Karla Lewis

CEO & President
Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.

Karla Lewis started her career as a certified public accountant with Ernst & Young (Ernst & Whinney). In 1992, Ms. Lewis left EY to join Reliance as the company’s first Controller. She was promoted to Chief Financial Officer in 1999. In 2017, Ms. Lewis further undertook operational responsibility of a number of Reliance subsidiaries and in January 2021, she was promoted to President and appointed a member of the Reliance Board of Directors. Ms. Lewis was named CEO & President of Reliance effective January 1, 2023. She has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Metals Service Center Institute since 2009 and has served on the Board of Directors of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. since 2021. Ms. Lewis earned a BS degree in Business from The Ohio State University.

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.

Shane Kimbrough

U.S. Army COL (Ret.) and Astronaut
NASA

Daniel Brown

Senior Vice President of Advanced Technology Steelmaking and Chief Operating Officer of Big River Steel Works
U. S. Steel

Daniel Brown leads advanced steelmaking technology for U. S. Steel and serves as Chief Operating Officer of Big River Steel Works. With over 25 years at U. S. Steel, Dan has held leadership roles across domestic and international operations, including Serbia and key U.S. facilities. He oversees operations at Big River Steel and the company’s new mill in Osceola, Arkansas. Dan holds a B.S. in Business Logistics from Penn State and an MBA in Finance from Duquesne University.

Alex De Parres

Head Commercial Manager
Macsteel International USA Corp

Alex De Parres is the Head Commercial Manager at Macsteel International USA Corp., bringing in over 30 years of expertise in trading raw materials, flat, and long steel products throughout the Americas. Throughout his distinguished career, Alex has developed a deep understanding of international steel markets, establishing strong relationships with producers, distributors, and end-users across North, Central, and South America.  
Known for his strategic vision and leadership, Alex has played a key role in expanding Macsteel's commercial reach and optimizing trading operations. His experience spans market analysis, contract negotiation, and supply chain management, making him a trusted advisor and industry leader.  
In recognition of his outstanding contributions and proven track record, Alex will be appointed Chief Commercial Officer of Macsteel International USA Corp. in January 2026. In this new role, he will oversee the company's commercial strategy and drive continued growth across all product lines and markets.

Todd Leebow

CEO and President
Majestic Steel

Todd Leebow is the CEO and President of Majestic Steel USA, a family-owned steel service center specializing in the distribution and processing of flat-rolled steel. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Majestic serves a broad range of customers across construction, manufacturing, and distribution industries from its nine locations throughout North America.  
Leebow joined Majestic in 2007, starting in supply chain management. He played a pivotal role in guiding the company through a successful generational transition, driven by a clear vision for growth and innovation. Since taking on the role of CEO in 2012, he has fostered a forward-thinking culture focused on talent development and technology-driven solutions, enhancing both operational efficiency and the customer experience.
A native of Northeast Ohio, Leebow graduated from Orange public schools in Cleveland before attending the University of Miami in Florida for business and entrepreneurship. He is an active leader in the domestic steel industry and a committed philanthropist in the Cleveland community. In recognition of his service and contributions, particularly to the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland, he was honored with the Sam Miller Goodness Award by the Values-in-Action Foundation.

Anton Posner

Chief Executive Officer
Mercury Resources LLC

Prior to joining Mercury Resources, Anton was Chief Executive Officer of CWT Commodities USA, the North American unit of the Singapore based global logistics and financial services company CWT Limited. Over his career Anton held positions at supply chain management companies and steamship lines including sales and marine operations.  
In addition, Anton is a member of the Board of the Americas Regional Committee of The International Trade & Forfaiting Association (ITFA).  
Anton is a frequent contributor in business media including appearances on Bloomberg Television to discuss global supply chain issues. Anton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation / Business Administration from The State University of New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler where he also obtained his United States Merchant Marine License as a Third Mate. After his academic career at SUNY Maritime, Anton served as an officer in the United States Navy Reserve.
Anton has lectured at several colleges and universities on the business of logistics including The State University of New York Maritime College, The United States Merchant Marine Academy, and Baruch College of the City University of New York.

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.

Estelle Tran

Steel Prices Analyst
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.

 

David Culotta

Senior Executive
Coface North America Insurance Company

David Culotta joined the Coface North America team in 2023 and was named Chief Underwriting Officer in January 2025.  David recognizes responsibility for Risk Underwriting, Commercial Underwriting, Information, Claims and XoL.  Previous work experience includes over a decade with Atradius Trade Credit Insurance in various roles across the risk organization.  He has spent the bulk of his 19 year career as a credit risk professional, while drawing upon additional experiences in both portfolio management and education.  David earned his MBA with a concentration in Finance from Loyola University Maryland and is a CFA charterholder.

