Alan S. Zekelman is a prominent Canadian-American businessman and philanthropist, whose immense wealth is rooted in the steel and pipe manufacturing sector. He is a native of Windsor, Ontario, and belongs to the powerful Zekelman family, who control Zekelman Industries. The family history is marked by deep connections to the steel industry and a profound connection to the past; his late father, Harry Zekelman, founded 'Atlas Tube', and his father's parents, brothers, and sisters were tragically killed in the Holocaust.

Alan received a high-level education, earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto and a Master of Science in Applied Economics from the University of Rochester. His brother, Barry Zekelman, was forced to return from his own college course to run the ailing family business after their father’s sudden death in 1986, but Alan later joined the leadership to apply his specialized financial and economic skills to the growing empire.

Alan Zekelman's professional path was intertwined with his brothers, Barry and Clayton, in the transformation of their inherited, troubled business, Atlas Tube. They took ownership of the structural tubing company in 1986 after their father's unexpected passing. While his brother Barry handled the operational turnaround, Alan's academic expertise in economics and commerce was instrumental in guiding the expansion strategy and managing the group's increasingly complex financial structure.

The critical inflection point came with the merger of Atlas Tube with John Maneely Co. in 2006, forming JMC Steel Group. Following a brief period of outside ownership, the Zekelman family repurchased complete ownership of the company in 2011, securing the foundation of their private fortune. The company was eventually rebranded as Zekelman Industries in 2016, and today, Alan remains an owner and director, deeply involved in the strategic direction of one of North America's largest steel tube and pipe makers.

Alan Zekelman is a major philanthropist whose giving is profoundly influenced by his family's history, particularly the Holocaust. He is focused on education, human rights, and remembrance, demonstrating a commitment to applying their wealth to combat injustice.

• Holocaust Memorial Center: The family’s signature cause. Alan is the treasurer and past president of the board of directors for the Center, which was renamed the 'Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus'. In 2021, the family and Zekelman Industries made a colossal '$15 million' donation, the largest single gift in the Center's history, to ensure its sustainability and expand its educational programs.
• MSU Law Center: Alan and his wife, Lori E. Talsky, provided a generous gift to establish the 'Lori E. Talsky Center for Human Rights of Women and Children' at Michigan State University College of Law, honoring his wife's background.
• Community Building: Zekelman Industries focuses on local upliftment, investing in community colleges for job training and supporting initiatives like the 'Grill of Steel' food truck that serves meals in disaster areas.