:00 - 5:00pm Board of Directors Meeting –6:30 - 8:30pm Welcoming Reception at the Wynn –

7:30 - 10:30am Registration –7:30 - 10:30am Continental Breakfast –8:30am - 12:15pm General Session –

12:15 - 1:30pm Buffet Lunch with guest speaker, John Russo, author of

2:00 - 6:00pm Optional Event - Shuttle to local points of interest which include:The Heinz History Museum, The Cathedral of Learning, PhippsConservatory and Botanical Gardens, Andy Warhol Museum, and TheCarnegie Museum of Art and Natural History

7:00 - 10:00pm Dinner at Le Mont Restaurant10:00pm - Midnight Hospitality Suite -

8:00 - 10:30am Networking Breakfast9:00 - 10:00am Structural, Limited Service and Used Roundtable Discussion

10:00 - 11:30am Prime Roundtable Discussion -

2:00 - 6:00pm Optional Event - Shuttle to local points of interest which include:The Heinz History Museum, The Cathedral of Learning, PhippsConservatory and Botanical Gardens, Andy Warhol Museum, and TheCarnegie Museum of Art and Natural History

6:30 - 8:00pm Hospitality Suite –

http://www.steelbb.com/us/?PageID=2032

Night of the Living

Dead,

Three Rivers FoyerThree Rivers Room

Three Rivers RoomThree Rivers Room

Three Rivers RoomThree Rivers Room

Three Rivers RoomUrban Room

Three Rivers FoyerThree Rivers Room

(Business Casual Attire) William Penn Ballroom

“Life after the Living Dead” - Three Rivers Room

(Cocktail Attire)Frick Room

(hot breakfast served) - Three Rivers Room

William Penn Ballroom - Facilitated by Chuck BetzlerWilliam Penn Ballroom

Facilitated by Art Shelton

Frick Room

All attendees are encouraged to participate in the committee meetings.

8:30 - 8:40am Donald Barder, President & COO, Liberty Coating Company, LLC,

8:40 - 9:30am Dolty Cheramie, Pipe Exchange Ltd, since lastwe met …

9:30 - 10:00am Stuart Hoffman, Sr. Vice President and Chief Economist, The PNC FinancialServices Group,

10:00 - 10:15am Break10:15 - 10:45am Bill Flanagan, Executive Vice President Corporate Relations, Allegheny

Conference on Community Development,

10:45 - 11:30am Dennis Yablonsky, CEO, Allegheny Conference on CommunityDevelopment,

11:30 - 12:15pm John Surma, Keynote Speaker, CEO & Chairman, US Steel Corporation,

MemberSpotlight

“A Look at the Oil Patch”

“Half Speed – Economic Recovery”

“The Pittsburgh Story: TheRivers of Steel that Made America”

“Pittsburgh Today”

“State of the Steel Industry”

Program

R or faxregistration form to: (361) 574-9347. For moreinformation or questions please call the NASPDoffice (361) 574-7878. The deadline for regularregistration is May 19, 2010. You may stillregister, after that date but late registration feeswill apply. Non-members can attend onemeeting before joining. Late registration fee is$50 and must be included for each registrationreceived at the NASPD office after May 19

Payment for late registration will only beaccepted by credit card. Payment must be paidin U.S. currency.

egister online at www.naspd.com

Lateregistration fee for single event registration is$25.

For additional information visit www.naspd.com

N A S P D

16 Pipeline

Shovelers

Grinders

(Fidel's Team)

(Jason's Team)Vs.

Shovelers

Grinders

(Fidel's Team)

(Jason's Team)Vs.

Shovelers

Grinders

(Fidel's Team)

(Jason's Team)Vs.

