Alcoa 2009 Annual Report Download - page 8

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6
As the founder of the aluminum industry, we carry a proud
legacy towards a bright future. In July, Alcoa celebrated 50
years as a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
We joined the Dow in 1959, refl ecting how important our
Company was to the post-World War industrial era. Today,
Alcoa is still seen as a barometer for industry, and indeed for
the economy.
The past year has tested all of us, and with hard work and
resolve, we have emerged from the worst of the crisis.
Alcoans went the extra mile and have brought our Company
into the new decade better prepared than ever to face the
future. Like you, I am optimistic about that future, and eager
to make the most of it.
As I close this letter, I want to thank our Chairman
Alain Belda, who, after 40 years with Alcoa, will retire from
the Board of Directors in April 2010. Alain’s impact on Alcoa’s
performance and reputation will be felt for years to come.
He established the Alcoa Business System that provided
an operational framework for the Company’s growth and
profi tability, and he was the driving force behind one of
the most important strategic changes in Alcoa’s history –
the Company’s internationalization. With a personal
commitment to environmental stewardship, Alain set Alcoa
on the course to be a world-class sustainable company.
One of the founders of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership
(USCAP) and the inspiration behind ground-breaking
reforestation programs in Australia and Brazil, Alain is a
recognized leader in the climate change dialogue.
Like so many others, I have benefi tted greatly from Alain’s
profound knowledge of our Company, and most importantly
from his steady counsel and encouragement. Every Alcoan is
inspired by Alain’s deep respect and genuine excitement for
Alcoa – its wonderful history and its bright future. That spirit
is what made me want to work for this great company, and
it’s what I will carry forward.
Klaus Kleinfeld
President and Chief Executive Offi cer
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