Barry Schneider

President and Chief Operating Officer
Steel Dynamics, Inc.

Barry T. Schneider was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer in March 2023. Mr. Schneider is responsible for the company’s steel platform, steel fabrication platform, and metals recycling platform. Prior to that, Mr. Schneider served as Senior Vice President, Flat Roll Steel Group responsible for the company’s entire flat roll steel operations, including the company’s three flat roll steel mills and numerous flat rolled processing, coating, and distribution operations. Mr. Schneider has been with Steel Dynamics since 1995, serving in various operational and leadership roles within the company’s steel operations, including Engineered Bar Products Division and Butler Flat Roll Division. He was also part of the team that constructed the company’s first steel mill in Butler, Indiana.

Mr. Schneider earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master of science in engineering management from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He also received an Executive Certificate in Technology, Operations, and Value Chain Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management. In addition, Mr. Schneider serves as President of the Association for Iron & Steel Technology.

Ezequiel Tavernelli

Executive Director
Alacero

Ezequiel Tavernelli is Argentine, an industrial engineer and has a Management Development Program completed at the IAE Business School. He also holds a Master's degree from the Wharton School. He developed his career within the Techint Group since 1997, holding commercial and planning positions for Ternium Argentina. Likewise, he led the ProPymes Program for more than 15 years. Since June 2024, he has been the executive director of Alacero, with the mission of contributing to the strengthening of networks throughout the value chain and providing solutions for the Latin American steel industry.

Rob Simon

Chief Executive Officer
JSW Steel USA Inc.

Mr. Simon is a graduate of West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. He began his professional career as a Production Manager, and eventually as General Manager for Oregon Brass Works. He held several key positions at Evraz North America’s Rocky Mountain Steel Mills such as Vice-President & General Manager, and Executive Vice-President for the company’s Tubular Division. His career then expanded to Steel Dynamics, taking the role of Vice-President of Structural Products. He then became the Chief Executive Officer for Bayou Steel Group. Prior to joining JSW USA in March of 2024, he was a consultant for several companies based in Colorado. Mr. Simon has also served on the Executive Committee and as Chairman of the Steel Manufacturers Association, and as a Board Member of the American Institute of Steel Construction.

Ilse Henne

CEO
tk accelis

Ilse Henne is a member of the Executive Board of thyssenkrupp AG and the Chief Executive Officer of tk accelis. She serves as well as the Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG. She began her career at thyssenkrupp in 1999. She holds a Master’s degree in linguistics and literature at Ghent University followed by advanced business management studies.

Barry Zekelman

Chairman and CEO
Zekelman Industries

Barry Zekelman was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario. He received his early education in Windsor and later attended York University in Toronto, Ontario.
His university education was interrupted in 1986 with the sudden passing of his father, the late Harry Zekelman, when the ownership of Atlas Tube Inc. was assumed by Barry and his two brothers. Atlas Tube grew from $1.5 million in revenue in 1986 to over $1.2 billion by 2006.
In October 2006, John Maneely Company, a maker of steel tubing that was owned by privateequity giant Carlyle Group, announced a merger with Atlas Tube Inc., creating the largest independent tubing company in North America. In March of 2011, the Zekelman family purchased back Carlyle’s 55% interest in JMC. Then, in June of 2016, the company was renamed Zekelman Industries.
Today, Zekelman Industries, the parent of Atlas Tube, Wheatland Tube, Western Tube, Sharon Tube, Picoma, Z Modular and Hayes Modular, produces over 2.4 million steel tons per year in 20plants, manufactures and builds over 1,500 multi-family residential apartments, and employs over 2,900 people throughout the United States and Canada. Zekelman Industries maintains the #1market position in North America in HSS, standard pipe, electrical conduit and electrical fittings with sales in excess of $5 billion annually. Barry is currently the Executive Chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries and responsible for taking the company to new heights.

Chris Graham

Senior Vice President - Flat Rolled Group
Steel Dynamics, Inc.

