Short Span Steel Bridges 
Keierleber Named Recipient of 2024 AISI Market Development Industry Leadership Award
Photo: Left to Right: Lourenco Goncalves, AISI Chairman and the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.; Brian Keierleber, P.E., county engineer of Buchanan County, Iowa; Kevin Dempsey, AISI president and CEO
The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) presented the 2024 Market Development Industry Leadership Award to Brian Keierleber, P.E., county engineer of Buchanan County, Iowa, to recognize his significant contributions to advancing the competitive use of steel in the marketplace — specifically in the construction market.
The awards was presented on May 14, 2024 by Lourenco Goncalves, AISI Chairman and the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., at AISI’s General Meeting held at the InterContinental Hotel–The Wharf in Washington, DC.
Michael Worswick, Ph.D., P.Eng., professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo, was also presented with the award for his accomplishments in the automotive market.
“We are pleased to recognize the leadership and unwavering dedication of Brian and Michael and their passion for conveying the benefits of steel as the material of choice in these key markets. Their expertise is a tremendous asset to the steel industry,” said Goncalves. “Providing durable steel solutions to meet the challenges faced by the infrastructure and automotive industries is paramount to American steel producers and our customers. We appreciate the continued leadership and significant contributions of these two individuals.”
Keierleber’s Leadership Instrumental in the Adoption of New Steel Technologies
Brian Keierleber oversees the maintenance and construction of 963 miles of county roads and 260 county bridges and has been instrumental in adopting new steel technologies to accomplish this mission.
His groundbreaking achievements include:
- Construction of the first press-brake formed tub girder (PBFTG) structure in the U.S.
- The first bridge designed and built using eSPAN140— a free web-based design tool developed by AISI
- The first known county bridge fabricated entirely with galvanized steel, showcasing the durability and longevity of hot-dip galvanized steel in harsh environments.
AISI serves as the voice of the American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI’s membership is comprised of integrated and electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmakers reflecting the production of both carbon and stainless steels which are critical to the everyday lives of all Americans — including national security, roads and bridges, the electrical grid, clean energy technologies and the automotive market. AISI also represents nearly 80 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@AISISteel) or Instagram.
Events
SSSBA to Present on Accelerated Steel Bridge Design at Mid Atlantic Quality Assurance Workshop (Feb. 9-11)
The SSSBA will participate in the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Quality Assurance Workshop in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Don’t miss Dr. Michael Barker’s presentation on Feb. 10, 3:00–3:40 p.m. ET, highlighting practical approaches for cost-efficient, accelerated short span steel bridges.
News
State DOT Leaders Share Perspectives on Reauthorization at TRB
A roundtable at the 2026 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting highlighted state DOT priorities for reauthorization, including formula funding, safety, and faster project delivery.
News
Help Provide an Amazing Competition for Student Bridge Engineers!
AISC/NSBA is seeking volunteers to support the Student Steel Bridge Competition, helping teams from more than 200 colleges and universities—no experience required.