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.

Thais Terzian

Principal Analyst - Steel
CRU

Thais Terzian is a Principal Analyst at CRU and has over 15 years' experience in commodities research. She is currently the lead of CRU’s crude steel and metallics analysis. Prior to joining CRU, she worked at Nexa Resources, a Brazilian mining company, where she was responsible for the analysis of base metals markets. Thais holds a Business Administration degree from Fundação Getúlio Vargas and is based in CRU's Santiago office.

Frank Nikolic

Vice President, Base & Battery Metals
CRU

Frank has over two decades of experience in the mining industry, holding senior leadership roles across strategy, market intelligence, metallurgy, digital transformation, and global commercial operations. During his time at Vale Base Metals, Frank led initiatives that improved Vale Base Metals’ commercial operations, including overseeing global logistics, optimizing contract management, and implementing digital transformation projects that enhanced operational efficiency and provided valuable strategic insights.
Now serving as Vice President for Base and Battery Metals in North America at CRU, Frank focuses on providing thought leadership and strategic guidance to support the commodity value chain as it adapts to meet the demands of a sustainable energy future. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mineral Processing from the University of Toronto and an MBA specializing in Strategic Planning and Industrial Relations from York 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.

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. 

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.

Chris Shipp

President
Reibus

Chris Shipp is the President of Reibus, an online marketplace transforming the global metals industry. Mr. Shipp joined the U.S. Navy in 1988 and served for 22 years, leading over 28 missions in the Global War on Terrorism and other combat operations. After retiring in 2010, he worked at Priefert Manufacturing for 11 years, holding roles such as VP of Global Supply Chain and VP of Sales for Priefert Steel. Mr. Shipp also served as President of Kingdom Pipe & Steel in Texas.

Barry M. Zekelman

Chairman and CEO
Zekelman Industries

Barry 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 has grown from $1.5m in revenue in 1986 to over $1.2B 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’s’ purchased back Carlye’s 55% interest in JMC. Then, in June of 2016 the company was renamed Zekelman Industries.

Today, Zekelman Industries, the parent of Atlas Tube, American Tube, Wheatland Tube, Western Tube, Sharon Tube, Picoma and Z modular produces over 2.4 million steel tons per year in 19 plants, manufactures and builds over 1500 multifamily residential apartments thru Z modular and employs over 2900 people throughout the United States and Canada. Zekelman Industries maintains the #1 market position in North America in HSS, Standard pipe, Electrical conduit and Electrical fittings, with sales in excess of $5B annually. Barry is currently the Chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries and is 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 a Managing Editor for Steel Market Update (SMU) and has covered the steel industry since 2007. Since 2014, he has specialized in flat-rolled steel but has previously reported on steel long products, steel pipe and tube as well as aluminum.

Before joining SMU, Michael held reporting jobs at Fastmarkets AMM in Chicago - where he was involved in launching AMM’s daily hot-rolled coil index, 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.

Michael has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Chicago and a Master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

David Schollaert

Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Steel Market Update

David Schollaert is a senior analyst and editor for Steel Market Update (SMU). David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his experience and expertise is within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers.

Michael Cowden

Managing Editor
Steel Market Update

Michael Cowden is a Managing Editor for Steel Market Update (SMU) and has covered the steel industry since 2007. Since 2014, he has specialized in flat-rolled steel but has previously reported on steel long products, steel pipe and tube as well as aluminum.

Before joining SMU, Michael held reporting jobs at Fastmarkets AMM in Chicago - where he was involved in launching AMM’s daily hot-rolled coil index, 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.

Michael has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Chicago and a Master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

David Schollaert

Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Steel Market Update

David Schollaert is a senior analyst and editor for Steel Market Update (SMU). David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his experience and expertise is within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers.

Timna Tanners

Managing Director, Equity Research
Wolfe Research

Timna Tanners is a Managing Director covering 26 equities in the Americas Metals and Mining, Building Materials, and Environmental Services sectors in addition to forecasting relevant commodities at Wolfe Research, a premier equity research firm.

She is a regular speaker at steel industry conferences and hosts frequent events for clients with corporates and industry experts. Her insights are featured regularly on business media, such as CNBC and Bloomberg News, including the trademarked term Steelmageddon®.

