November 11-12, 2025
Chicago, IL
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Dr. Kodukula is a mineral processing expert specializing in iron-making raw materials and carbon-neutral technologies, with over 30 years of experience. He has led breakthrough process initiatives for coal & coke, iron ore, and by-products in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Liberia and India. As an advisor, he recommends metallurgical and PCI coal for blast furnace operations worldwide and connects mines with iron and steel-making facilities. Dr. Kodukula combines deep scientific and technical expertise with dynamic market conditions, strategic leadership and global collaboration. He has received several recognitions, including the National Mineral Award (India), the Raman Research Fellow, and ArcelorMittal Global Performance Excellence Award.
He holds a Ph.D. in Geology/Mineral Processing and has authored a significant number of technical publications and technical reports.
Dr. Bristow has been actively involved in the steel and steelmaking raw materials industries for over 22 years. During this time, he has led numerous investigations in coal and iron ore technical and market research, minerals strategy development, and market planning for BHP’s coal business, and was Chief Analyst for BHP Billiton’s Carbon Steel Materials Group, leading the Market Intelligence Group in Singapore.
His key expertise in steel, metallurgical coal, iron ore, and manganese ore and ferroalloys, coupled with strategic vision and long term analysis on future directions in emerging markets, saw him as an early proponent of the rebirth of the global steel industry, the rise of China and of coal’s growth story, together with a strong belief in China’s emergence as a major seaborne metallurgical coal importer. He has been a strong advocate for India’s growing coal demand.
In April 2009, he formed H&W Worldwide Consulting, putting his strong market analysis and strategy skills to good use across bulk commodities, including iron ore and coal –for both coking and thermal.
As an internationally recognized expert in areas of steel and steelmaking raw materials, long term trends and scenarios, he has written and presented numerous publications at highly respected international conferences and meetings.
Dr. John F. Quanci is SunCoke Energy’s Vice President of Engineering and Technology, and Chief Technology Officer. In his present position, Dr. Quanci is helping build critical competencies and improving/advancing SunCoke’s existing technology as well as leading the development of next generation coking technology for both US and international applications in the pursuit of global growth opportunities.
Dr. Quanci has over 25 years in US and overseas experience in process research, development, plant optimization and in plant manufacturing experience, and has managed a breadth of organizations internal and external to Petroleum industry such as Mobil Research, Mobil Oil, BP/Mobil, Exxon/Mobil, Sunoco, Rodel and Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials (now Dow Electronic Materials). Prior to SunCoke, his most recent position was Director, Corporate Technology within Sunoco’s Corporate Engineering & Technology organization in which he leads their initiatives to consolidate and leverage process technology/expertise across all of their business units.
Dr. Quanci earned a Ph.D. and Masters in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University and a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and Science in New York City. Dr. Quanci is also a registered Professional Engineer and has over forty US and international patents and patent applications.
Manager of Technology and Operations. Cokemaking, AK Steel Corporation 2005-2019
Senior Stuff Engineer. Cokemaking, AK Steel Corporation 1990-2005
Director of Research Laboratory . Eastern Coal and Chemicals Institute, Russia , 1985-1989
Senior and Principal Research Fellow. Eastern Coal and Chemicals Institute, Russia , 1973-1985
Over 40 years experience in all aspects of Cokemaking including R & D, Operations, Quality and Process Control, Environmental and Safety management.
20 publications and 2 patents, Russia, related to cokemaking, preheat charge technology, heat transfer in coke ovens and process optimization.
Education:
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Metallurgical Engineering. Eastern Coal and Chemical Institute, 1979 – 1985
MS, Metallurgical Engineering. Ural State Technical University, 1967-1973
AIST Cokemaking Technology Committee, Chair, 2014-2016
Dr Hardarshan Valia retired as a Staff Scientist at Inland Steel Research Laboratories (now Arcelor Mittal), and is currently the President of Coal Science, Inc. He has published more than 85 scientific articles and various book chapters including in “Making, Shaping, and Treating of Steel,” and in “New Trends in Coal Conversion,” and co-authored a book entitled “Indiana Coals and the Steel Industry,” and is a contributor to American Iron and Steel Institute’s web site. He has been honored with the Joseph Becker Award (Iron & Steel Society), the Joseph Kapitan Award (Association for Iron & Steel Technology), and the American Iron & Steel Institute Presidential Medal. He received his Ph.D. in Geology from Boston University.
Currently residing in Fernie, British Columbia. Attended University of Alberta and got a degree in Materials Engineering in 2007.
Began working at Fording River Operations as a Metallurgist with Elk Valley Coal company, which later became Teck Coal. In Teck I have worked as a Metallurgist at Teck’s Fording River Operations, Greenhills Operations, Line Creek Operations and its Lead-Zinc smelter. For the last 3 years I have been working with Technical Marketing for our Coal Business Unit.
