William A. Irvin

William Adolph Irvin (December 7, 1873 – January 1, 1952) was an American business executive who served as president of U.S. Steel from 1932 to 1938.

Biography Irvin was born on December 7, 1873, in Indiana, Pennsylvania, to contractor David S. Irvin Sophia Bergman Irvin; his father was of Scottish descent and his mother of German. He attended night classes at the Indiana State Normal School. In 1888, he was hired as a telegraphist and freight forwarder for the Pennsylvania Railroad.

In 1895, Irvin entered the iron and steel industry, when he was hired as a clerk for P. H. Laufmann Co., based in Apollo, Pennsylvania. In 1900, he was transferred to New York City following Laurmann's acquisition by American Sheet & Tin Plate Co., and in 1904, was transferred to Pittsburgh after a merger. he served as president from April 19, 1932, until January 1, 1938. He was described in The New York Times in 1932 as "frank, soft-spoken, but aggressive". He was also a member of multiple professional associations and standards organizations. He is the namesake of the SS William A. Irvin, which was a flagship of U.S. Steel's lake freighters. The ship is now a museum.