Board of Directors & Executive Team

Experienced & Proven...

Chester Millar, Director, Chairman of the Board

Canadian Hall of Fame mining legend, Chester Millar, launched an illustrious career in the mining industry in the mid-1960s by discovering a copper-gold deposit that became the highly successful Afton mine near Kamloops, British Columbia. He founded Afton Mines Ltd. intending to develop his discovery, but the company was ultimately acquired on the open market by Teck Corporation (now Teck Cominco).

In the early 1970s, Millar turned his attention to the western United States, where he pioneered the use of heap leaching to process low-grade gold ores and demonstrated the success of the method at several open-pit mines. He helped introduce heap leaching to Latin America by writing a technical book on the subject in Spanish that was well received by mining engineers and other interested parties.

Millar is one of the mining industry’s most successful company builders. He helped transform Glamis Gold and Eldorado Gold from junior exploration companies into substantial gold producers with global operations. He contributed to the early growth of Alamos Gold and Castle Gold, both gold producers in Mexico.

He staked the Afton property and applied percussion drilling techniques then used for highway construction to test its potential. The drilling program discovered the high-grade Afton copper-gold deposit that was eventually acquired by Teck. He then acquired a gold property that became the Picacho mine and vended this successful heap-leach operation to a predecessor of Glamis Gold. He refined the technique at other mines in the United States, and further applied it in Latin America and New Zealand.

Chester Millar has few equals as a builder of junior companies. He served as Chairman of Glamis Gold from 1985 to 1998 and as Chairman of Eldorado Gold from 1992 to 1994, steering both companies to producer status. He co-founded Alamos Gold and guided its acquisition of the Mulatos gold project in Mexico. Over the years he has also contributed to the growth of many other junior companies.

Duane Nelson, Director, Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Nelson is the founder, and past President, and CEO of EnviroMetal Technologies Inc. The company developed a revolutionary, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective, alternative to cyanide and smelters for the extraction of precious metals for the gold mining sector. Mr. Nelson stepped down from EnviroMetal in 2022 with a vision to build a unique, clean-tech-focused gold mining company to validate the eco-friendly technology. Since its inception, Innovation Mining has attracted some of the biggest names in mining history.

Mr. Nelson has more than 40 years of experience in founding, financing, and advising emerging private and public companies. He has founded several successful ventures. Most recently he was the CEO and co-founder of Silvermex Resources Inc., a past TSX listed gold and silver producer which was sold for $235 Million in 2013.

He is the founder of Quotemedia Inc., a successful financial market data company established in 1998. It is now a leading provider of global financial stock market data for numerous Stock Exchanges and brokerage firms, including: the Toronto Stock Exchange, Toronto Venture Exchange, the Canadian stock Exchange, NASDAQ OTC, and others.

Mr. Nelson is a member of the Board of Directors of Group 11 Technologies Inc., a company pioneering an in-situ gold mining technology.

Mr. Nelson is also on the Board of Directors of NGO Sustainability in Consultive Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. NGO Sustainability is a non-profit organization that is honored to have over 20 United Nations Ambassadors on their Board of Directors. The NGO is dedicated to promoting sustainable development and renewable energy.

Joe Ovsenek P.Eng., LLB., Director

Mr. Ovsenek has more than 25 years of experience in the mining industry and is presently the President & CEO of P2 Gold Corp and on the Board of Directors for Victoria Gold Corp.

Previously, Joe was President and CEO of Pretium Resources Inc. where he led the advance of the high-grade gold Brucejack Mine which has been operating profitably since commercial start-up in 2017. Joe began his nine-year tenure at Pretium in 2011 as Chief Development Officer and led the over $2B financing of the company from exploration stage to operations and was subsequently appointed President in 2015 and President and CEO in 2017.

Prior to Pretium, he served for 15 years in senior management roles for Silver Standard Resources Inc., lastly as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development responsible for the sale of the Brucejack and Snowfield assets to the newly created Pretium Resources Inc.

Joe holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Toronto. He is a registered member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia.