Chris Graham is the SVP of Steel Dynamics' Flat Rolled Steel Group. He is responsible for the company's flat rolled steel operations, including three steel mills and numerous processing, coating, and distribution operations.  
He held the position of SVP, Long Products from 2019-2024 and was the SVP, Downstream Manufacturing from 2013-2019.  
Chris has been with Steel Dynamics since 1994 and was part of the teams that constructed the Flat Rolled and Structural and Rail steel mills. Before joining SDI, he spent 10 years at Nucor.  
Mr. Graham holds an MBA from the University of Saint Francis in Indiana.

Lawrence D. Burns

Business Advisor
AND, ET AL LLC

Lawrence (Larry) D. Burns advises organizations on the future of mobility, logistics, manufacturing, energy and innovation. His current clients include Kitson & Partners, Niron Magnetics, Atomathic and Nanoramic Laboratories. Larry served as General Motors Corporate Vice President of Research & Development and Planning from 1998-2009. Between 2010 and 2022, Larry was a consultant to Waymo (Google Self-Driving Cars), Professor of Engineering Practice at the University of Michigan, Director of the Program for Sustainable Mobility at Columbia University, and an advisor to several major companies.
Larry is the world’s leading authority on how autonomous electric vehicles used in transportation services will transform the way people and goods move around and interact. He coined the phrase “age of automobility” to describe this future in his book, Autonomy: The Quest to Build the Driverless Car And How It Will Reshape Our World (Ecco / HarperCollins, August, 2018).
Larry is an informative, engaging and forward-thinking speaker and has made more than 500 keynote, conference and media presentations around the world. He focuses on accelerating the “age of automobility” and educating industry leaders, policymakers, technologists and engineers on how to position to succeed in this exciting and compelling future.
Larry has been featured in The Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, Forbes, USA Today, 60 Minutes, NBC, Bloomberg, and more.
Larry has a PhD in civil engineering from the University of California-Berkeley and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the ITS America Hall of Fame.

Timna Tanners

Managing Director, Equity Research
Wells Fargo

Timna Tanners is a Managing Director covering Metals and Mining and Building Materials at Wells Fargo. She is a regular speaker at steel industry conferences and on financial media, and hosts frequent events for clients with corporates and industry experts. Timna has been ranked #1 in Institutional Investor's All America Poll for nine years, and at least 15 years in the top three spots. She has covered the sector since 2002, at Bank of America, Wolfe Research, and UBS Investment Bank. 

Dr. Anirban Basu

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Sage Policy Group, Inc.

Anirban Basu is the Chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group, an economic and policy consulting firm headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland with an office in Orlando, Florida.   
In 2014, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan appointed him Chair of the Maryland Economic Development Commission (2014-2021).  He serves as Chairman of the Baltimore County Economic Advisory Committee.  He also serves the chief economist function for Associated Builders and Contractors, the Construction Financial Management Association, the Modular Building Institute, the Maryland Bankers Association, the International Food Distributors Association, and several others.  
In 2007, 2016, and 2022, the Daily Record newspaper selected Dr. Basu as one of Maryland’s 50 most influential people. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010.  
Dr. Basu has been or is currently on the boards of the University of Maryland School of Law, St. Mary’s College, the University of Maryland Medical Center, the University System of Maryland Foundation, the Lyric Opera House, the B&O Railroad Museum, the Baltimore City Public School System, the Archdiocese of Baltimore School System, First Mariner Bank, and the Center Club. He is also on Truist Bank’s advisory board.  
Dr. Basu earned his B.S. in Foreign Service at Georgetown University.  He earned his Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and his Master’s in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park.  He acquired his Juris Doctor at the University of Maryland School of Law.  He completed his doctoral work at UMBC with a concentration in health economics.  
He has lectured at several universities, including Johns Hopkins University and Goucher College.

Edward J. Lehner

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Ryerson

Edward J. Lehner is President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ryerson, a global industrial metals supplier and processor with operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and China. Eddie began serving as Ryerson's CEO in June 2015 after having served as Ryerson's executive vice president and chief financial officer from July of 2012 thru May of 2015. Prior to joining Ryerson, Eddie served as the chief financial officer of PSC Metals, Inc., a diversified metals company, and before that, as the chief financial officer of SeverCorr, LLC., a primary steel manufacturing company headquartered in the southern United States. Eddie's career also includes senior general management, operational, financial, accounting, tax and consulting roles for Nucor, Birmingham Steel, Inc., Laurel Steel and Deloitte & Touche. Eddie has served as Board Chairman of the Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI), Board of Directors of Modumetal Inc., and The Mississippi State Workforce Development Board.

