UC remembers corporate leader Charles A. Corry

The University of Cincinnati and the College of Law community are remembering attorney Charles A. “Chuck” Corry, A&S ‘55, Law, ’59, a well-respected steel and energy executive who led USX Corporation.

Corry died Thursday, March 18, 2021. He was 89.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Charles Corry, the benefactor of our Corporate Law Center,” said Felix Chang, associate dean of faculty and research, professor of law and co-director, Corporate Law Center. “By launching the center, Charles’ gift singlehandedly put the College of Law and the city of Cincinnati on the map in terms of high-quality business law programming,”

Born February 14, 1932 in Wyoming, Ohio, Corry was a son of southern Ohio.  At the age of five, both of his legs were broken in a car accident. Though he wasn’t expected to walk again, he determinedly made a full recovery, going on to play on the tennis team at the University of Cincinnati.

After graduating with a degree from UC’s College of Arts & Sciences, he enrolled in law school at the university. After a year in law school, he was called to active duty on a U.S. Air Force ROTC commission, serving with the 50th Fighter Bomber Wing in Germany. Corry returned to law school after his service with the Air Force, graduating in 1959 with high honors.

Upon graduation, he took a position as a tax attorney with the American Steel and Wire company, a subsidiary of U.S. Steel, in Cleveland, Ohiio. It was here that Corry began to build his career, advancing through the company with a series of financial and tax positions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and New York. In 1979, he was appointed vice president of corporate planning, becoming the architect of U.S. Steel’s acquisition of Marathon Oil Co., transforming the company into a major producer of hydrocarbon products. He was later named senior vice president and comptroller and then president of a group of diversified divisions and subsidiaries of the company now named USX Corp. In 1988, Corry was named president of USX and the next year was named chairman of the board of directors and CEO of USX.

Committed to community service, Corry was involved in many business and civic organizations. He served as the vice chairman of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce and Industry, chairman of the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, vice chairman of the American Iron & Steel Institute, and vice chairman of the International Iron and Steel Institute. 

Additionally, he served on the boards of numerous organizations and companies, including the National Association of Manufacturers, the Business Roundtable (co-chair), the Business Council (member), the United Way, the Historical Society, Junior Achievement, Presbyterian Hospital (board member), the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University (trustee).

He was also appointed to the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission. 

In 1994, the College of Law received a $1 million gift, in honor of Corry, from the USX Foundation, Inc., to launch the school’s Corporate Law Center and solidify its commitment to preparing students for successful careers in corporate law.

Today, the Corporate Law Center brings eminent legal scholars, regulators and practitioners to the school each year for the annual Corporate Law Symposium. This year’s symposium examined advances in legal analytics.

Through corporate law fellowships, the Corporate Law Center attracts top students to the law school. Fellows work closely with the center directors on research and programming, and graduate prepared for careers in corporate, securities and business law. 

“For over a quarter century, the Corporate Law Center has funded scholarships, run innovative legal clinics and convened symposia that brought together scholars and practitioners from around the world. The College of Law is committed to being a good steward of this legacy,” said Chang.

Read Charles A. Corry’s obituary via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.