Celebrating Innovation and Leadership in Automotive Steel
ANN ARBOR, Mich. October 21, 2025 – Auto/Steel Partnership (A/SP) is proud to present the 2025 Awards of Excellence to members whose dedication, creativity, and teamwork are making a tangible difference in the automotive steel industry. These awards not only recognize technical achievement but also highlight the collaborative spirit and perseverance that drive projects forward, from early concept to finished innovation. Presented during A/SP’s annual Technology Day, the awards celebrate the people behind the ideas and solutions that are shaping the future of mobility.
“Each year, we celebrate the innovators and collaborators whose work sets new standards for excellence in our industry,” said Michael Davenport, Executive Director of A/SP. “Their creativity, technical expertise, and commitment to teamwork continue to deliver solutions that strengthen A/SP and the automotive steel sector as a whole.”
Chosen by their peers and the A/SP Joint Policy Council, this year’s honorees exemplify the very best in technical skill, problem-solving, and leadership. Their contributions over the past year have been essential in advancing projects that enhance efficiency, foster collaboration, and drive innovation. Through their work, they are helping to shape the steel technologies that will define tomorrow’s vehicles and mobility solutions.
2025 Award of Excellence Winners
Individual Excellence Awards
Given in appreciation for exceptional leadership and commitment to the Partnership as a whole.
- Hassan Ghassemi-Armaki, General Motors Company
- Dean Kanelos, Nucor Corporation
- William Koehler, General Motors Company
Pictured right: Michael Davenport, A/SP Executive Director (far right), with Award of Excellence winners in the Individual category (from left to right): Dean Kanelos, Nucor Corporation, Hassan Ghassemi-Armaki, General Motors Company, and William Koehler, General Motors Company.
Most Valuable Player Awards
Given in appreciation for going above and beyond in performance and contributions to a project and the Partnership.
- Lu Huang, General Motors Company
- Efraín Rodríguez, Ternium
- JP Singh, General Motors Company
Pictured right: Michael Davenport, A/SP Executive Director (far right), with Award of Excellence winners in the Most Valuable Player category (from left to right): J. P. Singh, General Motors Company, Lu Huang, General Motors Company, and Efraín Rodríguez, Ternium.
Key Collaborator Awards
Given in appreciation for valuable contributions to overcoming project challenges.
- Oakland University, received by Dr. Sergey Golovashchenko
- University of Waterloo, received by received by Dr. Cliff Butcher, Patrick Cleary, Cameron Tolton, Advaith Narayanan, and Rhys Northcote
- voestalpine, received by Patricia Miller and Jim Van Epps
Pictured right: Michael Davenport, A/SP Executive Director (far right), with Award of Excellence winners in the Key Collaborator category (from left to right): Jim Van Epp and Patricia Miller, voestalpine, Sergey Golovashchenko, Oakland University, and Cliff Butcher, University of Waterloo.
Project Team Award
Given in appreciation for collaboration and effectiveness in providing solutions to challenges faced by automakers. The AHSS Stamping Team was presented with this year’s award. Its members include:
AHSS Stamping Team Members
- Dean Kanelos, Nucor (JPC Team Mentor)
- Lu Huang (Team Lead)
- Vince Millioto, Martinrea International (Team Lead)
- Chris Roman, GM (Project Co-Lead)
- Steven Sheng, GM (Project Co-Lead
- Nan Wang, TMNA (Project Co-Lead
- Eric McCarty, A/SP (Project Manager)
- Scott Adolphe, TMNA
- Miguel Angel Quiñones Salinas, Metalsa
- Cesar Antonio Salazar, Metalsa
- Brian Asimba, GM
- Jonas Cuanang, TMNA
- Alonso de Jesus Melendez Elizondo, Metalsa
- Benjamin Dixon, TMNA
- Joseph Ekl, GM
- Mike Elzokari, TMNA
- Neil Fowler, Martinrea
- Herrera G. Jaciel Jair, Ternium
- Salinas G. Victor Manuel, Ternium
- Fernanda Gaviria, Martinrea
- Jiwoong Ha, POSCO
- Luis Enrique Hernández Castillo, Metalsa
- Brenda Higuera, Nucor
- Yoojin Kim, GM
- Gette Kohli, GM
- Shaw Kruczyk, Martinrea
- Ying Lu, GM
- Joseph Panico IV, GM
- Zhiquo Qin, GM
- Natalia Reinberg, GM
- Efrain Rodriguez, Ternium
- Maggie Saylor, Nucor
- J. P. Singh, GM
- Weiping Sun, Nucor
- Sarah Tedesco, GM
- Igor Vieira, Nucor
- Michael Watson, GM
- Wei Wu, GM
Pictured:
Michael Davenport, A/SP Executive Director (back row right), with members of the Advanced High-Strength Steel Stamping Team, honorees for the Award of Excellence, Project Team category.
Back row left, Dean Kanelos, Nucor, Stamping Team Mentor.
Front row from left to right are: Nan Wang, Toyota, J. P. Singh, GM, Vince Millioto, Martinrea, Natalia Reinberg, GM, Yoojin Kim, GM, Sarah Tedesco, GM, Lu Huang, GM, Weiping Sun, Nucor, Chris Roman, GM, Eric McCarty, A/SP.
Team honorees will receive a trophy and/or a certificate, celebrating their efforts in advancing our shared mission to create smarter, stronger, and more efficient steel applications for the automotive industry.
2025 Award of Excellence Nominees
In addition to celebrating this year’s winners, Auto/Steel Partnership recognizes all nominees for the prestigious Awards of Excellence. Each nomination reflects outstanding contributions, leadership, and dedication to advancing the automotive steel industry, highlighting the impact these individuals have made through innovation and collaboration.
Key Collaborator Category Nominees
- University of Michigan – Dearborn (Dr. Hong Tae Kang)
- GIC Machining (Zoran Cmomarkovic)
Project Team Category Nominees
- Constitutive & Fracture Modeling Team
- Design Team
- Gas Metal Arc Welding Team
- Joining Team
- Stamping Tooling Optimization
Congratulations to all those recognized for this prestigious award, and thank you for your contributions that make Auto/Steel Partnership a success.
Auto/Steel Partnership Foundation (A/SP) is a non-profit research consortium of automakers, sheet steel producers and affiliate tier suppliers. For more than 35 years, A/SP members work to drive improvements from concept through realization in vehicles on the road today, as well as to support an educated workforce. For more information, visit www.a-sp.org.