Jodi Parnell

President & Chief Executive Officer
O'Neal Steel, LLC

Jodi started her professional journey in 1998 at Tuscaloosa Steel (now Nucor Tuscaloosa) as an Inside Sales Representative until she joined O’Neal Steel as a purchasing specialist in 1999. She continued to develop in Supply Chain Management until appointed Vice President of Supply Chain Management, joining the O’Neal Steel leadership team. 2023 brought new challenges when she was promoted to Chief Operating Officer with additional responsibility of both supply chain and operations.  
Jodi graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in Marketing, and has served on various boards supporting Breakthrough T1D and local community initiatives.

Geoff Gilmore

President and CEO
Worthington Steel

Geoff Gilmore is president and CEO of Worthington Steel (NYSE: WS), a standalone public company since December 2023. With nearly 30 years of metals industry experience, Geoff leads Worthington Steel’s operations and strategic growth initiatives, including the company’s recently announced intent to acquire Kloeckner & Co., a global steel service center and metal processing leader that would expand the company’s scale, product portfolio and geographic reach.
Prior to his current role, Geoff served in leadership positions across operations, sales and corporate functions, including executive vice president and chief operating officer of Worthington Industries, which was Worthington Steel’s former parent company. He also serves on the boards of Worthington Steel and the American Iron and Steel Institute and formerly served on the board of Valparaiso University.

Philip K. Bell

President
Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA)

Philip K. Bell is president of the Steel Manufacturers Association, the largest steel industry association in North America when it comes to the number, capacity, production, investment, workforce and economic impact of its members. 

Phil previously served as director of external communications and public affairs for Gerdau Long Steel North America. He has held executive-level positions with the SGL Carbon Group and Qualitech Steel Corp. 

He is a member of the International Trade Advisory Committee on Steel (ITAC 12), the National Association of Manufacturing (NAM) Council of Manufacturing Associations (CMA) and the Association of Iron & Steel Technology. 

Phil has a master’s degree in global strategic communications from the University of Florida.

Taylor St. Germain

Economist and Senior Business Consultant
ITR Economics/Crowe

As an experienced economist, Taylor St. Germain provides consulting services for small businesses, trade associations, and Fortune 500 companies across a spectrum of industries. Taylor specializes in forecasting at both the market and company levels and is a key contributor to maintaining ITR Economics’ forecast accuracy rating of 94.7%.

His dynamic personality and extensive knowledge of economic trends and their business relevance are highly valued by clients and colleagues alike.

Taylor spent time in the tech industry providing market intelligence to electronics OEMs, semiconductor companies, and component manufacturers. In his five years with ITR Economics, he has worked with various distributors, manufacturers, and producers, helping each client navigate the business cycle and optimize their corporate planning strategy. Taylor has also spent several years in Texas furthering his research in the industrial sector, with a specific focus on oil and gas.

Taylor earned his bachelor’s degree in statistics from the University of Vermont and is finishing a master’s degree in applied economics at Southern New Hampshire University. He has been featured in OEM Magazine, NALP, Lawn and Landscape, and on the Fab Lab and Wealth Formula podcasts.

Eric Gaus

Chief Economist
Dodge Construction Network

Eric Gaus is Chief Economist at Dodge Construction Network, where he directs economic research. He brings over 15 years of experience in academia and the private sector, creating macroeconomic models and producing research on critical issues for the global economy. Prior to joining Dodge, Eric was a Director at Moody’s, where he managed the development and maintenance of their global forecasting model and served as the product manager of their country risk service. He received his PhD from the University of Oregon and spent several years teaching at small liberal arts colleges. While in academia, Eric published articles on the role of expectation formation in macroeconomics and finance.

Gene Marks

CPA & President
The Marks Group P. C.