Unbeknownst to me Jason managed to sneak Kryptonite balls intothe game. Illegal softballs paired with power hitters like KenDarling (I'm glad the Canadians are our allies), Patrick Boatright,Susan Kallas, and Captain Jason Rubenstein forced my Shovelers tomake too many costly fielding, throwing and “other” errors. Thenoteworthy skills of Nick Stefanakis, Doug Fortenberry, EarnestMyers, Yuki Usuki, and Dianne Burger were not enough to swingthe momentum of the game for us. Our booster section consisting ofmy five Labrador retrievers remained optimistic to the very end. Bo,the unofficial captain of the cheer squad was interviewed after thegame and summed up the game with the wise words, "woof, toomany errors, woof".At the end of the day the scoreboard showed thefinal score to be 15-7 in favor of the grinders. I think everyoneinvolved would agree that had the scoreboard been adjusted toinclude comraderie, friendship, teamwork and fun, the game wouldhave ended in a tie with everyone winners.

Fidel J. NaborPresident 101 Pipe & CasingCaptain NASPD Shovelers

The blazing desert sun was no match for the blazing speed and skillswitnessed at the epic NASPD Softball Showdown in Las Vegas.Had Jim Murray, of the New York Daily News been there to call theaction he surely would have surmised "Whotta Game!" It was threeand a half innings of pure excitement. We had about twenty-fiveNASPD members running, screaming, laughing and arguing fortheir team. There was more excitement and emotion on that LasVegas diamond than all the cocktail parties and round tablediscussions combined. Whotta Game!

Early on the hot bats belonged to Jason's Grinders. The fact that themen on the Shoveler's squad were far more handsomeunfortunately did not count towards the final score. The women onboth teams were equally enchanting. Jason's Grinders also provedto have an entire lineup worthy of Gold Glove awards. TheShovelers only managed 7 runs in four at bats against the Grindersskilled defense. Once again the fact that my Shovelers were notablymore debonair and had more savior-faire than the Grinders was notincluded on the scoreboard.

My skills as a third base coach were put under the microscope whenI waved Demetrios Karayannides home as he rounded third base at

a blistering pace. A shoddy scouting report left out the fact thattheir left fielder had his arm replaced with a cannon. From deep inleft field he fired a lazer to home that took one hop and slammedinto catcher Greg Semmel's outstretched glove. The scoutingreport also failed to mention that Gregg was in possession of alucky hat that was previously pressed into service as Babe Ruth'sspittoon. I too found this story incredulous, but then why elsewould someone wear such a ridiculous hat. Demetrios foundhimself trapped between third and home. Greg laid in wait with acrocodile smile on his face as if to say you are going to make atasty meal Demetrios. The combination of bionic arms and luckyhats were proving to be too much for my Shovelers.

I had to make a drastic change in strategy. Fortunately myengaging personality and noted humanitarian efforts resulted indozens of players fighting to be a part of the Shoveler'sorganization. This allowed me to add a fifth outfielder. I saw fiveSupermen equally spaced around my outfield. It was an IronCurtain of defense. An entire column of Sherman tanks could nothave out flanked us.

Shovelers: (front) Yuki Usuki, ; (back) Steve Sakowski,Fidel Nabor, Demetrios Karayannnides, Ange Armenti, Nick Stefanakis,Dianne Burger, Ernest Myers, Doug Fortenberry, Eamonn Mulchrone

Jay Richardson

Grinders: (front) ; (back) Mudit Agarwal, WesleySolansky, Patrick Boatright, Tim Feeney, Jason Rubenstein, LarryBurger, Greg Semmel, Ken Darling, Rick Cable

Susan Kallas

Demetrios - look at that focus Yuki runs to first base

Dianne & Fidel - Hit it where?

Think it’s going to come down?

Jason shows perfect form

Mudit gets ready for a homer.

Pipeline 17

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16 Pipeline

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Greg slips by Nick The Pipeline Pep Squad

18 Pipeline

Recently I attended the 2010 annual meetingin Las Vegas for NASPD with the intentionof saying good bye and thank you to allmembers, many of whom have becomefriends. I guess I have been a member forapprox: 27 years and the involvement hasproven to be extremely rewarding both froma professional and a personal growth aspect.I thank you for that as well as giving me thehonor to be involved as a board member andother involvements.

