Alcoa's Bill Christopher raises his profile as new leader of Greater Cleveland Partnership

Bill Christopher may be the most powerful man you don't know. The imperturbable Alcoa executive has stepped into the spotlight as chairman of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the region's largest chamber of commerce and economic development nonprofit. Squire Sanders lawyer Fred Nance, a past chairman of the partnership, calls Christopher "one of those quiet Cleveland assets."

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Clik here to view.View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain DealerBill Christopher, an executive vice president of Alcoa Inc. and group president of the company's engineered products and solutions business, is the new chairman of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, a regional chamber of commerce and economic development group.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bill Christopher may be the most powerful man you don't know.

The imperturbable Alcoa executive has stepped into the spotlight as chairman of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the region's largest chamber of commerce and economic development nonprofit.

These are lofty heights for the native of Pennsylvania, whose early aspiration was to be a plant manager for Alcoa Inc., the global producer of aluminum.

He's risen well beyond that.

From his corner quarters at an office building in Independence, Christopher oversees 94 plants worldwide -- he's been to most of them -- and 21,000 workers for Alcoa's Engineered Products group.

The group reported $4.7 billion in sales last year, cranking out aluminum and alloy parts for cars, trucks and jets.

The stature of his job and steadfast support for Alcoa's Harvard Avenue plant in Cuyahoga Heights, which faced a possible shutdown in the mid 1990s, brought him to the attention of the region's business leaders in the early 2000s.

Now, he's the lead voice for the powerful corporate community. He'll manage the partnership's top priorities, which include teaming with city officials to keep Cleveland Hopkins International Airport viable as the mega-merger of Continental Airlines and United Airlines plays out.

Christopher, 56, seems content with a low profile. Squire Sanders lawyer Fred Nance, a past chairman of the partnership, calls Christopher "one of those quiet Cleveland assets."

So why take on a job that will be scrutinized by the partnership's 17,000 member businesses, elected officials, civic leaders and the media?

Christopher said the region has significant opportunity within reach.

"If you can actually apply yourself to help realize that, then I think it's the right thing to do," he said.

It's a can-do ethic, embedded in the son of a millworker and a nurse. He's been working since age 12, when he delivered the Delaware County Times newspaper every day in a Philadelphia suburb.

Two things were clear for Christopher and four younger siblings growing up.

"There was no debate about whether you would do well in school," he said, "and whether you would go to college."

Christopher described his scholastic efforts as "inconsistent." He was a high achiever in high school science and math, his favorite subjects, but also discovered two literary works that he's read multiple times since, Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" and J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye."

"It's two ends of the spectrum," he said of his favorite reads. "Everything in the middle now are murder mysteries or business books."

He enrolled in chemistry at Penn State University, but began feeling the draw of business. He switched to accounting.

"I always believed if you could understand how and where you made money, you could probably figure out the rest of it," he said.

Alcoa hired him in 1975 at their Pittsburgh headquarters. After moving through roles in finance, production control and manufacturing, Christopher yearned to be in charge. A mentor urged him to move into sales and marketing, to get past the manufacturing conceit and round out his skills.

"The manufacturing perspective is that sales people should sell what you like to make," he said. "Then you go to the other side and you say, 'What if no one buys what you like to make?' "

Christopher embraced the goal of "sustainable competitive advantage" -- giving customers a product and service they will value over the long haul.

His ascent brought him to Cleveland in 1996, when he was named president of the Cleveland-based Forged Products division. The Harvard Avenue plant was one of the division's largest. But its future was in question.

Christopher said he found a skilled work force committed to the plant's success. Productivity and investment at the plant climbed.

"We were able to pull together a pretty strong organization and turn things around," Christopher said.

The plant's viability faced yet another threat when a massive press used to shape parts for jet fighters broke down nearly two years ago.

State, county and local agencies last year pledged $20.6 million in loans, grants and tax breaks toward a $68 million upgrade of the press. Those incentives came with a commitment that Alcoa will increase the plant work force to 1,000, from 700.

The union and Alcoa management struck a contract extension that effectively gives up wage increases this year and next, to help offset the cost of the press upgrade.

Yet a union leader said Christopher's loyalty to Cleveland is appreciated.

"He's one of the reasons the plant will be here for the next 20 to 30 years," said Jeff Judson, president of the United Auto Workers Local 1050.

That local allegiance was one reason leaders at the Greater Cleveland Partnership recruited Christopher -- first, to lead its government-advocacy committee from 2006 to 2008, and now to chair the partnership's 70-member board.

He took the seat in March, succeeding KeyCorp Chairman and Chief Executive Henry Meyer.

Nance, a past chairman of the partnership, said duties include chairing monthly meetings of the partnership's executive committee and near-daily talks with Joe Roman, the partnership's executive director.

"He gives [Roman] direction as to what our priorities are, when to push hard and when not to, and who to interface with," Nance said.

Christopher is a "cool customer," Nance said.

"He's got a style that entertains discussion but moves quickly to a resolution," Nance said. "It plays very well with the people around the table."

Christopher said topping his agenda is Hopkins airport.

The partnership has joined with the city "to extol the virtues of what we've got here and make it an integral part" of the merger of Continental and United.

Their pitch includes the potential for stronger local demand at Hopkins in the coming years, given the opening of a casino and convention center-medical mart downtown.

"There are a lot of ways we can absolutely have a value proposition that's integral to the merged airline," he said.

Other priorities for Christopher and the partnership include:

• The medical mart and convention center.

"We're going to get actively engaged in what we think are the last two or three remaining opportunities to push that over the line, so that it all comes together for a groundbreaking this fall," Christopher said.

• The reform of Cleveland schools.

Christopher said he likes the far-reaching and controversial plan, which aims to lift student achievement.

"We absolutely believe that transformation of the education system is essential to economic development," said Christopher.

Experts from the business community worked with Cleveland Schools Superintendent Gene Sanders to refine the plan's financial assumptions, Christopher said.

• Government reform. Business leaders, including Christopher, contributed to and helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Cuyahoga County's reform, approved by voters last November.

Business leaders serve on reform subcommittees and are helping streamline the process leading to the new government structure next year, Christopher said.

But the partnership is not interested in unduly influencing the process, he said.

His overarching challenge, Christopher said, is strengthening the region's business climate, whether it's retaining air service at Hopkins or seeing that fixes to the state's looming budget deficit don't squeeze businesses.

"We've got to ensure we have the right environment for business to get established, grow and succeed," he said.