Gene Marks is a columnist, author, and small business expert. Formerly writing for The New York Times and The Washington Post, he now contributes to The Hill, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Forbes, Entrepreneur, The Washington Times, and The Guardian.

He has authored five books on business management for small and medium-sized companies, including ''Want More Cash?: 100+ Ideas And Strategies For Increasing Your Company's Cash Flow This Year." 

Gene frequently appears on Fox Business, Bloomberg, CBS Eye on the World with John Batchelor, and SiriusXM's Wharton Business Channel, discussing financial, economic, and technology issues impacting business leaders. 

Through his keynotes and breakout sessions, he assists business owners, executives and managers in understanding political, economic and technological trends affecting their companies, emphasizing actionable strategies for growth and profitability.

Gene owns and operates The Marks Group PC, a successful firm providing technology and consulting services to small and medium-sized businesses. Before founding The Marks Group, he spent nine years as a Senior Manager in the entrepreneurial services arm of KPMG in Philadelphia.

Kevin Dempsey

President and CEO
American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI)

Kevin Dempsey is the president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), a leading advocacy group representing integrated and electric arc furnace steelmakers, steel pipe and tube manufacturers and steel processors and fabricators, reflecting the production and distribution of both carbon and stainless steels. He has been with AISI since 2009. Under Dempsey’s executive leadership, the AISI has achieved numerous policy successes, promoted the American steel industry’s global leadership on decarbonization and showcased steel innovations. Dempsey has been featured in dozens of national, regional and trade media and is a regular speaker at industry and advocacy events. Before joining AISI, Dempsey was a partner at Dewey & LeBoeuf where he led numerous international trade cases on behalf of American steel producers and other U.S. industries.

Lynn Lupori

Head of Consulting – Americas
CRU

As Head of Consulting - Americas, Lynn is focused on guiding the CRU Consulting team to bring exceptional insight into strategic questions to companies with interests in the mining, metals and fertilizer related industries throughout North and South America. 
Lynn is focused on working with customers to develop and execute projects related to important and strategic issues such as market analysis, strategy development, risk assessment, as well as valuation services and negotiation support.
She has worked for over 25 years with domestic as well as international manufacturers (primarily in the metals and mining industries) determining strategic growth opportunities as well as on issues such as market assessment/forecasting, capital investment plans, marketing and competitive strategy.
Lynn holds a BSBA and a Certificate in International Business from Duquesne University.

Vincent Pappalardo

Managing Director & Principal
Brown Gibbons Lang & Company

Vince Pappalardo is a Managing Director and leads the Metals & Advanced Metals Manufacturing group at Brown Gibbons Lang & Company. Vince advises companies involved in the production and distribution of ferrous and nonferrous metals and alloys as well as diversified industries. He has over 25 years of investment banking experience advising on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and debt and equity placements. His areas of expertise include steel mills, metal service centers, metals recycling, and advanced metals manufacturing.

John Anton

Director
S&P Global Market Intelligence

John Anton is the director of the S&P Global Market Intelligence Steel Service and lead ferrous-metals industry analyst for the firm's Pricing and Purchasing Service. In addition to producing regular forecasts of steel production, demand, and price, he is responsible for managing S&P Global Market Intelligence's relationship with major steel buyers in construction, manufacturing, retail, energy, and defense. Clients are global with regular contact to the United States, East and South Asia, and Europe. He earned an economics degree from Florida State University and a law degree from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary.

Ed Karasek

Director, Commodity Risk
Metal Edge Partners

Ed Karasek is a Director of Commodity Risk at Metal Edge Partners.  He focuses on global macroeconomic and commodity analysis, insights and delivering value driven business guidance utilizing fundamental and technical indicators and leveraging his over 20 years of experience in commodities markets.   Ed began his career in physical steel and raw material sales with Cargill before transitioning to market analysis and commodity risk management roles with Cargill and Worthington Steel.  Ed then held various positions managing the risk on an $800MM derivative portfolio for General Mills across Agriculture, Dairy and Energy markets.  In August 2024, Ed joined Metal Edge Partners with an emphasis on Ferrous/Metals market intelligence, trade execution and client risk management and derivative education.