Timna has been ranked #1 in Institutional Investor's All America Poll for nine years. Prior to October 2021, Timna covered Metals and Mining at Bank of America Securities for over 10 years, and covered the sector for over eight years at UBS Investment Bank.

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.

Josephine D’Amico

Vice President
Goldman Sachs

Josephine D’Amico is a Vice President on the Commodities Sales team at Goldman Sachs, covering metals and mining companies, OEMs, as well as industrials companies. She joined Goldman Sachs in 2014 as an Analyst, and was named Vice President in 2020.

Josephine earned a BS in Finance, cum laude, from The College of New Jersey in 2014.

Spencer Johnson

Head of Ferrous Trading - Americas
StoneX Financial Inc.

Spencer is a 15 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 in the consulting group at Crowe. He specializes in Microsoft Cloud Solutions and the deployment of metals industry technology based on these platforms. Tony has more than 16 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. 

Herbert Black

President & CEO
American Iron and Metal (AIM)

Herbert Black joined American Iron and Metal (AIM) full-time in 1961 at the age of 17, after having worked part-time and on weekends for the scrap metal recycling company founded by his father, Peter Black, in 1936. By 1969, at just 25 years old, Herbert established American Iron and Metal (1969), taking full responsibility for the business one year before his father's untimely passing at the age of 53.
From the beginning, Herb was involved in every aspect of the company’s operations—both physical and managerial. His early responsibilities included driving trucks, operating cranes and forklifts, sorting and cutting metals, and buying and selling a wide range of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap materials.
Over time, he transitioned from these hands-on roles into a managerial and eventually executive position. Yet, he has never distanced himself from the heart of the operation. Herb continues to walk through the warehouse and scrapyard daily, identifying problems, refining processes, and connecting with the employees. He is not one to sit in an "ivory tower"—he remains a hands-on owner and operator, deeply involved in the company’s day-to-day activities. He knows his employees by name, and they are used to seeing him regularly. This personal involvement fosters efficiency and motivates staff to continually improve. Herb leads by example.
AIM is more than a business to Herb—it is his life, and scrap metal recycling is in his blood. His deep expertise in the metals industry has earned him considerable professional recognition. He was invited to speak at the London Metal Exchange, delivering a talk titled "The Demise of Sumitomo's Ten-Year Copper Manipulation." He has also spoken at the Mount Royal Club on "The Class Action Litigation Against Christie’s and Sotheby’s," served as a guest lecturer in the MBA programs at McGill University and Université de Montréal, and addressed the Turnaround Management Association on a range of industry topics.
Today, AIM is a global enterprise with annual revenues of $4.5 billion and a workforce of 4,300 employees worldwide. Now 81 years old, Herb remains as committed as ever, helping steer AIM through an ever-changing landscape of challenges and opportunities.

Kevin Dempsey

President and CEO
American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI)

Kevin Dempsey is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Iron and Steel Institute, a leading advocacy group representing electric arc furnace and integrated American steel producers. He previously served as senior vice president of public policy and general counsel to the Institute during which AISI achieved landmark policy successes on trade, tax and infrastructure, and successfully showcased the steel industry’s sustainability accomplishments.

Mr. Dempsey is well known in industry and trade circles, on Capitol Hill and by government officials in the U.S. and globally. He is a regular speaker at industry, policy and media events, and has been featured in dozens of national, regional and trade media. Before joining AISI, Mr. Dempsey led numerous international trade cases on behalf of American steel producers and other U.S. industries and served as a legal counsel in the U.S. Senate. 

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

Editor
Steel Market Update

Ethan Bernard is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York for AMM’s daily publication. He also copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine. Bernard has experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing.

Ethan holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley and an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University. 

Jerry Richardson

President
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. 

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.

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.

Kim Cordero

Deputy US Practice Leader
Aon Credit Solutions

Noah Hanners

Executive Vice President of Sheet Products
Nucor Corporation

Noah began his career with Nucor in 2011 at Nucor Steel South Carolina as a Melt Shop Engineer and was promoted to Shift Supervisor in 2012. Noah then transferred to Nucor Steel Auburn, Inc. in 2014 as their Melt Shop Manager. In 2017, he was promoted to General Manager of Independence Tube Corporation and was elected Vice President in 2019. In August 2020, Noah became Vice President and General Manager of Nucor Steel Kankakee, Inc., and in February 2021 was named Vice President and General Manager of Nucor’s wholly-owned scrap recycling subsidiary, The David J. Joseph Company. Noah became Executive Vice President of Raw Materials in January 2023 and was named to his current position effective May 12, 2024. Prior to joining Nucor, Noah served as a major in the United States Army. 

