Meet Keith Smith: Men and Women Building North America Series

When Keith Smith joined Kloeckner Metals at 19, he didn’t know a thing about steel. Initially, he had planned to study computer science, until Hurricane Katrina destroyed his college and upended everything. And like many people in the aftermath, he was searching for purpose. That’s when his stepfather, Martin “Buck” Graham — a 40-year veteran of the steel industry — pointed him toward the company.

Keith took a chance and never looked back.

Eighteen years later, Keith is the Assistant Operations Manager at Kloeckner’s New Orleans branch. But titles only tell part of the story. Keith is the kind of leader who still steps in on a Saturday to run the press brake with his team. “I have a very teaching mindset,” he said. “I started from virtually no knowledge; I knew nothing about the steel industry. And still to this day, I’ll occasionally come in on the weekend and work the press brake with the guys.”

A Career Forged in Steel and Resilience

Keith’s journey began on the floor, starting as a helper and quickly moving up to press brake operator. He spent six years mastering the machine, eventually becoming the lead operator. Then came CAD programming, project estimation and bidding, and a growing reputation as someone who could do just about anything.

As of 2024, Keith serves as the Assistant Operations Manager in New Orleans, where he works alongside Operations Manager Bryce Rose to oversee everything from production scheduling to hiring and safety. He runs safety meetings for both shifts, contributes to quality control, especially with press operations, and helps ensure customer needs are met with precision and care.

Cornhole and Coaching: Life Outside the Shop Floor

Outside of work, Keith is equally driven. One of his most unique hobbies? Competitive cornhole. What started during the COVID shutdown as backyard games with friends turned into something much bigger. He joined a local league, eventually playing 10 seasons and even becoming a regional director for the American Cornhole League (ACL), where he hosted major events that brought in over 100 players.

At one point, Keith launched his own cornhole league in St. Bernard Parish, running Thursday night competitions with an average of 25 teams per season. “It’s not just about throwing a bag at a board,” he said. “There’s real strategy and skill involved—and it brings people together.”

Then there’s baseball. Keith has been coaching his three kids in rec sports since tee-ball. He served on the board of his local booster club for five years and continues to give back to the community in whatever way he can, helping kids build confidence and skills on and off the field.

This season, he’s especially excited. His oldest son’s team is reuniting the original lineup from their very first year together at age six.  Keith plans to create a walk-up video that shows them back then, transitioning to now at age thirteen. “It’s going to be special,” he said. “You don’t always get to see a full-circle moment like that.”

The People Behind the Progress

Keith didn’t set out to build a career in steel, but he built one anyway, one hard-earned opportunity at a time. Now he’s paying it forward by being the kind of leader others can look up to, just like Buck was for him.

That kind of grit and dedication doesn’t just move products. It builds people, strong teams, and an even stronger future for Kloeckner.

We’re proud to have Keith as part of the Kloeckner family and even prouder to highlight the men and women like him who help build North America, day after day.