Elijah Blaylark

Operational Excellence Intern

Hometown: Minneapolis, MN

Summer Intern Project

Operational Excellence Intern – Olympic Steel, Minneapolis, MN


“My project focused on building an easy-to-use tool that would help analyze how machine runtimes affect profitability. I developed a dashboard in Excel that can pull data for any part and timeframe, then generate key metrics and visual comparisons, even side-by-side analyses of two different parts. Getting the dashboard to run smoothly and just how I’d imagined it was a proud moment. Since the tool is flexible and reusable, it can support smarter, faster decisions for any customer or part going forward. And, it could eventually evolve into a dedicated report within AX, making profitability analysis across the company even more impactful.”

  • Why did you choose to intern for Olympic Steel?
    I enjoy the drive for constant improvement, the entrepreneurial spirit, and especially the people here at Olympic Steel.


  • What do you hope to accomplish during your time here at Olympic Steel?
    I hope to learn from the best on how to run an operation, especially with all the variables of a commodity market in today’s economy. I’m focused on developing my skills in adaptation, strategic thinking, and complex problem solving.


  • What do you like to do in your free time?
    I enjoy spending time with friends and family, being outdoors, and being active.


  • What is your proudest moment so far?
    Graduating from Lehigh University.


  • What is your favorite quote?
    "Pressure can burst pipes, or create diamonds."


  • Three words to describe me are:
    Inquisitive • Strategic • Grounded