To: All Freeport Employees
From: Josh Olmsted, President and Chief Operating Officer-Americas
Date: March 17, 2025
I am pleased to announce the following organizational changes, effective April 1, 2025, that will better align our smelter, rod and refining operations with FM Americas’ objectives. This restructuring will provide new opportunities for growth and development, positioning our downstream operations for future success.
John Quinn, currently General Manager-El Paso, will assume the newly created role of General Manager-Downstream Strategic Solutions. He will oversee our downstream strategic projects, including permanent cathode technology and antimony-bismuth control in copper electrolyte. Additionally, he will support the Refined Sales team. John will report to Mark Albertsen, General Manager-Miami.
John joined the company in 1992 at El Paso, holding leadership positions at the company’s corporate office in Phoenix and Miami operations before being named General Manager- El Paso in 2007. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in metallurgical engineering from Montana Tech.
Roger Laija, currently Manager-Rod Mills for Miami and El Paso, will become General Manager-Rod and Refining, based in El Paso. In this role, Roger will have expanded responsibility for rod and refining operations at both El Paso and Miami. He will report directly to Mark. For rod mill operations, he will have dotted-line reporting to Randy Nickle, Senior Vice President-Sales and Marketing.
Roger joined the company in 1996 in operations at El Paso, becoming Quality Assurance Laboratory Supervisor in 2003. He was promoted to Manager-Quality Assurance in 2006 at the company’s then-owned Norwich rod plant in Connecticut. He transferred to the Miami rod plant in 2008, where he has taken on increasing responsibilities, including overseeing both the El Paso and Miami rod mills since 2023 and implementing rod quality process improvements. Roger is a U.S. Navy veteran and holds a bachelor’s degree in business management.
Brandon Steinborn, currently Technical Superintendent-Acid Plant, will become Manager-Smelter Operations at Miami, with responsibility for efficient and safe smelter operations. He will report to Mark.
Brandon joined the company in 2013 as Metallurgist I at Miami. He was promoted to Senior Metallurgist in 2016 and Senior Supervisor-Convertor operations in 2018. He moved into acid plant operations in 2022. Brandon has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in metallurgical engineering from Montana Tech.
Please join me in supporting John, Roger and Brandon in their new roles.