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© History Oasis
Note: Arthur Vining Davis served as President (1910-1929), then Chairman (1929-1957), while Roy Hunt served as President during the overlapping period (1929-1951).
1888-1899
Alfred E. Hunt was an MIT-trained metallurgist who co-founded Pittsburgh Reduction Company (later Alcoa) with Charles Martin Hall and Arthur Vining Davis in 1888. He used his business expertise and Hall's aluminum electrolysis process to create the company. Their innovation slashed the aluminum prices from $4.86 to $0.70 per pound. There was a great need for aluminum from everything from electric cables to cookware. Under Hunt’s tenure, the company expanded from the Pittsburgh pilot plant to the New Kensington facility in 1891 and a plant in Niagara Falls in 1895. Hunt died as an artillery captain in the Spanish-American War in 1899 from malaria.
1899-1910
As a member of the powerful Mellon banking family, R.B. Mellon provided startup capital to the company. He took an off-hand approach, letting his engineers run operations while Arthur Vining Davis made most of the day-to-day decisions.
1910-1957
President (1910-1929), Chairman (1929-1957)
Arthur Davis joined the company months after its founding. He served the company as President and Chairman for 69 years., transforming aluminum from a semi-precious metal to an industrial staple. He saw Alcoa become a monopoly, producing 90% of US virgin aluminum. During his tenure, the company was a key producer for the US military during both World Wars. In 1917, he supplied aluminum used in the Wright Brothers' historic airplane engine. He introduced aluminum foil in 1911. Davis also battled a few major antitrust battles. Still, he was forced to spin off Alcoa’s international operations and saw a court decree that forced the company to break up, dividing it up into Alcoa, Reynolds, and Kaiser. By his retirement, Davis was the third-richest man in the world.
1929-1951
Roy Hunt, the son of founder Alfred Hunt, took charge during the Great Depression. He led the company through the economic downturn, WWII production demands, and the breakup. When Hunt retired, he established the Alcoa Foundation in 1952, one of America's largest corporate foundations.
1951-1957
Irving Wilson served briefly as CEO during the postwar era. He was challenged to operate the company during its loss of monopoly status and increased competition.
1957-1963
With the company now as a shell of itself, Frank Magee saw the need for internationalization and diversification. In 1958, he formed a Furalco joint venture with Lockheed and Furukawa Electric to manufacture aircraft parts. In 1959, he acquired Rome Cable and Wire Company.
1963-1975
John Harper shifted Alcoa’s focus to higher-margin finished products rather than raw aluminum smelting. He pioneered aluminum can production with the invention of the pop-top and expanded its aerospace parts manufacturing. By 1966, Harper saw the company hit record profits.
1975-1983
W.H. Krome George was more research-oriented than his predecessors. He pioneered aluminum recycling, which would become a big money maker. By 1985, recycling represented 19% of aluminum ingot capacity. George also innovated with high-tech aluminum applications and high-strength aerospace alloys. And also many joint ventures in alumina chemicals, satellite antennae, and computer memory discs.
1983-1987
Charles Parry was tasked with diversifying beyond aluminum. But, the Board of Directors grew concerned about his proposed acquisitions, which didn't align with the company's core business. He was forced into early retirement.
1987-1999
Paul O’Neill made worker safety his top priority over profits, a move that shocked Wall Street. But, Alcoa's market value increased from $3 billion to $27.53 billion, and workplace injuries dropped from 1.86 to 0.2 lost days per 100 employees. In 1994, he partnered with Audi to develop its first all-aluminum automotive space frame. When O’Neill stepped down, the company became one of the world's safest industrial companies.
1999-2008
Alain Belda was a Brazilian-raised executive who started at Alcoa's Brazilian affiliate in 1969. He rose through the ranks in Latin American operations before becoming CEO. Belda successfully held off the 2007 hostile $27 billion takeover bid by Canadian rival Alcan.
2008-2016
Klaus Kleinfeld was named CEO within eight months of joining Alcoa. In 2008, he partnered with Yutong Bus for Beijing Olympics aluminum buses, and in 2009, he partnered with Boeing for aluminum-lithium plates on the 787 Dreamliner.
2016-2023
Roy Harvey had been with the company since 2002. He filled various roles in global operations, finance, and business integration. Harvey led the company through the 2016 separation into Alcoa Corporation (mining/refining) and Arconic (manufacturing). In 2019, he announced Alcoa’s goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. He started a variety of company incentives to make this a reality.
2023-Present
Bill Oplinger is a long-term Alcoa executive who served as COO before being promoted to CEO. He has extensive experience in global bauxite, alumina, and aluminum operations and continues the company's sustainability initiatives and operational excellence programs.
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