Service Centers

Brown Strauss Steel names new chief executive
Written by Stephanie Ritenbaugh
January 17, 2025
Denver-based service center Brown Strauss Steel has named Kris Farris as CEO, effective Jan. 1.
Farris has also joined the company’s board of directors. He previously served as president and COO of Brown Strauss Steel.
Farris is taking over from Ryan Secrist, who held the CEO role since 2013. Secrist is stepping down from position due to family reasons but will remain at the company in a senior management role, and will also remain on its board of directors.
Farris was the president of the Crest Steel subsidiary of Reliance Inc. prior to joining Brown Strauss Steel in 2018.
Brown Strauss is an employee-owned company with locations in Denver; Houston; Phoenix; Kansas City, Kan.; Los Angeles; Seattle; Menomonie, Wis.; Salt Lake City; Chicago; and Stockton, Calif.

Stephanie Ritenbaugh
Read more from Stephanie RitenbaughLatest in Service Centers

Friedman logs quarterly loss amid ‘challenging conditions’
Friedman swings to a loss in its fiscal third quarter of 2025.

Tampa Steel Conference: Service centers more upbeat about 2025
If 2021 and 2022 was the party, 2024 is the morning after, one panelist said.

Tampa Steel Conference: Worthington CEO Geoff Gilmore talks trade and tariffs
"Personally, I find it very hard to believe that we would be in a trade war with Mexico and Canada for more than a few months at any given time. I don't know how Mexico and Canada could survive that. That's a recession for them. That's a few points off GDP for us - my opinion.”

Olympic Steel taps Harbert for general manager role
Olympic Steel Inc. has promoted Brant Harbert to general manager for the company’s three facilities in Bedford Heights and Dover, Ohio.