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Oral History Interview with Kenneth Iverson, June 11, 1999. Interview I-0083. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
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  • Abstract
    Kenneth Iverson describes his rise through the steel industry. An innovator in both the social and business side of management, Iverson rose to become president of Nucor Steel in 1964, and he quickly restructured the struggling company, moving it to Charlotte in 1966 and turning it into a profitable business. He seemed to have little trouble dismantling racial segregation or breaking down gender barriers, and while he disapproves of unions, he insists that Nucor's policies reward its employees enough that they have little need of union protection.
    Excerpts
  • Company president dismantles racial barriers
  • Business leader stays out of politics
  • Reluctance to get involved in politics gives way
  • Company benefits should preclude unionization
  • Company president willingly hires women
  • Flexibility as corporate philosophy
  • Company leader attempts to avoid industry's historic resistance to innovation
  • Description of hiring practices
  • Risk earns reward
  • Environmentalism on the rise
  • Business expansion dulls regional differences
  • Belief in providing for employees
  • Learn More
  • Finding aid to the Southern Oral History Program Collection
  • Database of all Southern Oral History Program Collection interviews
  • Subjects
  • Iverson, Ken
  • Nucor Corporation
  • Steel industry and trade--North Carolina--Charlotte
  • Iron and steel workers--North Carolina
  • The Southern Oral History Program transcripts presented here on Documenting the American South undergo an editorial process to remove transcription errors. Texts may differ from the original transcripts held by the Southern Historical Collection.

    Funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this title.