OREANDA-NEWS. July 16, 2012. Gerdau's Chairman, Jorge Gerdau Johannpeter, was awarded by the Americas Society with the Gold Medal, which is a recognition made annually to individuals who have worked in favor of the countries located in the Americas. The businessman was honored on May 22 in New York, USA, for his entrepreneurialism and dedication to improving the quality of management of public and private sectors in Brazil. At the occasion, the Gold Medal was also awarded to the Chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola, Muhtar Kent.

Founded by David Rockefeller in 1965, the Americas Society is the foremost organization dedicated to promoting a better understanding of the political, social, and economic issues faced by countries in the Americas.

Gerdau is a leading producer of long steel in the Americas and one of the largest suppliers of special steel in the world. With over 45,000 employees, it has industrial operations in 14 countries - in the Americas, Europe and Asia - which together represent an installed capacity of over 25 million metric tons of steel per year. It is the largest recycler in Latin America and around the world it transforms, each year, millions of metric tons of scrap into steel, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. With more than 140,000 shareholders, the Company is listed on the stock exchanges of Sao Paulo, New York and Madrid.