Rick Marabito

CEO
Olympic Steel

Mr. Marabito is responsible for providing the vision and strategic leadership for the organization by working with the board of directors and the executive management team to establish goals, strategies and policies. Mr. Marabito is also the primary interface between Olympic Steel and its shareholders, investors and the public.

Mr. Marabito joined Olympic in 1994 as Corporate Controller and served as Chief Financial Officer from March 2000 through 2018. He also served as Treasurer from 1994 through 2002 and again from 2010 through 2012. Prior to joining Olympic Steel, he served as Corporate Controller for a publicly traded wholesale distribution compa-ny and was employed in the audit department of a national accounting firm.

Mr. Marabito received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting in 1985 from the University of Mount Union. He is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) in the state of Ohio. He also completed the MSCI executive education pro-gram at Washington University.

Mr. Marabito is Chairman of the Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI). He served as a board member of the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana chapter from 2006 until 2018 and also served as the Chair of its Northeast Ohio Regional Board. He also served for 10 years on the Board of Trustees and was the Treasurer for Hawken School in Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Marabito was a board member and Audit Committee Chairman for Hawk Corporation (ASE: HWK) from 2008 until Hawk was sold in November 2010.

Rick and his wife Polly reside in Gates Mills, Ohio. They have two adult children. 

Monica Apodaca

Director, Steel and Metal Fabrication - Global Procurement
Rheem Manufacturing Company

Monica Apodaca is the Director of Steel and Metal Fabrication at Rheem Manufacturing where she leads a team dedicated to strategic sourcing, risk mitigation, and supplier development.  Working at global companies such as ArcelorMittal and Trane Technologies, she brings over 24 years of industry experience in her field. She holds a BA from the University of Chicago and is a sixteen-year member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries where she currently serves as International Programs Chair.  

Will Tully

Head of Business Development
Brown Brothers Harriman

Jose Gasca

Managing Director
Metrading International AG

Jose Gasca is a global executive and entrepreneur with 30 years of experience in the steel and metals industry, recognized for his leadership in international trade, diversification, and strategic growth. He began his career at EXIM BANK (Bancomext) before joining AHMSA, Mexico’s largest integrated steel mill, where over seven years he held diverse roles in production, technical service, exports, sales, and marketing. He was selected as a World Steel Fellow and served a two-year term at the International Iron and Steel Institute (now the World Steel Association) in Brussels, Belgium.

Jose later held trading roles at MAN Ferrostaal in the U.S., and a few years later was invited to join Coutinho Caro in Hamburg, Germany, where he was appointed Managing Director with global trading responsibilities. He played an active role in the 2008 merger of Coutinho Caro and Ferrostaal, continuing as Managing Director and Board Member of the newly formed Coutinho Ferrostaal.

In 2011, Jose returned to the U.S. and co-founded X Steel in Houston, Texas. A year later, he was invited by Turkish steel producer Colakoglu to establish Medtrade Inc., a company created to market the mill’s products and manage scrap purchasing in North America. Medtrade quickly became a major supplier of flat and long products in the region.

In 2016, together with his partners, Jose co-founded Metrading International AG, a Swiss-based trading house active across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Since 2021, its U.S. operations have been represented by Gambek Metals, a Scottsdale, Arizona–based steel and aluminum processor and distributor. Jose holds a CPA from Tecnológico de Monterrey and an MBA in International Business and Finance from the University of Texas. He currently resides in Lugano, Switzerland, serves as Chairman of the American Metals Supply Chain Institute and is a member of the Advisory Board of Urbix Resources LLC, a graphite innovator focused on EV battery technologies.

Máximo Vedoya

Chief Executive Officer
Ternium

Máximo Vedoya is the Chief Executive Officer of Ternium, one of the leading steel companies in Latin America.

Máximo Vedoya is also Chairman of the Economics Committee of World Steel Association; member of the Executive Committee of the Latin American Steel Association (Alacero) since 2018, of which he served as President from 2019 to 2021; President of the Industry and Transformation Chamber (Caintra), Nuevo León, Mexico; Vice-president of the Mexican Iron & Steel Producers Association (Canacero).

He graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering from the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires, and he holds a Master of Science in Management from Stanford University (USA).

From 1992 Vedoya’s key positions have included Planning, Sales, Exports and Commercial Director in Ternium companies in Argentina and Venezuela. In 2010 he was appointed Executive President of the Andean Region (Colombia), in 2012 Executive President of Ternium Mexico, and on March 1, 2018, was appointed CEO of Ternium.