Leroy Ball named Lead Independent Director
DALLAS, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ATI Inc. (NYSE: ATI) announced that at the conclusion of its 2026 Annual Meeting today, Kimberly A. Fields became Board Chair in addition to her role as Chief Executive Officer and President.
Her appointment, announced in November 2025, coincides with Robert S. Wetherbee's retirement from the ATI Board of Directors, which he had chaired since 2021.
In addition, reflecting ATI's long-standing commitment to independent Board oversight and robust corporate governance, Leroy M. Ball became its Lead Independent Director, succeeding J. Brett Harvey, who also retired from the ATI Board at the conclusion of the 2026 Annual Meeting. In this role, Ball will oversee the continued independent and efficient operation of the Board and, as necessary, serve as a liaison between the independent members of the Board and ATI's management and other stakeholders.
In announcing Fields' new role, Wetherbee said "Returning to the combined roles of CEO and Chair promotes unified leadership and direction for the Company, allowing a clear, sharp focus on the efficient implementation of ATI's strategies to increase shareholder value.
"In the two years since Kim became CEO, ATI has continued to strengthen operational performance, expanded capacity to support accelerating demand, and advanced as a leader in aerospace and defense," said Wetherbee. "With Kim at the helm, ATI has delivered significant value for shareholders through disciplined execution and strong market performance. The Board is confident in ATI's future under her leadership."
"I'm honored to assume the role of Board Chair and grateful for the Board's confidence," said Fields. "ATI is well positioned for continued growth as we expand our leadership in aerospace and defense and specialty energy. We'll continue delivering long-term value for our shareholders. I thank Bob for his leadership and many contributions to ATI."
Fields has served as Chief Executive Officer since July 1, 2024, following a series of senior leadership roles, including both President and Chief Operating Officer, since 2019. She has been a director on the Company's Board since February 2024.
ATI: Proven to Perform
ATI (NYSE: ATI) is a global producer of high-performance materials and solutions for the aerospace & defense markets, and specialty energy. We're solving the world's most difficult challenges through materials science. We partner with our customers to deliver extraordinary materials that enable their greatest achievements: their products fly higher and faster, burn hotter, dive deeper, stand stronger and last longer. Our proprietary process technologies, unique customer partnerships and commitment to innovation deliver materials and solutions for today and the evermore challenging environments of tomorrow. We are proven to perform anywhere. ATImaterials.com.
SOURCE ATI