Janet L. Sheriff, B.A., Director

Ms. Janet Sheriff brings 25 years of senior management industry experience to her role as Executive Vice President. Ms. Sheriff previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Golden Predator Mining Corp and President of Tigris Uranium (now enCore Energy Corp.). Ms. Janet Sheriff is the founder of Newfoundland Gold, a strategic marketing alliance promoting the progressive jurisdiction of Newfoundland & Labrador and the region’s leaders in exploration & mining. She also serves as Co-Founder and President of Group 11 Technologies, a private company focused on the development of non-invasive and environmentally friendly precious metals extraction. With a strong commitment to social responsibility and community engagement she has successfully negotiated and implemented socio-economic and exploration agreements with indigenous governments plus implemented numerous innovative programs to ensure community involvement in corporate projects.

An innovative entrepreneur, Janet brings her extensive experience in all aspects of strategic planning, management, indigenous affairs, and communications to start ups, new ventures, and the mining & exploration sectors. Janet focuses her entrepreneurial spirit, leadership skills and vision to create new opportunities, award-winning innovative programs, and new ways of conducting business. Her strong commitment to community engagement, sustainability and inclusion provides her the proven ability to work effectively and respectfully in cross-cultural environments. MS. Janet Sheriff holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) degree from Queens University (1986) and is a recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Commemorative Medal awarded for outstanding achievements by Canadians. More Here.

Darryl Yea, BCom., Director

Darryl J Yea has over 35 years of diverse experience in operations, investment banking, corporate finance, and venture capital with public and private companies in several industries. He is currently the President of Investco Capital Management Inc., a private Vancouver-based company that invests and transacts with a range of businesses and projects and advises on mergers and acquisitions, going public transactions, and corporate and strategic issues.

In his past career Mr. Yea held the positions of President & Chief Executive Officer of C.M. Oliver Inc. (TSX: OLV), a national financial services organization, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Datawest Solutions Inc. (TSX: DSI), a Canadian banking technology and payment processing company, Chairman of Apteryx Imaging Inc. (TSXV: XRAY), a medical devices and dental imaging company, lead director of Redhawk Resources Inc. (TSX: RDK), one of the largest undeveloped copper projects in North America, all of which were acquired during his tenure, and past chairman and/or director of several other public and private companies in diverse industries.

Mr. Yea was a former member of the Board of Governors of the predecessor to the TSX Venture Exchange and chaired several of its key committees. In addition, he has served as an industry advisor to various securities regulatory committees and was a member of the Faculty Advisory Board of the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia. Mr. Yea holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of British Columbia in both Urban Land Economics and Finance and was a member of the Real Estate Institute of British Columbia and the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of British Columbia.

Michael Cowin, MBA, B.Sc., Director

Mr. Cowin has 20 years of investment banking and investment experience. Since 2007, he has been a director of Northcape Capital, a boutique investment fund based in Australia which manages over A$8.0 billion. Over that period, he has been the portfolio manager/analyst for the Emerging Companies Fund. Prior to Northcape, Mr. Cowin was a senior portfolio manager at AMP from 2004-2007.

From 2003-2004, he managed the Small Companies Fund at UBS and was an industrial analyst with sector responsibility for the basic industries, healthcare, media, and diversified industries. While at UBS from 1999-2003, he also held the position of Head of Research and Deputy Portfolio Manager for the UBS Australian Share Fund. Between 1996-1999, he was a research analyst with BZW Equities.

Bruce Bried B.Sc., P.Eng., Director

Mr. Bried is a mining engineer with over 28 years’ experience in the engineering, development, operation, reclamation, and management of producing mines. 1980 - 1992, Dickenson Mines Ltd., (now Goldcorp) Chief Engineer and manager, KamKotia mine in Sandon, BC and then Manager of the Arthur White Mine in Red Lake.

Mr. Bried's extensive experience includes the following positions; 1992 - 1996, TECK/Corona, Chief Engineer and Mine Superintendent at the David Bell mine in the Hemlo Camp, ON.1996 - 2001, Homestake Mining Company, Mine Superintendent at Eskay Creek Mine, BC, and General Manager at Snip Mine, BC and Lead Mine, South Dakota, Manager of Reclamation, Reno, NV. 2001 – 2004, Mining and reclamation consulting for various companies including Kinross Gold, General Manager, Lupin Mine. 2005 – 2007, Endeavour Silver, Vice President Operations in Mexico. 2008 – 2017 Reclamation and Mining Consulting in Canada and Mexico, including Endeavour Silver, Timmins Gold, Santa Cruz Silver.

