March 13, 2026 - Along Michigan’s Upper Peninsula lies the Marquette Iron Range, home to iron mines. Just southeast of the region is the small town of Iron River, where Mary Korpi spent most of her childhood and early adulthood.

Though living in the heart of mining country, the industry did not pique her interest while growing up. As the daughter of two educators, she envisioned a different future for herself.

Now, decades after working for one of the largest gold companies, she is gearing up for her term as the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration’s 2026 President.

Mary Korpi

As a freshman at Michigan Technological University (MTU), Korpi’s journey initially started in a medical technology program. However, after excelling in science and math courses, she decided to pivot into chemical engineering.

But when seeking to join the major, she received a cold introduction from the department chair. That was when her “stubborn Swedish stock” kicked in and she decided to prove herself successful.

Within four years, she earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from MTU. After graduating, Korpi expected that she would join a chemical company. But a fortuitous turn of events completely altered the course of her career.

“At Michigan Tech, I expected to join a chemical company such as Dow Corning, which actively recruited graduates in my field,” said Korpi. “However, life took an unexpected turn when I married an MTU mineral processing graduate right after college,” she said.]

Together, the two started their careers at Newmont Mining’s San Manuel copper operations in Arizona, marking the beginning of her mining journey.

In 1977, freshly starting at Newmont, a coworker who was involved with SME encouraged Korpi to attend the Tucson, AZ Chapter monthly meeting. After attending, she quickly realized how beneficial the organization would be for her growth.

Working with this local section allowed Korpi to expand outside her hub and network with other professionals and mining companies. The vast section programs, technical sessions and project site tours further expanded her knowledge of copper mining.

Through the local section, she took on leadership roles to fully immerse herself in SME’s professional development and networking opportunities. When Korpi’s career relocated her to another state, she continued ties with SME, engaging in the Northeastern Nevada Section. To this day, Korpi remains active in the Reno local section and the Nevada Mineral Processing Division annual conference.

“The organization has provided countless opportunities to strengthen my leadership skills and to grow in ways I never anticipated when I first joined,” she said.

These local chapters opened doors for her national participation with SME. During her time with SME, Korpi has presented at technical sessions, participated on several chair committees and served on the SME Board and SME Foundation Board of Trustees.

The next chapter of SME

As president, Korpi has big goals.

“My top priority is to lead a strategic planning process that creates a shared vision and mission with strong strategic alignment across SME. As a nonprofit, SME leads to advance a mission and vision that create meaningful impact, and this purpose should guide all strategic planning and decision-making,” she said.

She believes this strategic plan should serve as an overarching framework in which every program, project and department contributes. The framework is set to guide decisions at all levels of the organization, encouraging member engagement and empowering their voices. To implement this framework, strong leadership will be needed by the Strategic Planning Committee, SME members, SME staff and Leading Associations facilitators.

As Korpi steps into her first month as SME President, she faces both a pivotal time for SME and the industry. Yet she remains eager to lead the association into a successful year. Being a member for 45 years, her institutional knowledge and commitment to SME will help drive its growth.

“First, I’m genuinely excited about the opportunity to meet, listen to and learn from our members,” said Korpi. “SME is a volunteer-driven organization, and everything we accomplish is rooted in the passion, expertise and generosity of the people who choose to be part of it. I want to understand what motivates our members, what they value most about SME, and how their experiences shape their professional journeys. It is important to hear from everyone — whether from long-time volunteers or new members just finding their place in SME.

“Second, I’m excited about contributing to the development of SME’s next strategic plan. The world around us is evolving at a pace we’ve never seen before — industries, technologies and workforce needs are shifting rapidly. Our current strategic plan has served us well, but at six years old, it may no longer reflect the realities or opportunities of the years ahead,” she continued. “Being part of the team that will shape the next chapter for SME is something I take seriously. It’s essential that our plan positions us to meet the needs of our members, our industry partners and the mining community in the years to come. I’m eager to help ensure that our direction is forward-looking, relevant and aligned for the future.”

With decades of experience under her belt, Korpi is positioned to honor SME’s rich legacy. Her priorities center on engagement, recruitment and uplifting the community. Her main goal is to support and strengthen the Society, through every season.

Read her full story here.