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Commercial Metals Company has chosen a lawyer who's comfortable in a hard hat–wearing industry to head up its legal team.

The steel and metal products business named Ann Bruder vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary in September. Bruder joined the company as deputy general counsel in 2007. Now she replaces David Sudbury, who announced his retirement in June.

Bruder seems like a natural choice for the corporation; she previously worked for another Irving, Texas–based industrial giant, CARBO Ceramics, Inc., as its chief counsel, chief compliance officer, and corporate secretary. Bruder was unavailable for comment.

Founded in 1915, Commercial Metals Company has grown tremendously over the years.

Since Bruder has been a leader in its legal team, the corporation has made two large acquisitions. In 2008 the business took over substantially all of ABC Coating Company and its affiliates' operating assets.

The company also purchased Reinforcing Post-Tensioning Services, Inc., and its affiliates in the summer of 2008. CMC, which manufactures, recycles, fabricates, and distributes steel and metal products both nationally and internationally, reported sales of more than $10 billion this year.

Though she's been a Texan for a number of years, Bruder earned her law degree in St. Louis, at the Washington University School of Law. She's also worked in-house for American Airlines.

In a press release, CEO Murray McClean praised Bruder on her ascent to the company's top legal job. "Ann has been managing legal affairs since the transition began earlier this year, and her election to general counsel is the next step in a smooth transition of legal affairs at CMC."

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