John P. Surma, Jr.

Board of Visitors

John P. Surma, Jr.
Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
United States Steel Corp.

John P. Surma, Jr., ’76, was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1954.  He graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting.

Mr. Surma joined Price Waterhouse LLP in 1976, and in 1981 he served in the Manchester, England, with the Office of the Price Waterhouse United Kingdom firm. In 1987, he was admitted to the partnership.

In 1983, Mr. Surma participated in the President’s Executive Exchange Program in Washington, D.C., where he served as executive staff assistant to the vice chairman of the Federal Reserve Board.

In 1997, Mr. Surma joined Marathon Oil Company as senior vice president, finance & accounting.  He was appointed president, Speedway SuperAmerica LLC in 1998, and senior vice president, supply & transportation for Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC (MAP) in 2000.  He was named president of MAP on January 1, 2001.

Effective with the separation from USX Corporation, he became vice chairman and chief financial officer of United States Steel Corporation on January 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.

Mr. Surma retired as chief executive officer in August 2013.  He served as executive chairman of the board of directors until Dec. 31 when he officially retired from the company and the board.