Kathy Eigel is VP of Administration. She is one of four partners who own MCA and she has been a part of the company since 1988. When she started Kathy split her time between the order desk at Palatine and the office. Over the years her role has expanded. Today she not only handles all employee-related issues and office equipment and systems, but she’s also learned how things need to be done to service customers in the best way possible and to keep MCA in good standing with its vendors. “I like the variety of what I do, I am a Jack of all trades,” says Eigel. “And ultimately, I am responsible for all of it.”

Sandy Verdung has been with MCA for seven years, starting out doing accounts receivables. She now also handles billing, bank reconcilliations, sales tax and collection calls. Prior to coming to MCA she worked for a finance company in their accounting department.

Heather Stebelton is the most recent addition to the staff. She has been with MCA for five years and is responsible for accounts payable and the Web site.

After work each lives very different lives with various challenges and interests.

Heather has a seven year old son, Zachery, and a dog, Lucy. Helping with homework and driving Zach to karate and other activities keeps her going. Heather also enjoys boating and camping with her family in the summer.

Sandy has a daughter, Melissa, who is studying elementary education. When the weather permits, Sandy enjoys riding with her husband, Brett, on their Harley.

Kathy, who is an avid Cubs fan, is close to her large family of three sisters and one brother. Her mom and dad - as well as two sisters - live in Colorado. Her other sister lives in Tacoma and her brother is stationed in Korea. During her time away from the office Kathy enjoys reading mystery novels, fishing and golfing with good friends. Kathy has a pet Schnauzer, Digger, who comes to work everyday and is the official MCA mascot.

All three are grateful for the fine customers and suppliers that are part of MCA’s extended family and wish them a great spring building season.

If you don’t know let me tell you that the price of a ton of scrap steel, the kind that is used to make re-bar and fasteners for construction, has nearly tripled in just the past 12 months. It’s gone from $93 to $253 per ton.

The main reasons this has occurred include:

• China is building its infrastructure – As China quickly evolves from a third-world country into a major worldwide manufacturing center their government is building better roadways and bridges for efficient transportation of goods. The country also needs more urban housing as the rural masses settle in the cities where the factories – and jobs – are located. All of this new construction in a country of 1.26 billion people is creating an overwhelming and unprecedented demand for scrap steel across the globe.
• India raised prices 30% and Germany raised prices 40% - Large overseas producers of steel have raised the price of steel significantly in the past few months.

The bad news is that higher prices are affecting all of us in a very real and very painful way. The good news is that this situation is affecting your competitors as much as it is affecting you. No one is spared and no one has an unfair advantage in the domestic marketplace.

We at MCA are on top of this situation and are doing all that we can to make sure we take care of all our loyal customers. We have instituted policies that prohibit stockpiling by any customer or groups of customers and we will NOT go after new business for steel related items.

We’re all in this together so let’s do our best to get through this tough time.