On the 27th of October 2008, CBAR hosted the United Communities Credit Union Dinner with Guest Entrepreneur Mr. Barry Zekelman, President and CEO of John Maneely Company

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. Barry’s primary role at Atlas was the provision of strategic and commercial leadership. At that time Atlas Tube Inc. produced a limited range of Hollow Structural Steel Tubing.

Under Barry’s leadership the business has grown from sales of $2 million in 1986 to sales in excess of $1.2 billion in 2006. His Atlas’s Harrow, Plymouth, Chicago and Blytheville facilities combined employ over 600 people. The company has invested heavily in both increasing its size range and capacity, as well as modernizing its existing facilities. Today, Atlas is the largest producer of Hollow Structural Steel Tubing in North America.

Due to his progressive initiatives with employee motivational tools such as gain sharing and profit sharing programs, Atlas Tube Inc. has become the most efficient producer of Structural steel tubing in the World.

In October 2006, John Maneely Co., a maker of steel tubing that is owned by private-equity giant Carlyle Group announced a merger with Atlas Tube Inc. Barry decided to merge with JMC, he says, "because I want to make my company stronger by giving it a more powerful platform."

Today JMC the parent of Atlas Tube, Wheatland Tube and the former Sharon Tube produces over 2.4 million tons per year and employs over 2200 people throughout the United States and Canada.