Dr. Anirban Basu

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Sage Policy Group, Inc.

Dr. Anirban Basu is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland with an office in Orlando, Florida.  The firm provides strategic analytical services to energy suppliers, law firms, medical systems, government agencies, and real estate developers among others.  

In 2014, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan appointed Dr. Basu as Chair of the Maryland Economic Development Commission (2014-2021). Dr. Basu 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.  

He has taught at several universities, most frequently at the Johns Hopkins University.  He currently teaches History of Economic Thought at Goucher College as their Distinguished Economist in Residence.    

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 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, 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.

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.

Geoff Gilmore

President and CEO
Worthington Steel

Geoff Gilmore is president and CEO of Worthington Steel (NYSE: WS), where he led the company’s 2023 spin-off from Worthington Industries. Under his leadership, Worthington Steel has expanded globally, including a recently announced majority stake in Italy-based Sitem Group, and grown its capabilities across North America. Geoff previously served as EVP and COO of Worthington Industries during his 25-year tenure. He rose from inside sales to leadership roles across commercial, purchasing and division operations. Geoff serves on the boards of Worthington Steel, The Worthington Companies Foundation and Valparaiso University, where he earned his undergraduate degree. He is passionate about leadership, AI and workforce development. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

Estelle Tran

Prices Lead
CRU

Estelle Tran joined CRU as a steel and ferroalloy prices analyst in October 2017. Based in Pittsburgh, Estelle covers the US bulk ferroalloys market and is also the main contact for the data providers who contribute to the CRU Midwest flat roll indices. She started covering the US steel industry as an editor for S&P Global Platts in 2011, and over the years has covered the flat rolled steel, long steel, and primary aluminum markets as well as trade issues. Estelle has served as the president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries since 2017. She earned a B.A. in English writing and history from the University of Pittsburgh.

 

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.

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.

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.

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.

Barry Zekelman

Executive 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 private-equity 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. With 18 factories in North America, the company has the capacity to manufacture 3.3 million tons of steel tube and pipe products and build over 1,500 multi-family residential apartments annually. Zekelman companies employ more than 3,300 teammates and maintain the #1 market position in North America in HSS, standard pipe, electrical conduit and electrical fittings with sales in excess of $4 billion annually. Barry is currently the Executive Chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries and responsible for taking the company to new heights.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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, previously having served as senior vice president of public policy and general counsel. Under Dempsey’s executive leadership, the AISI has achieved policy successes on trade, tax and infrastructure; successfully promoted the steel industry’s global leadership on decarbonization, and showcased steel innovations.
Dempsey serves on the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Climate and Trade Advisory Council. He has been featured in dozens of national, regional and trade media and is a regular speaker at industry and advocacy events. Dempsey received his Juris Doctor Degree from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Arts  from Washington University.

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.

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.  

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.

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.

Jerry Richardson

Executive Director
CSN LLC

Jerry Richardson is the Executive Director of CSN LLC, the U.S. based subsidiary of Brazilian steel and mining conglomerate CSN. He is responsible for all domestic and import activities of CSN LLC, including financial, commercial and operational management of the company. In June 2018, he led the $475 million sale of CSN’s steel processing plant in Terre Haute, Indiana; a facility which CSN had bought in 2001 for $55 million. Through his guidance and leadership, the company grew from $250 million in revenue to over $900 million at its peak of commercial activity. He is currently the head of CSN Trading, a company specializing in the importation and distribution of steel products.

Over the last 35 years, Mr. Richardson has developed a command of the steel industry while working for international trading companies focused on metals including Duferco, Preussag International Steel Corp., Mannesmann Pipe & Steel and C. Itoh & Co. His broad experience with all types of carbon steel products and international trade gives him a unique view of the world market from a U.S. perspective and his finance background, commercial experience and affinity for operations gives him a unique skill set as a recognized leader in the industry.

Since 2008 he has served on the board of the American Metals Supply Chain Institute (formerly American Institute for International Steel) and has been a featured speaker and presenter for numerous industry events and conferences over the last 15 years. Jerry graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. 

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.