I have seen a wonderful transformation fromthe organization to present, and you are all tobe commended. What a great ride.“INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OFSTEEL PIPE DISTRIBUTORS” would bemore appropriate.

I was asked to write an article about myself,and I am somewhat embarrassed as I doubtmany would find it interesting. For whatever value there may be to some, here is ashort update (It's not over yet.)

I became involved in the steel and steelproducts industry at age 19 as a mail roomclerk in the Denver, Colo. Corp offices ofCF& I STEEL. I interviewed for the positionin a borrowed sport coat against nearly 20applicants. I had just returned from basictraining in the artillery part of the ARMYand the position was for college studentswho could finish classes at night, and as atrainee position for the company toscrutinize future leaders in the company.How I landed the position puzzled me but itwas a wonderful opening for a long career.

I was blessed with rapid upward movementa s i n s i d e s a l e s , m i l l p o s i t i o n s ,transportation, pricing, and so forth up to adistrict office in Salt Lake, Utah. Followingopportunities included outside sales, districtmanager, and involved places like LosAngeles, Salt Lake, Denver, Pueblo, andPhoenix.

I later worked in distribution and fabricationfor a few companies in purchasing, sales,sales management, branch management,and so forth. All which led to a naturaltransition to starting my own business. I hadmade a lot of friends, contacts, and hadlearned the inner workings of operating a

business. This was like obtaining a master'sdegree in Steel 101. And, although I wasblessed with a lot of opportunities outside thesteel industry, I just had steel in my blood.

So here I am, 47 years later, going on 67years old, just retired and looking forward tonew chapters. There are so manyopportunities in life that I am amazed. Iespecially am puzzled that so many workersseem lost and cannot see opportunities outthere. There are many if you dedicate yourlife to being honest and developingfriendships. I built a few companies onnothing more than effort, commitment, andRELATIONSHIPS. Certainly not with a lotof money to start, and certainly not being thebrightest.

The steel pipe and tube industry has been goodto Gayle and I , as we are comfortably retired.

I believe one important aspect to building abusiness or career is “ balance in your life”. Ilost balance along the way, and with it, arelationship with my daughters along with adivorce. I mention this only as advice to othersas to the value. Fortunately I regained it, andGayle and I have a good life and a fullrelationship with family, daughters, and grandchildren. With proper balance, you are capableof achieving greater things, you enjoy yourwork more, and develop a following of friendsalong the way all of which leads to success.

I consider balance like this: Work ethic,morality, personal ethics, education, a strongfaith, always being a student of your chosenvocation, commitment and do not be tooproud, in fact even seek out a few mentors. Ihad some whom were priceless in my limitedsuccess. Along the path, you must maintain arelationship with family and friends, anddevelop outside interests to keep your mindand body vibrant and ready to compete.

I married a pretty flight attendant 31 years ago

Cliff Hobbs RetiresKeeping Things in Balance

“I believe one importantaspect to building abusiness or career isbalance in your life”.

and learned about travel. Great for the mind.Gayle flew for 29 years and retired recently.

While building Liberty I had a number ofdishonest employees which cost me, andfortunately Darren Sparks came aboard as amanager. We have a long standingrelationship as family would, and today heand Cindy own the business. What a greatthing to happen. "I only hope they can get asmuch from NASPD as I did, and thatNASPD is good to them.”

(continued on pg. 30 - HOBBS)

I was always competitive and athletic, somy interests were fishing, rifle and bowhunting, long distance running, mountainterrain running, school sports, martial arts,flying, golf, tennis, hiking, shooting firearms, scaring sharks and fish to death with aspear, rodeo and jackpot team roping, horsetraining, and various things along the way.The horse business got in my blood and Iwas fortunate to even qualify to compete in

20 Pipeline

(continued from pg. 4 - EXEC. DIR.)participation and cooperation with thismonumental project. In the end, we hope tohave a resource that will be utilized andreferenced more than any other available.