Chris Shipp

Director SteelBuy USA
tk accelis Trading North America

Chris Shipp is the Director of Sales for SteelBuy powered by tk accelis. A Texarkana native, he proudly served 22 years in the U.S. Navy, leading over 28 missions in support of the Global War on Terrorism. After retiring in 2010, Chris held senior leadership roles in the metals industry, including at Priefert Manufacturing, Reibus International, and Kingdom Pipe & Steel. He now brings his passion for service and leadership to thyssenkrupp.

Nicola Coslett

CEO - Communities
CRU

Nicola Coslett is Chief Executive Officer of CRU Events, which builds lifetime value for customers through its knowledge and networking events.

Nicola has worked in the conference and publishing business for 26+ years, launching her career with IBC/informa, marketing oil and gas conferences. In 2000, Nicola moved to Metal Bulletin where she held senior positions including Head of Marketing and then Director of Events. Nicola was recognised for establishing a conference team and building a highly successful portfolio of international metals and mining events.

Nicola joined CRU in 2008 and is currently part of the Management Executive team and Group Executive Board. 

Nicola has a BA Honours degree in Business and International Marketing from the University of Greenwich.

Josh Spoores

Head of Steel Americas Analysis
CRU

Josh Spoores joined CRU in 2012 as Principal Analyst and editor of CRU’s Steel Sheet Monitor and Steel Sheet Market Outlook. During that time, Mr Spoores forecast prices, demand, production and trade of sheet and plate products for both Canada and the US for CRU's Steel Sheet & Plate Market Outlooks.

Today, he heads up steel analysis and forecasting for the wider Americas region. Prior to joining CRU, he was a Senior Marketing Analyst at Severstal North America, founder of Steel Reality, a forward-looking market analysis firm using a models-based approach for flat rolled and plate steel. He was also the Market Research Manager at Majestic Steel USA, one of the largest flat rolled service centres in the USA. He has a BSc in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University.

Jeff Moskaluk

Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer
SSAB Americas

Jeff Moskaluk is senior vice president and chief commercial officer of SSAB Americas, a leading steel plate producer in North America. Jeff joined SSAB (formerly IPSCO) in July 1990 and moved through the organization with increasing responsibility in the areas of operations, sales, marketing, mill scheduling, business planning, market analytics, trade, government relations, and communications.  
Jeff was promoted to the role of vice president and chief commercial officer. In October of 2017 he was named senior vice president. Jeff's current responsibilities include oversight of SSAB Americas commercial activities including sales and marketing, commercial data and market analytics, trade compliance and litigation, and SSAB Americas’ business unit teams.

Noah Hanners

Executive Vice President - Sheet Products
Nucor

Noah Hanners serves as Executive Vice President of Sheet Products for Nucor Corporation, one of North America's leading steel and steel products companies. Since joining Nucor in 2011 as a Melt Shop Engineer at Nucor Steel South Carolina, Noah has held a series of leadership roles across the company's steelmaking, tubular products, and raw materials businesses. Over the course of his career with Nucor, Noah has led operations at Nucor Steel Auburn, Independence Tube Corporation, Nucor Steel Kankakee, and The David J. Joseph Company, Nucor's wholly owned scrap recycling subsidiary. In 2023, he was named Executive Vice President of Raw Materials before assuming his current role as Executive Vice President of Sheet Products in May 2024. Before joining Nucor, Noah served as a Major in the United States Army, bringing a strong foundation of leadership and operational excellence to his career in manufacturing.

Michael Cowden

Editor-in-Chief
Steel Market Update

Michael Cowden is editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. Cowden has covered the steel industry since 2007. He has since 2014 specialized in flat-rolled steel but has previously reported on steel long products, steel pipe and tube, and aluminum. Before joining SMU, Cowden reported for Fastmarkets AMM in Chicago, the Associated Press in Pittsburgh, and the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh. He has also worked as a copy editor and in marketing at the University of Chicago Press. Cowden has a BA in English from the University of Chicago and an MSJ in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

David Schollaert

Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Steel Market Update

David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. Schollaert has been in the metals and mining industry since 2009. Before joining SMU in 2020, Schollaert covered steel-making raw materials and ferroalloys for CRU, and more recently held roles as a metals buyer and operations manager for raw material suppliers in Pittsburgh and Montreal.

