USS-POSCO Industries (UPI) sets the example as a company that walks the walk. They’ve been participating in the JDRF Walk, in a big way, for 22 years. Since 1992, their Walk team has raised nearly $2 million for type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Team UPI consistently earns the title of highest producing corporate Walk team in the Bay Area.

Championed by Cory Anderson, General Counsel at UPI, and Alicia Torres, Paralegal at UPI, the company has embraced the cause and encourages employees to use their time and talents to support the Walk. “We do it with great enthusiasm,” says Alicia.

“We enjoy the challenge of coming up with creative and new ways to raise money. We find that our efforts can be both fun and rewarding when we work together,” says Cory.

The teamwork and camaraderie pay off. This year, Team UPI raised over $93,000. Everyone, as always, had a great time celebrating at the JDRF Walk in the East Bay last  month. “It feels good to make a difference,” says Alicia. “We have family and friends who suffer from T1D, and know how difficult it can be for them to manage their condition and stay healthy. We believe, however, that the future looks promising because of the work being done through JDRF. We’ve already seen some great developments that are improving day-to-day lives and we are confident that researchers will ultimately find a cure.”

Team UPI acknowledges their supporters who have helped make their team so successful. “We are fortunate to have SCAFCO as our strongest partner in the fight to cure T1D,” says Cory. “SCAFCO, a manufacturer of steel framing products and grain storage systems, headquartered in Spokane, Washington, has been our top donor for 10 years.”

UPI is a joint venture company established by U.S. Steel Corporation and POSCO, of the Republic of Korea. The company operates a steel finishing plant in Pittsburg, California.