Finally, I am very please to say we survivedour first ever IRS audit. We were chosenrandomly along with many other 501 C6organizations for the IRS audit. While Iadmit I was a bit concerned about the idea ofhaving and IRS agent spending a week withus, asking questions, digging through everyline item and file, I was very pleased withthe outcome. The agent assigned to us wasvery kind and complimentary of theorganization and the checks and balanceswe have in place. Gail deserves thanks forkeeping our office and books in goodworking order and as well as those who haveparticipated on the Finance Committee. Iimplore you to continue to challenge andquestion our finances and procedures tomake sure the NASPD is financially stableand responsibly run. Joe Bergfeld andGerald Merfish have probably been the twomost instrumental members in creating thesystem of checks and balances that we usetoday. Joe, Gerald…how 'bout them apples?You have taught us well, I hope we havemade you both proud! Finally, thank you toour members for your trust and support.

A Special Thank YouIt does not seem like it has been six yearssince I became the NASPD OfficeAdministrator. My job is one that I cantruly say that I look forward to each day.It is my home away from home. Not manypeople can say that they love their job butI can and I consider you, the NASPDmembers, as part of my extended family.

I want to thank Don Karchmer foracknowledging me at the convention inhonor of my sixth year anniversary at theNASPD.

Working at the NASPD has been like thesuper bowl of my career path. I lookforward to working many more years as ateam with Susannah and the members.

Gail Belcik

NASPD Office Administrator

Pipeline 21

(continued from pg. 8 - DISPATCHES)

(continued on pg. 30 -

DISPATCHES)

Marmon/Keystoneannounces construction ofnew warehouse on 22 acresite in Northern Illinois

Marmon/Keystone has recently announcedto their employees plans to close thewarehouse operations in Bolingbrook,Illinois. They will continue serving theircustomers in the greater-Chicago marketand elsewhere on a daily basis from a brandnew, state-of-the art facility in SpringValley, Illinois which is located alongInterstate 80 (just west of the I-80 and I-39interchange) and from other existingfacilities.

The new facility isanticipated to beoperational near theend of the 3rd quarteror early 4th quarter2010. The currentbuilding and land willbe sold; however, them a n a g e m e n t ,administrative andsales personnel willremain in the existingo ff i ce s wi th thepossibility of futurerelocation to an officecomplex in or nearBolingbrook, Illinois.

Marmon/Keystoneremains committed toproviding exceptionalservice and this actionis a strategic move toposition itself to bemore responsive to itscustomers.

Ex-lawmakerCharlieWilson diesat 76Charlie Wilson, theformer congressmanfrom Texas whosef u n d i n g o fA f g h a n i s t a n ' sresistance to theSoviet Union waschronicled in themovie and book"Charlie Wilson'sWar," died February10, 2010. He was as p e a k e r a t t h eNASPD meeting in

Above: Charile Wilson attending NASPDconference.

NASPD HALL OF FAME(Adopted by NASPD BOD--Feb 2010)The NASPD shall create a

Inductees shall haveserved the pipe & pipedistribution industrycontinuously for aminimum of 30 years.I n d i v i d u a l s m a yreceive inductionposthumously.

Candidates shall havemade a unique andspecial contributionto the industry, havebeen considered a“ p i l l a r ” o f t h eindustry, or havegrown their companyto be an industrys e g m e n t l e a d e r.Involvement in theNASPD is not ar e q u i r e m e n t -individuals from bothNASPD membershipand non-memberswill be eligible.

T h e N A S P Dmembership shall beencouraged throught h eMagazine to offernominations to the

The PastPresidents of theNASPD shall processthe nominations andd e t e r m i n e t h o s es e l e c t e d f o rinduction.

Inductions into theshall

occur at the NASPD

NASPD Hall ofFame.

NASPD Hall ofFame.

Hall of Fame

P i p e l i n e

La Costa, February 1977.