Michael Cowden

Managing Editor
Steel Market Update

Michael Cowden is editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. Cowden has covered the steel industry since 2007. He has since 2014 specialized in flat-rolled steel but has previously reported on steel long products, steel pipe and tube, and aluminum. Before joining SMU, Cowden reported for Fastmarkets AMM in Chicago, the Associated Press in Pittsburgh, and the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh. He has also worked as a copy editor and in marketing at the University of Chicago Press. Cowden has a BA in English from the University of Chicago and an MSJ in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

David Schollaert

Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Steel Market Update

David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. Schollaert has been in the metals and mining industry since 2009. Before joining SMU in 2020, Schollaert covered steel-making raw materials and ferroalloys for CRU, and more recently held roles as a metals buyer and operations manager for raw material suppliers in Pittsburgh and Montreal.

Alex Alcantara

Director, Industrial Metals
CME Group

Alex Alcantara works on the Metals Business Line Management team at CME Group, the world’s leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace. He has been at CME Group since 2017, where he is responsible for the development of the Industrial Metals business line and covers a wide range of initiatives related to the base, ferrous, and battery metals markets.

Spencer Johnson

Head of Ferrous Trading
StoneX Financial Inc.

Spencer is a 16 year veteran in the world of ferrous and nonferrous futures, all of them with StoneX (formerly FCStone Financial Inc.) During this time StoneX has helped launch and clear some of the first trades in several of the contacts now common to the ferrous industry. Over that time StoneX has worked with every type of market participant to formulate risk management and trading strategies for steel and base metals derivatives. Spencer has also worked tirelessly to grow liquidity and provide access to these new ferrous markets for its clients as currently, the longest serving members of the London Metal Exchange’s steel committee.

Tony Barnes

Principal
Crowe

Tony Barnes is a Principal on the consulting group at Crowe. He specializes in Microsoft AI business applications and the deployment of metals industry technology based on these platforms. Tony has more than 17 years of experience working with metals companies on business transformation through technology adoption. He works closely with metals industry leaders to identify areas of improvement in their companies and how technology can enable growth. 

Michele Arbaugh

Global Supply Chain Manager, Raw Materials Steel Team Lead – Stainless, Carbon & Electrical
Tesla

Mike Dillon

Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasurer
GrafTech International

Mike Dillon is Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasurer at GrafTech International, a leading global manufacturer of high-quality graphite electrodes essential to electric arc furnace steelmaking. Since joining GrafTech in 2022, he has led the company's investor relations and external communications efforts, overseeing financial communications and engagement with the investment community while helping shape the company's strategic narrative. He works closely with senior leadership to communicate GrafTech's business strategy, financial performance, and long-term value proposition to investors and other key stakeholders. Prior to GrafTech, Mike spent 16 years at a leading consumer staples company in various finance leadership roles.

Mark Strand

Deputy Chief Economist
Cox Automotive

Mark Strand is Senior Director of Economic Industry Insights for Cox Automotive, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises. Cox Automotive includes Manheim North America and consumer-facing media properties Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book, as well as a suite of companies that provide software tools to help dealers and manufacturers manage their inventory and advertising online.  
In his role Mark is responsible for tracking market trends that drive the shifts in automotive industry. Mark keeps an eye on the pulse of the automotive industry in all aspects, from economic, financial and demographic trends impacting vehicle demand to consumer trends impacting the way we shop for, buy and own vehicles.  
Prior to joining Cox Automotive, Mark was a Market Analyst with the National Automobile Dealers Association and was formerly with IHS Automotive, providing analytical products and industry insights to OEMs. He has seen the industry from the dealer, OEM and vendor perspectives.

Ethan Bernard

Managing Editor
Steel Market Update

Ethan Bernard is managing editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in New York for AMM’s daily publication. He also copy-edited AMM’s monthly magazine. Bernard has experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing. He also holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley and an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University.