Mr. Bried unique skill set allowed him to achieve greater efficiencies and lower unit costs through improving equipment maintenance, mining methods, labor negotiations, mill design, and mine safety. His long list of accomplishments includes reduced costs and increased productivity through improvements to mining methods, safety programs, reclamation, and environmental programs. Since 2002, Mr. Bried has been a mining consultant to senior and junior gold mining companies, including Lupin Mine closure for Kinross and Santa Cruz Mine expansion for Endeavour Silver in Durango, Mexico. Mr. Bried has a B.Sc. Mining Engineering, from the Colorado School of Mines, Golden CO, 1979.

Grant Bond, CPA.,CA., Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Bond is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) with more than 12 years of financial management experience in the mining industry. He has an extensive background in financial and risk management, financial reporting and SOX compliance. He currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer of P2 Gold Inc. and Austin Gold Corp., exploration mining companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and NYSE American, respectively. Before this, he was the Corporate Controller at Pretium Resources Inc., responsible for managing the accounting and financial reporting functions as Pretium evolved from an explorer to a profitable intermediate gold producer. Mr. Bond began his career in the assurance group at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, primarily focusing on operating and exploration mining clients. He holds a Diploma in Accounting and Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia.

Chris Babcock, COO/VP Operations

Mr. Babcock is the Company’s Vice President of Operations and will manage and advise on all North America based mining operations. Chris has extensive experience in the building of profitable gold mines throughout North America. He is the past General Manager of the El Barqueño gold project in Mexico and was the past General Manager of President and CEO of Castle Gold, and Alamos Gold during the early development of the Mulatos project. He was also involved in the development of the La Colorada Mine.

Mr. Babcock's experience in the development and operation of gold mines includes El Castillo Mine, open pit heap leach gold mine in Durango, Mexico, El Zapote Mine, open pit heap leach gold mine, in Chihuahua, Mexico. La Colorada Mine, open pit heap leach gold mine, in Sonora, Mexico, Picacho Mine, the America Mine, open pit heap leach mine, California, Mulatos Gold Mine, open pit heap leach, Mexico.

William M. Sheriff, B.Sc., Chairman Advisory Board

Mr Sheriff is an entrepreneur and visionary with over 40 years’ experience in the minerals industry and the securities industry and has been responsible for significant capital raises along with corporate development. Mr. Sheriff was a pioneer in the uranium renaissance as co-founder and Chairman of Energy Metals Corp. and was responsible for compiling the largest domestic uranium resource base in US history before the company was acquired by Uranium One Corp for $1.8 Billion in 2006.

Mr. Sheriff also has a significant interest in the gold exploration sector with personal and corporate gold exploration assets across the United States and Canada. In addition to his personal business interests, Mr. Sheriff serves as the Chairman of Sabre Gold Mines Corp., Executive Chairman of C2C Gold Corp. and is a director and co-founder of Group 11 Technologies Inc, a private company committed to the development and application of environmentally and socially responsible precious metals mineral extraction as an alternate to conventional mining methods.

Mr. Sheriff holds a B.Sc. degree (Geology) from Fort Lewis College, Colorado and an MSc in Mining Geology from the University of Texas-El Paso and compiled one of the largest privately held mining databases in the world.

Keith Peck, BA., CBV, Advisory Board Member

Mr. Peck is a consultant with Holnik Capital Inc. He was previously chairman and chief executive officer of Lincoln Peck Financial Inc., a financial advisory firm focused on the resources sector. He has over 35 years of investment banking experience, including as Vice-president and Director of RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Haywood Securities Inc., and Vice-Chairman of Yorkton Securities Inc.

Mr. Peck has significant public company experience, including as the lead independent director of Benchmark Metals Inc., Chairman of Camino Minerals Corp, Chairman of Orezone Gold Corporation and was a Director of Bluestone Inc. Mr. Peck was a founder of Centenario Copper Corp., which was acquired by Quadra Mining Ltd. in 2009.

Mr. Peck is a Chartered Business Valuator (CBV) and has a BA in Economics from Princeton University.

Michael Krupp, MBA., Advisory Board Member

Michael Krupp is the Chairman of Innovation Mining’s Advisory Board. Mr. Krupp, over the past 43 years has been the Chairman and sole shareholder of Kero Investments, Inc. During this timeframe, Kero Investments acquired approximately 70 low to middle technology companies in a diversity of industries. Through bringing greater professional management and technology implementation to these entities, consolidated sales reached approximately $650 million/annually.

