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Mr. Cowan has served as our executive vice president and chief operating officer since December 2005. Prior to joining us he spent the last 26 years in various positions involving the engineering construction and manufacturing of multiple steel and tubular products. From March 2003 to August 2005 Mr. Cowan served as president and chief operating officer of Maverick Tube Corporation a North American manufacturer of welded tubular steel products used in the energy industry. Prior to this position from June 2002 to March 2003 Mr. Cowan served as president and chief operating officer of Vallourec & Mannesmann Star a French German and Japanese joint venture and seamless manufacturer of tubular steel products. From January 1992 to June 2002 he served as general manager responsible for all sales and operations of three different steel manufacturing facilities for North Star Steel a business previously owned by Cargill. Mr. Cowan was responsible for the complete greenfield development construction and start-up of one of these facilities. From July 1979 to January 1992 he served in differing operational capacities for Cargill's steel group North Star Steel. For two years during 2000 and 2001 Mr. Cowan served as the Chairman of the Governor of Ohio's Steel Council. Mr. Cowan received his B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from Michigan Technological University. | 