Estelle Tran

Senior Analyst
CRU

Estelle Tran is a senior analyst at CRU based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In her role, Estelle works with data providers who contribute to CRU's Midwest flat-rolled steel indices and assesses Galvalume and ferrous scrap pricing for CRU. She started covering US steel markets as an editor for S&P Global Platts in 2011, and over the years has covered the flat-rolled steel, bulk ferroalloys, long steel, and primary aluminum markets as well as trade issues. In 2017, Estelle joined CRU as a steel and ferroalloy prices analyst. Estelle previously served as the president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and vice president for the Northeast Region. She earned a B.A. In English writing and history from the University of Pittsburgh.

Rick Preckel

Partner, Co-Owner
Preston Pipe

Since 2007, Rick Preckel has been co-owner of Preston Publishing Company, a consultancy which has been helping improve business performance of participants in the steel pipe and tube industry by providing data, forecasts, actionable insights and analyses through subscription and custom-designed reports. Rick started his tenure in the pipe and tube industry in 1985 when he joined a pipe and tube manufacturing firm which grew into one of the largest in the country.                                                              
Roles included subsidiary CEO and VP Investor Relations and Business Development, among others. Rick is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a BS in Business.

Laura Miller

Editor
Steel Market Update

Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held various editorial positions with steel industry publications, associations, and mills since 2007. She joined the SMU team in 2022. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Brett Linton

Digital Operations Analyst
Steel Market Update

Brett Linton is a digital operations analyst for Steel Market Update, where he began his career in 2010. He brings more than a decade of steel industry experience, including roles as data analyst and production manager at SMU, and as category manager and director of strategic insights at Reibus. He returned to SMU in 2024. He is a graduate of The University of North Georgia with a degree in Finance and Accounting.

Kristen DiLandro

Senior Reporter
Steel Market Update

Kristen DiLandro is a reporter for Steel Market Update. Kristen focuses on the micro and macro steel market conditions informing North American spot prices. Following her agency career in advertising, she attained an MFA in Writing from Savannah College of Art and Design.

Ethan Bernard

Managing Editor
Steel Market Update

Ethan Bernard is managing editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in New York for AMM’s daily publication. He also copy-edited AMM’s monthly magazine. Bernard has experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing. He also holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley and an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University.

Lewis Leibowitz

Trade Attorney
The Law Office of Lewis E. Leibowitz

Lewis Leibowitz practices international trade and Customs law. He has worked for international and domestic clients for more than 40 years, handling international trade matters involving US and international proceedings. In addition to handling disputes and trade litigation, Lewis advises foreign and domestic companies on trade opportunities and challenges in the United States and around the world.  He speaks frequently on international trade legal and policy issues and writes extensively on legal and policy issues.

Lewis handles trade issues involving the steel and automotive industries, textiles, energy, technology and many other areas of business. He provides strategic advice on political and legal issues involving trade. He has assisted clients affected, both favorably and unfavorably, by tariffs, quotas, international trade negotiations and agreements. He has handled many international disputes under WTO, USMCA and other bilateral and regional trade agreements.

Alexey Simushkin

Director, Marketing and Market Intelligence
GrafTech International

Alexey Simushkin is Director of Marketing & Market Intelligence at GrafTech International, a leading global manufacturer of high-quality graphite electrodes essential to electric arc furnace steelmaking. Since joining GrafTech in 2022, he has led global steel and graphite electrode market research, customer analytics, and commercial strategy development. He also chairs the Steel Committee of the European Advanced Carbon and Graphite Association (ECGA), where he works at the intersection of industry advocacy and Europe's evolving trade and decarbonization policy landscape. Prior to GrafTech, Alexey spent more than eight years at McKinsey & Company's Metals & Mining Practice, leading projects across the steel value chain — from corporate strategy and commercial excellence to market and price analytics — and serving as a global research leader for steel, responsible for proprietary cost curve, supply-demand, and industry outlook knowledge assets.