Former NASPD member Jerry Weissmanhad this to say about Mr. Wilson, “He was agood guy and he spoke to the NASPD at thefirst La Costa meeting. Carter was still inoffice and Charlie wanted to talk with usabout how necessary it was to build navyand military strength. You know he wasright. I think that Jerry Rubenstein or PeteKnowles got him to come to La Costa. Iworked with Bud Seigel who was theconvention chairman and was with Charliethe night before he spoke. Talk about tryingto keep up with a dynamo! He was one ofthe best convention speakers I have everheard.

N A S P D

22 Pipeline

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(214) 979-0042 Phone (214) 979-0074 Faxwww.kayempipe.com

Please call or e-mail us for your tubular requirements.

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Over fifty years of experience in servicing and supplying

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can mean that they’re living in denial.Hopefulness is a founded belief in success.Follow the reasonable plan and findpredictable results at the outset.

The group, however you define that, is oftenwrong. The supposed safety in numbers iselusive. In fact, nearly every moment oftruth in the collective knowledge of acivilization has been characterized by avery small minority arguing their point untilthe masses climb aboard the idea. Thismeans that a leader will often look wrong tothe majority of those that he or she manages,and they will have to be comfortable withthat position in the minority. Caution iscalled for, of course, because being in theminority doesn’t mean you’re right, either!

Leaders are flawed, and they know it. Theyare plagued by some consistently surfacingweakness and/or some significant failure inthe past. Maybe they’ve been fired, hadpersonal financial difficulties, or were at thehelm of a department that failedspectacularly. In any case, their personalfailures haunt them to some extent, keepingthem humble and merciful.

Accepting of a Minority Position

Merciful from Significant PersonalFailure

Pattern Matcher/Critical Thinker

Curious

Predictable

The essence of intelligence is the ability tonotice and categorize patterns. Leaders havethat critical thinking skill and use it to analyzebusiness problems. They see the possibilitiesand the outcomes like few others do, andtherefore can set an appropriate course ofaction.

There are many words I could have used forthis component of a leader, but curiosity iscritical. Closely aligned with this would beperceptive, observant, and inquiring.All theseattributes are utilized with a view towards thepossibility that the leader is wrong. He or sheholds a belief, but is always testing it againstnew information in new situations to furtherrefine their learning and thus theirconvictions. They are always on the hunt fornew perspectives that can be brought to bearon their management.

By suggesting that a leader needs to bepredictable, I’m not meaning to imply(negatively) that they always act the sameway regardless of the circumstances. No, it’smore about those they lead being able toanticipate how a leader might think and or act.Leaders are purpose-driven and their actionsarise from an observable belief system.

(continued from pg. 10 - LEADERS) Purposeful

Self-Aware

Stimulation Primarily from OutsideWork

Visionary

Finally

A purposeful leader is one who does thingswith a purpose. They have a plan, canarticulate it, and then see to it that theseemingly random activities of a typicalday are actually contributing to theexecution of the plan. They aren’t willy-nilly in all sorts of fits and starts. No, theysee how the small parts contribute to thelarger picture and they execute with that inmind.

Good leaders are self-aware. They knowtheir own tendencies, and they know howtheir actions affect others. They understandthat their great strength, if overused, can betheir greatest weakness, and they attemptgreater balance and understanding. Goodleaders can step outside themselves andmake a relatively honest assessment of whothey are and how they are conductingthemselves.

You’d think that any leader who throwshimself entirely at work would be good towork for, but that’s not the case. Leaderslike that expect too much of others, too. No,you want a leader who lives a morebalanced life, understanding the role ofwork and the role of life outside work. Aleader with an interesting life outside workis better at work/life balance issues.

A leader must have a vision of the future.Otherwise, there’s very little likelihood thatindividual initiatives will be purposedriven. Why does this department or firmexist? How could it be better? What rolecould we play in the larger picture thatwould bring greater enjoyment and impact?

How do you measure up against this list?Are there some things to work on? Do yousee any patterns that hold you back? Makeyou very effective? It’s something to thinkabout, anyway. Great leaders instigate andnurture great culture, and great culture canreally make a difference at your firm.

About the arthur: David C. Baker is thep r i n c i p a l o f R e C o u r s e s , I n c . ,www.recourses.com.

