With over 30 years of experience in refractories within the steel industry, encompassing installation, engineering, and management, Tom Vert has established a distinguished career at the intersection of steelmaking operations and refractory technology.

He is the author of the textbook “Refractory Material Selection for Steelmaking” (2016), a widely recognized practical reference in the steel and refractory sectors, and has published nine technical articles on the subject. His contributions to the field have been recognized through numerous honors, including the 2020 T. J. Planje Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Ceramic Society, and recognition as a Distinguished Life Member of UNITECR, the international conference on refractories.

Throughout his career, Tom Vert has demonstrated a strong commitment to education and knowledge transfer, having trained more than 300 professionals from steel plant operations, maintenance, technology, purchasing, and refractory manufacturing.

As an Independent Consultant since 2018 under Strategic Refractory Consulting, he has served as a strategic advisor to a refractory company CEO in India, conducted marketing and feasibility studies for refractory and raw material companies, and designed refractory applications for steel plants worldwide.

Previously, he spent 23 years in steel plant management, progressing from Technology Leader to Chief Operating Officer at ArcelorMittal Dofasco, a 4.0 million-tonne integrated steel plant in Canada.

In addition to his technical and managerial accomplishments, Tom Vert is pursuing a Master of Arts in Theology at the University of Notre Dame, with 75 percent of the program completed and expected graduation in 2026.

Yakup Bayram, PhD, is the Founder and CEO of PaneraTech, a global leader in data-driven asset health and process management solutions for heavy industries such as glass and steel. Under his leadership, PaneraTech has become a pioneer in managing refractory-based assets, ensuring safety, extending asset life, and addressing the workforce experience gap in asset management. Supporting over 150 plants globally, PaneraTech introduced the world’s first radar-based refractory thickness sensor in the glass industry and is among the first to deploy an industrial AI copilot for managing critical refractory assets in the steel industry. Through a human-centric manufacturing strategy supported by AI, Yakup focuses on driving efficiency, sustainability, and innovation across the manufacturing sector. He holds a BSc from Bilkent University (2001) and a PhD from The Ohio State University (2006), both in Electrical Engineering.

Mauro Cueva is an MBA Candidate at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business with a background in engineering, digital transformation, and global procurement. He has led large-scale initiatives across manufacturing and industrial sectors, including CAPEX management, e-commerce platform deployment, and CRM integration.

At Nutec Group, he spearheaded the development of digital platforms and capital investments that enhanced production efficiency and strengthened competitiveness. His work has consistently focused on driving efficiency, innovation, and growth in industrial operations.