Team

Jason Fowler is the Chairman/Owner of Bar Source International LLC, a North American based distributor of specialty and carbon steel bar and tubing products.

Strategic Direction and Professional Mission Jason Fowler is a zealous, serial entrepreneur, dedicated to:

• Identifying, launching and managing start-up ventures
• Focusing on the specialty and carbon steel bar and tubing products and related industries.
• Establishing competitive market positioning.
• Building long-term growth and profitability.

Performance Record. Jason Fowler is an accomplished entrepreneur with a successful track record in founding corporations, business ownership and development, product management, marketing, sales and customer service management. He’s proven to be a results-oriented, detail-minded executive who has delivered on sales targets, problem solving and strategic thinking, with a solid history of achieving profit plans and shareholder returns.

Fowler’s innovative insight, high energy and professional competence are traits that attract customers, employees, suppliers and other industry leaders to hm. With over 20 years in the steel business, he is driven by challenges to continued success.

KEY CAREER MILESTONES

Kreher Steel, LLC—1996—2001. Early in his career, Fowler gained broad industry experience with Kreher Steel, LLC, in numerous capacities with significant achievements. As a young sales representative, he brought in 33% of the company’s profits selling carbon, alloy, tool and stainless steel bar to end users and OEMs As Product Manager of their Specialty Metal Division, he brought the steel industry new markets. When running the Automotive Airbag Steel Division, he developed 23 different material specifications with Morton Thiocol to hold pressurized gas for fifteen years, Fowler helped redesign the airbag for mass production at a competitive cost complying with government mandate.

Jason Fowler, as he matured in his career with Kreher Steel, assumed broadened managerial responsibility. Fowler

• Continued management of market development and strategic marketing positioning for the firm in target markets and growth industries.
• Applied his entrepreneurial passion to searching for, launching, and managing new business ventures as potential diversification opportunities for Kreher Steel.

Metcut, Inc .—1998–2009, Fowler founded Metcut, Inc, in 1998, expanding a 3000 sq. ft precision cutting business to a 50,000 sq ft steel processor, with $1.8M in sales at its peak. In 2005, he added a Heat Treating Division. The company was sold in 2009.

iMetals, Inc.—2003—2009. In 2003, Fowler founded and served as CEO of iMetals Inc, a privately owned steel distribution company. iMetal specialized in distribution of carbon and alloy bar products as well as stainless and tool steel. In 2005, Fowler added a Foundry Division. Under Fowler’s leadership, iMetals, Inc. qualified as an ISO- 9001:2000 certified steel distributor. iMetal, Inc. grew to $50M in annual revenues with 28 shipping locations throughout the U.S. in five years. In May of 2009, iMetals was sold.

Chicago Steel and Iron, LLC.(CSI Bars)—2010—2013. In 2010, Fowler founded Chicago Steel and Iron, LLC.(CSI Bars) in Illinois, as a Division of the ESMARK Steel Group. The ESMARK Steel Group had sales of $600 million. In 2010 forecasted to grow to $ 1 billion by year-end 2012.

Chicago Steel and Iron, LLC.(CSI Bars) operated as an ISO 9001:2008 Certified Steel Distributor of carbon and alloy bar products. By the end of 2010, its first year, CSI Bars reported over $11.6 million in annual sales with a gross margin of 14%. By the end of 2012, CSI Bar sales had soared to $56 million with 25 shipping locations.

Bar Sources International, LLC.(BSI) In June 2013, Jason Fowler created a financial partnership with Kurt Orban Partners, LLC.(KOP) and acquired the assets of Chicago Steel and Iron. Fowler and Kurt Orban Partners(KOP) renamed the new acquisition Bar Sources International, LLC..(BSI)

In 2015, Bar Source International LLC.(BSI) launched an aggressive growth strategy building on:

• Organic growth in current and expanding markets, and
• A systematic and focused merger/acquisition program to broaden the Bar Source International, LLC. steel industry profile domestically and internationally.

ADDITIONAL NEW VENTURES FOUNDED BY JASON FOWLER

Jason Fowler has founded and managed and sold a variety of diverse “start-up” enterprises over his career including:

• Focus Logistics
• Classic Stone
• Mobil Data Software
• Signature Bank

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION

Education. Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management(BSIM), University of Illinois at Chicago. Fowler majored in marketing planning, sales and marketing management and entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, University of Illinois at Chicago In the Spring, 2007, Jason Fowler was inducted into the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, University of Illinois at Chicago. The prestigious award recognizes Chicago area entrepreneurs whose achievements have made a profound and lasting impact on the Chicago business landscape. In 2008, he was invited to be the honorary guest speaker at the Hall of Fame’s 25th Anniversary Banquet Ceremony. Fowler spoke to the distinguished audience about how the graduate Entrepreneurial Program at UIC helped him prepare for the real life corporate battleground.

STEEL INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT

Boards of Directors. Fowler has held Board of Director positions with:

Steel Industry Association Memberships. Fowler has active memberships in these industry associations:

FAMILY BACKGROUND

Jason Fowler is married to Sondra, his wife of over 17 years. The Fowlers have two daughters, Jamison 15 years , Jaclyn, 12 years. The Fowler family lives in Hinsdale, Illinois. Favorite family activities include travel, golf, snow skiing and water sports. The Fowlers are also highly involved in local community activities and events.

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