CINCINNATI, OH, September 08, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Gregory Kauffman has been recognized for achievement in the metals industry.

Mr. Kauffman currently serves as the vice president of commercial for Ferragon Corporation, a position he has held since the spring of 2022. Headquartered in Cleveland, the company is recognized as a leading metals services provider in the nation that supports manufacturing supply chains across many industries, including automotive, energy, construction, agriculture and general fabrication.

In this leading role, Mr. Kauffman is responsible for reviewing reports and open quotes, following up on ongoing projects, meeting with customers, and responding to urgent service issues. His workweek is structured to allow for focused administrative oversight early in the week, with Wednesdays through Fridays dedicated to meetings, calls and in-person visits that keep orders and projects progressing. Mr. Kauffman also frequently travels throughout the Midwest and beyond, visiting customers in locations such as Alabama, Arkansas, Cleveland, Detroit and western Pennsylvania. His approach is characterized by direct involvement and despite having direct reports, he prefers to join his team on sales calls and plant tours rather than delegate entirely.

Among Mr. Kauffman's proudest achievements at Ferragon Corporation has been his role in fostering growth at Ferragon's HyCAL Corp. division. When he joined the company, HyCAL had not yet secured strong relationships with major automotive original equipment manufacturers. Through Mr. Kauffman's industry relationships and hands-on leadership, the division forged strong relationships with General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Stellantis, as well as smaller electric vehicle manufacturers like Rivian. Early-stage development work with Volkswagen and Tesla further underscores the division's progress under Mr. Kauffman's guidance. He credits much of this turnaround to his and his team's efforts and considers it a defining accomplishment in his career.

Mr. Kauffman served as a technical sales manager at Chemcoaters in Gary, Indiana, from 2021 to 2022. This role provided unique challenges due to the company's smaller size and lack of national brand recognition. Mr. Kauffman quickly honed his territory development skills and learned to distinguish between warm leads and cold prospects while delivering concise pitches to potential clients. The experience strengthened his sales acumen and fostered enduring professional relationships with company leadership.

Before his contributions to Chemcoaters, Mr. Kauffman was the regional sales manager for SSAB in the southeastern United States. Initially joining SSAB's plate division in 2015, he worked closely with job shops purchasing large steel plates for heavy equipment manufacturing. After two years, Mr. Kauffman transitioned to the automotive group where he managed major accounts, including General Motors, Nissan, Ford, Toyota and Honda. Representing a European mill competing against larger North American firms during the early stages of Section 232 tariffs sharpened his negotiation skills as he navigated complex procurement processes involving significant budgets.

Mr. Kauffman's earlier tenure at Worthington Steel from 2010 to 2015 marked his entry into the metals industry. Starting as a junior territory manager before assuming responsibility for Kentucky-based operations, he sold steel products to agricultural, mining and automotive companies as well as renewable energy manufacturers. He also managed several national accounts involving heavy truck customers.

Pivoting into the metals sector, Mr. Kauffman had previously built a foundation in law over more than a decade following his graduation from law school in 1997. He began as an insurance defense attorney at Huelat & Gardner LLC in South Bend-Mishawaka, Indiana, from 2000 to 2001 before moving to Wilson Associates in Elkhart County in 2001. In 2002, Mr. Kauffman established Kauffman Law Offices in South Bend-Mishawaka, where he practiced until late 2009. His legal practice included criminal defense work as a public defender handling major felony cases and earning certification for death penalty cases. Between legal roles, Mr. Kauffman also contributed at LexisNexis in Dayton, Ohio, from 2008 to 2010 as an inside customer service support specialist assisting law firms, judges and courts with legal research tools.

Mr. Kauffman's academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy at The Ohio State University in Columbus in 1994, followed by a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, earned in 1997. His undergraduate studies fostered critical thinking skills that later informed both his legal practice, particularly constitutional law, and his transition into business leadership roles within the steel industry.

Throughout his career in metals and law, Mr. Kauffman has demonstrated a commitment to continuous learning by regularly reading trade publications, such as Metal Center's News, and evaluating new technologies like artificial intelligence quoting tools for improved customer service efficiency. Additionally, since 2021, he has served on the Detroit region board of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries.

Beyond professional commitments, Mr. Kauffman is civically engaged as a regular donor to Ronald McDonald House. He has also volunteered as a builder for Habitat for Humanity. Mr. Kauffman attributes much of his success to the support of his parents and siblings. Guidance from mentors throughout both phases of his career also proved invaluable when navigating unfamiliar challenges or periods of uncertainty. Furthermore, faith has played an important role for Mr. Kauffman by reinforcing resilience during difficult times and encouraging him to make the most of each day.

Looking ahead, while content in his current role at Ferragon Corporation, Mr. Kauffman envisions future possibilities that include advancing into executive vice president positions within steel companies or manufacturers or potentially founding a steel company himself. He remains committed to identifying young talent within the industry and hopes to continue coaching others based on lessons learned throughout his career in metals.

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