James W. Guider ‘37
Inducted into the Academy 1998

Retired Assistant Vice President of Engineering
Bethlehem Steel Corporation

James W. Guider graduated with a BS in Mining Engineering from the Michigan College of Mining and Technology (MCM&T) in 1937.  While Jim was in school, he was a member of ROTC, Student Council, AIME, Blue Key, and the Lode Staff.
Jim started his mining career, even before he attended MCM&T, as a miner and prospector in Ontario, Canada.  After graduation, he was hired by Bethlehem Steel Corp. and after completion of management training, he was assigned as plant engineer in Lebanon, PA.  In 1940, Jim was transferred to the Bethlehem home office as a mining engineer, where he worked with the engineering and construction of the Venezuela Iron Mines Co. project on the Orinoco River.

In 1950, Jim was promoted to assistant chief engineer of the mining department, and then to chief engineer in 1957.  During this time, he was responsible for the engineering and construction of several of Bethlehem’s large-scale mining operations and pellet plants in the US, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela, and Liberia.
In 1967, Jim was appointed manager of engineering for raw materials, coke ovens, blast furnaces, and steelmaking.  One year later, he was promoted to assistant to the vice president, and in 1976, he became assistant vice president of corporate engineering.  Jim retired from Bethlehem Steel in 1981, after 44 years of service.  From 1982-1983, he served as a consultant in the National Executive Service Corporation.  Jim is a registered PE, and is listed in Who’s Who in Commerce and Industry.

Jim has been active in AISI, AIME, the American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America, the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce, and the Rotary Club, as well as  church-sponsored activities.  He has devoted generous amounts of time to the Appalachian Service Project and  Habitat for Humanity to build and repair homes for disadvantaged families.  He is also a member of the MTU Presidents Club.