Photos From2010 Conventionin Las VegasFeb. 25-27

Dilip Bhargava, Paula Moore, Bobby Kanz, Balor Moore, ShaliniBhargava, and Michelee Kanz

Todd Womble and Raymond Davila Betsy & Bill Buckland

AJ Ward and Mark Ward

Loree & Jay Solansky, Doug & Tanya Yentzen, and Don Milner, Jr.

Don Karchmer, Susannah Porr, and Bill Buckland Don Karchmer and Gail Belcik

James O'Shea, David Gast, Mark Scott, and Mike Casaday

Claudia & Randy WohlfordPhotos courtesy of Brentwood Digital and Key & Associates.

Bobby & Michelee Kanz, Patrick Boatright, Deborah Cottingham, Charles Boatright, Bill Buckland, and Gerald Merfish

Bobby Blackburn, Mudit Agarwal, Maurice Levy, and Nikhil Amin

Unal Baysal and Nikki Efferson

Ralph Castille and Jim Cassada

Patricia Mar tin, Cheri Nicholas, CicCi Cheramie, and Sue Cour ts

24 Pipeline

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Thankyou2010 Convention

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Bronze

Ambassador Pipe & Supply, Inc. **

B & W Pipe Inc.

BALL WINCH Pipeline Services

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Texas Pipe & Supply Co., Inc.

The Industrial Group

Wilson Supply

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Lally Pipe & Tube

Maurice Pincoffs Company, Inc.

Platinum Grover Int. Inc.

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26 Pipeline

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409'202'

1,300'500'802'667'

2,939'3,587'1,127'

527'1,303'

927'1,657'

120'

28 Pipeline

WelcomeNew MembersPlease join NASPD in

welcoming our newest members.

Allied Tube & Conduit

BNSF Logistics LLC

Favor Steel & Fabricating,Inc.

Southland TubeIncorporated

MichiganSeamlessTube, LLC

Allied Tube & Conduit is a new AssociateMember. The company manufacturesMechanical and Structural Tubing with aproduct mix of Fence Pipe & Tubing, FireSprinkler Pipe, A53 Pipe, Mechanical Tubing,Square and Rectangular Structural Tubing. Sizeranges are Mech. Prime .500 - 5.000" OD - 7Gauge-22 Gauge; Structural Tube up to 7" OD,Round x 0.375", up to 6" Sq x 0.375", up to 8" x4" Rectangle x 0.375", andA53 Pipe from 2-1/2”up to 6”. Services include Cutting and Testing.Specialties are Galvanized & Plain Mechanical& Structural Tube in pipe sizes. Transportation isby common carrier.

Dan Kuzniewski is the NASPD contact.

Allied Tube & Conduit16100 S. LathropAve.Harvey IL60426708-225-2127708-339-2399 (FAX)dkuzniewski@alliedtube.com

BNSF Logistics LLC is a new ProfessionalAffiliate Member.

FrankArmstrong is the NASPD contact.

BNSF Logistics LLC4700 South Thompson, SuiteA-201Springdale, AR 72764888-285-4514479-587-7291 (FAX)frank.armstrong@bnsflogistics.com

Favor Steel & Fabricating, Inc. is a new AssociateMember. Favor manufacturers rolled and weldedsteel pipe 30" to 144" diameter, 3/8" to 1-1/4"thick. Products welded to meet AWS D 1.1 andAWWA specs as well as misc. structuralfabrication. Their product mix includes FlatRolled Pipe, Heavy Wall Pipe, Large OD Pipe,Pipe Coating, Pipe Piling, Plate, ReconditionedPipe, Road Casing, Rolled Pipe, SpecialityFabrication, Standard Pipe, Steel Pipe, StructuralPipe, Structural Steel, Surplus Pipe, Used Pipeand Welded Pipe all of US origin. Size range isfrom 12"-144". Services offered are Beveling,Cleaning, Coating, Consulting, Cutting,Fabrication, Flange Attachment, Forming,Galvanizing, Jointing, Mid-Welding, Painting,Priming, Refurbishing, Reinforcing, Rolling,

Sandblasting, Split Casing,Storage, and Welding.Favor’s specialty is LargeOD casing, 30" through144". Transportation is byCommon Carrier, ContractCarrier and Rail.

