CHICAGO — Alcoa Materials Management vice president of metal purchasing Rich Markiewicz is retiring after 44 years in the metals industry.

Markiewicz has worked as a vice president of the Knoxville, Tenn.-based division of Alcoa Inc. and Alumax Inc., which was acquired by Alcoa in 1998, for 17 years, he said in an interview with AMM.

He is retiring Jan. 31 and will be replaced by Mike Callahan, whose background is in logistics, effective Feb. 1.

Markiewicz began his career in 1969 at the former U.S. Reduction, a secondary aluminum smelter in East Chicago, Ind. In 1975, Markiewicz joined trading firm Philipp Brothers, at the time among the largest trading companies in the world. He served there until 1990 as a senior vice president of trading, focusing primarily on nonferrous metals and aluminum in particular.

After leaving Philipp Brothers and before coming to Alumax, Markiewicz served in vice president positions at Fred Lonner Inc., where he traded primary aluminum, and at Russia-based AIOC.

“I’ve been fortunate to have my entire 44-year career in the nonferrous scrap and prime aluminum business,” Markiewicz said.

Markiewicz has been married for 47 years, has four children and five grandchildren, and intends to continue to live in the Knoxville area “for a few more years,” he said.