Board of Directors

Business Unit Leaders

Executive Council

Leadership Council

Leroy M. Ball is Chief Executive Officer of Koppers and serves on the company’s Board of Directors. Under Leroy’s leadership, Koppers focuses on safely and sustainably delivering customer-focused solutions through the development and application of technologies to enhance and preserve wood. Additionally, he has placed special emphasis on advancing the company’s people-first culture.

Leroy joined Koppers in September 2010 as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, providing oversight for the finance, treasury, information technology and investor relations functions. From May to December 2014, he held the role of Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility for the company’s global business operations. He was elected President and Chief Executive Officer in January 2015.

Prior to Koppers, Leroy spent 10 years with Calgon Carbon Corporation, an international chemical company. During this time, he served as Controller before being named Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 2002. He also served as President of the company’s majority-owned Japanese joint venture. Previously, Leroy held several positions in finance with Carmeuse Lime Co./Dravo Corporation.

Leroy is a member of the Board of Directors for ATI Inc., a global specialty materials company, and Highmark Inc., a leading health insurance organization. Active in the local community, he serves on the Boards of Directors for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, The Advanced Leadership Initiative (TALI), and the Duquesne Club.

In 2024, the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Three Rivers Chapter honored Leroy with the Director of the Year Award for Leadership in Company Governance. In 2020, he received the Chuck Cooper Foundation Leadership Award for his commitment to promoting diversity and making a positive community impact. In 2019, DEKRA Organizational Safety and Reliability recognized him with its Safety in Action ICON Award. In 2018, the 

 selected Leroy as an Outstanding CEO. He also was honored in 2016 with the Board Diversity Ambassador Award from 2020 Women on Boards, Pittsburgh.

Leroy received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Florida International University and earned an MBA from Robert Morris University.

He resides in the Pittsburgh area with his wife, Ginger, and is the proud father of two daughters, Leah and Ally.

Chief Executive Officer + Board Chair

Stephanie L. Apostolou is Chief Legal and Sustainability Officer and Secretary for Koppers, responsible for overseeing all aspects of our Legal, Risk Management, Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Zero Harm functions in addition to coordinating matters relating to the Board of Directors.

Stephanie joined Koppers in 2011 as Corporate Counsel and subsequently served as Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Secretary before being named General Counsel and Secretary in 2020.

As Chief Legal and Sustainability Officer and Secretary, she oversees the Legal, Risk Management and Strategic Planning functions as well as supervises the continuation and expansion of Koppers Sustainability program and Zero Harm safety culture.Additionally, as Secretary, she supports and coordinates the Company’s corporate governance function and matters relating to the Board of Directors.

Prior to her career at Koppers, she served as an associate in the Corporate and Securities practice group of a major national law firm and held various finance roles with a leading financial services provider.

She is a member of the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania and the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Stephanie earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance and French from the University of Notre Dame, and a juris doctor from the University of Notre Dame Law School.

Chief Legal and Sustainability Officer and Secretary

Tushar Lovalekar is Vice President, Information Technology at Koppers. In this role, Tushar oversees the company’s global IT operations, including stakeholder relations, strategy, governance, and digital transformation.

During his 20-year tenure at Koppers, Tushar has held various positions of increasing responsibility within the IT function, working on initiatives related to ERP systems, mobile computing, data analytics, SOX compliance, and cybersecurity.

In 2021, Tushar was named as a finalist for the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s CIO of the Year award. He is a governing body member of the Pittsburgh CIO Executive Summit and serves on the Board of Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh (BVRS).

Tushar earned a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from the University of Mumbai and a diploma in Business Management from NMIMS School of Business Management. His certifications include ITIL Foundations, Management Essentials from Katz Graduate School of Business, and a Post-Graduate Program in Artificial Intelligence for Leaders from McCombs School of Business.

Vice President, Information Technology 

Stephen G. Lucas is Senior Vice President, Culture and Engagement. He is responsible for leading all aspects of driving the organization’s people-first culture by ensuring the recruitment, development and retention of top talent, advancing the organization’s inclusion and diversity efforts, and finding new ways to enhance overall employee experience.

Stephen joined Koppers in April 2022. Prior to joining Koppers, he spent eight years with AMETEK, Inc., a manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices, serving as Global Vice President of Human Resources. Previously he spent two years at Hartzell Industries, manufacturer of axial and centrifugal fans and processor of hardwood lumber, serving as Vice President Human Resources. He also spent 14 years at Illinois Tool Works (ITW), in their Food Equipment and Welding manufacturing divisions, serving as Group Human Resources Director.

Stephen received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Marycrest College and earned an MBA from Wright State University. He is also certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). He currently serves on Raj Soin College of Business advisory board at Wright State University.

Stephen resides in Naperville, IL, with his wife Amy. He has two daughters, Erica and Natasha.

Senior Vice President, Culture and Engagement 

Jimmi Sue Smith is the Chief Financial Officer for Koppers. In this role, she leads all aspects of the company’s global financial functions, including accounting, internal audit and control, financial shared services, financial planning and analysis, treasury, tax and investor relations.

Jimmi Sue joined Koppers in 2020 as Vice President of Finance and Treasurer, providing oversight of the global treasury management function. She was responsible for managing relationships with the company’s banking partners and bond rating agencies, leading cash forecasting and working capital management efforts, overseeing shared services and playing an integral role in M&A activities.

Prior to Koppers, Jimmi Sue spent 11 years with natural gas producer EQT, serving in a number of significant roles, including Director of Corporate Accounting, business unit VP/Controller, Chief Accounting Officer and Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer. Previously, she held finance roles of increasing responsibility at a number of Pittsburgh-area manufacturing companies.

Jimmi Sue graduated from West Virginia University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an Accounting concentration, and earned her law degree from the Duquesne University School of Law.

Within the Pittsburgh community, Jimmi Sue is actively involved as co-chair of the Circles Board for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, a board member for the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and a member of the Executive Leadership Team for the 2022 March for Babies in support of the March of Dimes Western Pennsylvania.

Chief Financial Officer 

James A. Sullivan is President and Chief Transformation Officer with responsibility overseeing the evaluation, scoping, quantification, planning and execution of hundreds of opportunities through a rigorous process aimed at maximizing performance across every dimension of the company. 

Jim joined Koppers as Vice President of Business Development, Koppers Inc. in June 2013. Subsequently, he held the role of Senior Vice President, Global Carbon Materials and Chemicals (CMC), Koppers Inc. from April 2014 to May 2018. He was then elected Senior Vice President, Railroad Products and Services and Global Carbon Materials and Chemicals, Koppers Inc. from May 2018 through December 2019. Most recently, Jim served as President and Chief Operating Officer, where he played a significant role in the development of the company's strategy.

Prior to joining Koppers, Jim served as Senior Vice President, Americas at Calgon Carbon Corporation where he also held various management positions in the areas of operations, marketing, sales, and research and development.

He graduated from Ryerson University with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and earned his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz School of Business.

Jim currently is a member of the Board of Directors for Vibrant Pittsburgh. 

President and Chief Transformation Officer 

From our company-wide Zero Harm commitment to the sustainability-based practices and products we undertake, everything we stand for at Koppers starts with our leadership teams.

Meet Our Leaders

Executive Council

Leroy Ball

Stephanie Apostolou

Tushar Lovalekar

Stephen Lucas

Jimmi Sue Smith

James Sullivan

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