Andy Berryhill is theNASPD contact.

Favor Steel & Fabricating,Inc.1110 Industrial Blvd.Bessemer, AL35022205-426-3288205-426-3278 (FAX)andy@favorsteel.com

Michigan Seamless Tube,LLC is a new AssociateMember. The companymanufacturers Pipe - 106fr A,B & C A333 & A334grl + 6 A335 P1, P2, P5,P9, P11, P12, P22, P23,P91; Boiler Tube - A179,1 9 2 , 2 0 9 , 2 0 9 T 1 ,209T1A, 210, 213, T1,T2, T5, T9, T11, T12, T22,T23, T91; MechanicalTube - A519; Sizes -

.75"OD - 5"OD; Pipe ½" - 4"IPS all originatingin the US. Size ranges for Tube are .75"OD -5"OD; and for Pipe are ½" - 4"IPS. Serviceoffered is beveling. Michigan Seamlessspecialties are all products are made to ordersizes OD, walls & lengths; MLR tubing &shapes; Nuclear pipe NCA 3800; Numerouscustomer & military specs; ISO 9001 & ISO/T16949; and UV coating, non-standard pipe sizes.

Ted Fairley if the NASPD contact.

Michigan Seamless and Tube400 McMunn StreetSouth Lyon, MI 48178800-521-8416248-437-2779 (FAX)

Southland Tube Incorporated is an AssociateMember. The company manufacturers A-513Mechanical Tubing, A-500 HSS, A-252 Piling,and A-847 Weathering Steel all originating inthe US. Their product mix includes Heavy WallPipe, Mechanical Tubing, Rolled Pipe, Squareand Rectangular Tubing, Structural Pipe,Structural Steel, Structural Tubing, and WeldedPipe. Size ranges are 3/4" - 12-3/4" Round, 3/4" -10" Square, and 1664 - 1/2" Thickness. Serviceoffered is beveling and Southland's specialty isHSS. Transportation is by company owned truckand rail.

John Montgomery, Jr. is the NASPD contact.

Southland Tube Incorporated3525 RichardArrington, Jr. Blvd. N.P. O. Box 2425N. Birmingham, AL35201205-458-9946205-251-1553 (FAX)

Sumitomo Corporation ofAmerica-Tubular Products

Sumitomo Corporation of America - TubularProducts is an Associate Member. The companyoffers a product mix of Alloy PipeCoatings, Couplings and Coupling Stock,Fittings, Flanges, Heavy Wall Pipe, Line Pipe,Mechanical Tubing, OCTG Tubing and Casing,Pressure Tubing, Rolled Pipe, Slotted SteelPipe, Square and Rectangular Tubing, StainlessPipe, Standard Pipe, Structural Pipe, StructuralTubing, Valves and Welded Pipe. All productsoriginate in Japan.

Tan Duong is the NASPD contact.

Sumitomo Corporation of America - TubularProducts840 Gessner, Suite 1000Houston TX 77024713-653-8400713-653-8436 (FAX)

(continued on pg. 30 - NEW MEMBERS)

30 Pipeline

(continued from pg. 12 - USUKI)

(continued from pg. 18 -HOBBS)

the United States Team RopingChampionships in Oklahoma inthree different years. Did not win,but got my licks in and won a lot ofmoney, buckles, and so forth alongthe way. I was pleased considering Ionly started at age 49. I just haddesire and good horses.

Unfortunately, Don Karchmerwatched me miss a steer inOklahoma which cost my partnerand I around $60,000. He left beforeI returned to the spectator stands. Iwonder why?

Now, Gayle and I are active on ourHarley and as HOG members (canyou believe that?), and travel. So younever know when I may call and say, “Hi, weare in the area, what's for dinner ?”