Thad Solomon

President and CEO
Steel Technologies

 Thad Solomon serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Steel Technologies; a value-added metals processor with 30+ locations across the USA, Canada, and Mexico.  Prior to joining Steel Technologies in 2020, Thad spent 25 years at Nucor Corporation in a variety of leadership roles from Metallurgist to Operations Manager, to General Manager, and Vice President - at 5 different mills including Berkeley, Memphis, Decatur, Texas, and Nucor Yamato Steel Company.  Prior to Nucor, Thad began his metals career as a Process Metallurgist at United States Steel.  Thad earned a B.S. degree in Materials Engineering – Metallurgy from the University of Florida. 

Kiara Nirghin

Founder and CEO
Emanate

Kiara Nirghin is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Emanate, the Silicon Valley-basedstartup building the first AI revenue engine for industrial materials companies.
As a Stanford AI Lab senior researcher and alum, former Stanford CS instructor, and StanfordInstitute for Human-Centered AI advisor, Kiara has pioneered the use of generative AI in thephysical economy through award-winning real-world deployments. Kiara is a Google ScienceGrand Prize winner for seminal research in AI algorithms, a TIME Magazine Most Influentialhonoree, and named one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in AI.

Stephen Miller

Ferrous Scrap Advisor
Steel Market Update

Stephen Miller started his career in the scrap metal industry in 1978 at Luria Brothers in Cleveland, OH.  Over the last 40 plus years, he has worked in all capacities in the trading business.  He has had positions in both domestic and international scrap trading.  In addition to scrap, Stephen was at the forefront of the pig iron trade and established a pig iron distribution company under the name of Ferrosource, Inc.  Most recently, Stephen has concentrated on the scrap export market and regularly does consulting for several companies in the industry.  

Logan Wetekamp

Senior Specialist, Direct Procurement – Metal Raw Materials
Scout Motors, Inc.

Logan Wetekamp is a Senior Buyer at Scout Motors, where he has led the development and execution of the company's steel and aluminum flat-rolled procurement strategy from the ground up. Since joining Scout in April 2025, he has established supplier partnerships, led commercial negotiations, and built the sourcing framework supporting vehicle programs. Previously, Logan spent 10 years at Ford Motor Company, beginning as a Materials Engineer specializing in steel and aluminum before transitioning to Raw Materials Purchasing. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Jeremy Flack

CEO
Flack Global Metals

Jeremy Flack is the Founder and CEO of Flack Global Metals (FGM), a company redefining how steel and aluminum are bought and sold through integrated supply chain solutions, risk management, and market intelligence. Since founding FGM in 2010, Jeremy has led the company’s growth into a modern industrial platform focused on delivering stability, transparency, and strategic value to the metals industry. With a background spanning commercial banking and steel distribution, Jeremy brings a unique perspective that combines financial insight with operational expertise, positioning FGM as a forward-thinking partner to manufacturers across North America.

George Adams

CEO
SA Recycling

George Adams is CEO & President of SA Recycling, located in Anaheim, California. He has been in the recycled materials business since 1977. Originally started by George’s father over 50 years ago as a single scrap metal facility in Anaheim, Adams Steel merged with Sims Metal Management in September of 2007 to form SA Recycling. SA Recycling now has more than 150  locations in sixteen states with over 4,000 employees, 25 shredders, and will process over 6 million tons of recycled metals annually.
Mr. Adams is an attorney who earned his Juris Doctor degree from Western State University in 1984. He is a member of the American, California, and Orange County Bar Associations.
George Adams served as Chairman of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.(now known as ReMA) from April 2008 until May of 2010 and still sits on its Board of Directors. The Recycling Materials Association. (ReMA) is the private, non-profit trade association that is the "Voice of the Recycling Industry." Based in Washington, D.C., ReMA represents more than 1,600 private, for-profit companies that process, broker, and industrially consume recycled commodities.
George is author of the book Create the Connection: 25 Surefire Strategies for Success  in Leadership and Life. The book is based on his 50 years of discovering what  works  and what doesn't, George Adams shares the practical wisdom, personal philosophies, and life lessons that have helped him build a small family scrap yard into  the largest scrap company in the country.

Monica Apodaca

Phillip Killicoat

Steel trader
Goldman Sachs

Phillip Killicoat is responsible for steel trading in Goldman Sachs’ Commodities division based in London, UK.