Charles Dayton is an associate director of research at McCloskey by OPIS, a Dow Jones Company. He is a subject matter expert in coking coal and in supply and demand modelling and forecasting and an expert in macroeconomic analysis and how coal and steel demand are affected by macroeconomic events. He also has extensive experience working in consulting roles and interfacing with the investor community while at Doyle Trading Consultants – a predecessor company ultimately acquired by Dow Jones.
Prior to joining Dow Jones Charles headed up investor relations for coal producer Arch Resources and held a variety of market research, IT and business development positions within Arch. He also worked in equity analysis for Edward Jones - a Fortune 100 financial firm and is a former Army officer and decorated veteran having served two combat tours in Iraq.
Charles holds an undergraduate degree from William and Mary and two masters degrees: an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and a Masters in IT Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
David Ailor has been with the Washington, D.C.-based American Coke and Coal Chemicals Institute for more than 20 years. His tenure with ACCCI includes 16 years, from 1989 – 2005, as ACCCI’s first Director of Regulatory Affairs; and, six years, from 2015 to the present, as President of the Institute.
As ACCCI President, Mr. Ailor, who reports to ACCCI’s Board of Directors, organizes and manages four off-site meetings of the Institute each year, including ACCCI’s Annual Meeting, a Business Meeting of the Board, and biannual meetings of ACCCI’s “Manufacturing, Environmental, and Safety and Health” (MESH) Committee. Additionally, he prepares and manages an annual budget for the Institute.
Mr. Ailor also has many of the same responsibilities he had from 1989 – 2005, when he served as ACCCI Director of Regulatory Affairs. His overall responsibility in this area is
monitoring and reporting to ACCCI’s membership on Federal agency actions on environmental and employee safety issues of potential concern to the membership. Related responsibilities include analyzing regulations/legislation; formulating policy positions; developing regulatory responses; and, working with the relevant regulatory agencies (EPA, OSHA) to ensure the reasonableness of the regulations being developed.
Nathan Hyrne is Director of ClimateBright for The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W), a leader in energy and environmental products and services for power and industrial markets worldwide.
Nathan is responsible for the Company’s strategic growth in Clean Energy including B&W’s SolveBright CO2 capture system, OxyBright oxy-firing system, BrightGen hydrogen firing system, and BrightLoop hydrogen production system.
Nathan is a military veteran who then earned is Bachelor of Science, Engineering Degree. He started with Babcock & Wilcox in 2005 as a Field Service Engineer. Nathan’s role grew in complexity quickly. He was invaluable as lead commissioning engineer for a 3x700MW scrubber project that paved the way for B&W’s SolveBright CO2 scrubber design & build knowledge. His B&W project execution knowledge grew as he worked closely with process & design engineers while on site advising the construction team.
From 2009 to 2014 Nathan commissioned and tuned environmental systems for NOx, SOx, CO, Hg, & HCl reduction. He worked on coal, gas, and biomass fired power plants around the world. Clients trust in Nathan grew as he turned over reliable systems and followed up with support.
In 2015 B&W asked Nathan to lead efforts in strategic growth. He developed new projects in biomass, utility coal conversions, petrochemical, and steel. His knowledge of B&W technology and organization continues to lead to many successful projects.
• Bachelor in Metallurgical Engineering at the UFMG Federal University in Brazil.
• Product Specialist for Coke & Ironmaking at SMS group Inc.
• Worked for 10 years at SMS group in Brazil as Project Engineer and later as Sales Engineer for Cokemaking Business Unit. More recently, relocated to Pittsburgh to work at SMS group Inc. as Product Specialist and Sales Engineer for Coke & Iron Business Units.
• Through the years, had the opportunity to perform several projects around the world, including engineering development and site works such as supervision and commissioning.
team in February 2020, Sean brings more than 30 years of passion for Ceramic Materials with expertise is Engineering, Manufacturing, Development, Marketing and Technology; a Black Belt in Six Sigma and fluent in business Spanish. Segments served include glass manufacturing, foundry applications and primary metals processes.
Sean was the Technology and Manufacturing Leader for the STELCO project, the single largest supply contract in Fosbel history.
Sean’s career at Vesuvius featured positions of Plant Manager, Product Development Laboratory Manager and following a 5 year Expatriate assignment in Monterrey Mexico, Product Line Manager for Isostatic Products. Sean graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Ceramic Engineering, earned a Masters in Business Administration from Gannon University, was selected to attend the Global Leadership Program at INSEAD. As a member of the Top 100 within Vesuvius he attended the annual Global Executive retreat.
An avid cyclist, golfer, reader, and traveler.
Bio coming soon
SunCoke Energy provides high-quality coke to the integrated steel industry under long-term, take-or-pay contracts that pass through commodity and certain operating costs to customers. Utilizes an innovative heat-recovery cokemaking technology that captures excess heat for steam or electrical power generation. Cokemaking facilities located in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, USA; and Brazil. Additionally, provides export and domestic coal handling services to the coke, coal, steel and power industries. Material handling terminals with the collective capacity to blend and transload more than 40 million tons each year, strategically located to reach Gulf Coast, East Coast, Great Lakes and international ports.