Prior to the creation of Kero Investments, Mr. Krupp was the Vice President of Corporate Development for HMK Group Companies and was instrumental, over three years, in taking HMK from a start up to over $300 million in annual sales. He then left HMK and with the experience gained at HMK formed Kero Investments in 1980.

Colin Craft, P.Eng., VP Project Development

Mr. Craft has over 35 years of mineral processing and metallurgical testing experience, focused on the recovery of precious and base metals, in a variety of mineralogical and process settings. He is head of operations for Group 11 Technologies inc. A company Most recently he has worked with Golden Predator (now Sabre Gold) on the 3 Aces Bulk Sample, and now the cyanide free, gold recovery unit known as the SRU™ which incorporated an environmentally friendly formula and process. He was instrumental in the construction, commissioning, and successful operation of the SRU during 2019 season.

Mr. Craft has served as the Mine Manager and/or Mill Superintendent at the QR, Baker and Cusac Gold Mines, as well as Canting’s tungsten and Roca’s Max Moly projects. He has also consulted on a number of projects for FLSmidth and JDS.

Jasman Yee, P.Eng., Advisory Board Member

Mr. Yee, BASc, P. Eng (BC) is a 1970 graduate of the University of British Columbia with a degree in chemical engineering, a 1974 graduate of Toronto’s Ryerson Polytechnical Institute with a degree in economics. He has over 35 years of operational, managerial, engineering and consulting experience in the processing of precious and complex polymetallic base metals ores within North America and abroad. Mr. Yee is currently the managing director of his own consulting firm and has held senior positions with H A. Simons, Bateman Engineering and Bacon Donaldson & Associates. He has commissioned and started up mines for Falconbridge Copper in Ontario; Canada Wide in Gays River, Nova Scotia; Erickson Gold Mines in Cassiar, BC; and the autoclave restart for the Con Mine in Yellowknife, NWT.

John Kiland, Vice President Business Development

John Kiland is a successful Nevada-based business man with over 40 years experience in with many successful business ventures. Mr. Kiland has broad managerial and operations experience across several industries.

Early in his career John worked alongside family members in the Midwest distributing gaming machines to early Indian Casinos. This led to a move to Las Vegas in 1993 and being one of the first employees at Casino Data Systems, a pioneer in player tracking and marketing. John’s roles included managing Cool Millions multi-site progressives.

Mr. Kiland delivers professional business development and management skills and will oversee the Company's western US operations and Las Vegas-based headquarters.

Marien Segovia, Corporate Secretary

Marien Segovia is Corporate Secretary of the Company. Ms. Segovia has almost 20 years of experience in the administration of public companies and is well versed in all aspects of Corporate Compliance and Governance frameworks, administration, statutory and regulatory requirements, managing corporate records, and shareholder engagement.

Ms. Segovia has worked in senior roles at a number of respected Canadian reporting issuers including Silver Standard Resources, EMX Royalty Corporation, Great Panther Silver Limited, Wiklow Corporate Services and Silvermex Resources Inc.

Reza Kafaei, Metallurgical Laboratory Analyst,

Mr. Kafaei has over 15 years’ experience in mining, mineral processing, operations, production, quality control, and metallurgical laboratory analytics. Reza has a master’s degree in mining engineering. Mr. Kafaei has extensive experience in hands-on metallurgical process plant commissioning and plant operation, scheduling, production, and quality control; planning, designing, and performing detailed processes for gold production and extracting precious metals from ores and concentrates.

Most recently Reza was the operations manager and metallurgist at EnviroMetal Technologies for over 3 years. The Company has developed a unique hydrometallurgical extraction technology for the recovery of precious metals from ores, concentrates and tailings. At EnviroMetal he was accountable for plant facilities and provided technical support for the plant processes in the area of crushing, grinding, leaching, electrowinning, ION exchange resin technology, and gold production. In his past career, Reza worked at ALS Laboratories in Burnaby BC as a trace metal production analyst. He worked closely with the R&D team to develop and test scale-up processes for new products from lab procedures to high-volume manufacturing and conducted and monitored field and lab tests.