Health issues gave us a wake up call a few shortyears ago, that life is fleeting, so we all need tosqueeze every bit of beauty out of every day. Ioffer you that as friendly advice. Gayle and Ihave a long bucket list and are chipping away at

I have worked with Yuki for about a decade. He is a man of high integrity and allof our dealings with him have been positive. He does what he says he is going todo and there are never any surprises. It may surprise many of you that Yuki is a27th generation Samurai and his cousin, Junichiro Koisumi, was the PrimeMinister of Japan. Needless to say Yuki comes from good stock! He is a greatguy to have sushi and a cold Asahi with anytime.

— Mike Harris - Pioneer Pipe & Steel, Inc.

in Japan 37 years ago, Yuki formulated and completed his plans to start his own company.

The Usukis returned to the USA and made their home in New York City and Scarsdale,New York. Their eldest son Kenneth, now a physician (radiation oncologist) practicingin New York was born in 1977. Their second son, Andrew, an investment banker wasborn in 1979. Terri left banking in 1977 to assistYuki in their family business. Today,Yukiconcentrates mainly on sales, frequently traveling to visit clients. Terri is busy with theinternal side of the business in Delaware where they reside, assisting customers with thefinancial and shipping parts of the company. Yuki's distinction as a business man, hasmore than earned him the respect and admiration of his colleagues and he enjoys workingwith and maintaining his lasting working relationships and friendships.

it. Most important issues are family andfriends…keeping contact.

We wish you and your families the very bestand hope to see you soon. Meanwhile, takecare of each other and of NASPD.

God bless,Cliff HobbsMarch 2010

Tubular Services LLCTubular Services LLC is a new AssociateMember. The company manufacturers allAPI with a product mix of

Ricky Hickman is the NASPD contact.

OCTG Tubingand Casing. The size range is 1-1/2 -13-3/8”. The service offered is threading.

Tubular Services LLC1010 McCartyHouston TX 77029713-675-6212713-671-0248 (FAX)rhickman@tubularservices.com

(contd. from pg. 22 - NEW MEMBERS)

(contd. from pg. 21 - DISPATCHES)

Annual Convention. Each Inductee orInductee's family shall receive amemento from the NASPD combatingtheir inclusion.

Inducted members of theshall be listed in the NASPD

Directory and the Pipeline Magazine.

s

NASPD Hallof Fame

Note: it is anticipated that there will be alarge number of inductees the first fewyears of the NASPD Hall of Fame as wehonor those individuals that would havequalified if the Hall would have been inexistence before this year. In subsequentyears the number of inductees will bemuch smaller. The NASPD Hall of Fameshall be a special group of industrycontributor and as such reserved foronly those that have made a significantdifference ion our industry.

NASPD Members

Out & AboutSubmitted by NASPD members

John Mocker (far right back) and his brotherJim (far left back) threw an 80th birthdayparty for their mom Helen (center front,surrounded by family). Helen has attendedand helped with several NASPD meetings.Happy Birthday Helen!

www.sdbtrade.com

"Your source of pipe for the Oil & Gas industry"

OCTG

Drill Pipe

Line Pipe

Coupling Stock

Sucker Rods

Accessories

SDB Trade International, LP817 Southmore, Suite 301, Houston, TX 77502Tel: 713-475-0048 Fax 713-475-0083

Your ServiceCenter

Tel: 281.485.9932Fax: 281.485.6378

Email: hti@pdq.net

• 85 Acre Storage Facility

• 30,000 Sq. Ft. EnclosedWarehouse

• Direct Discharge

• Local Hauling

• Chloride-Neutralization

• Brush, Roll, & Spray

• Hydro-Abrasive Blasting

• Abrasive Blasting

• Waterblasting

• Descaling

• Machine Beveling

• Torch Beveling

• Plasma Cutting

• Cut-to-length

• Straightening

• Dedenting

• Threading 1/4" Thru 4" NPT

• Ohio River Barge Terminal

29Years ofService

1981-2010

HOUSTON TUBULARS,INC