Management Team

Jim Gallagher, P.Eng.

Executive Chairman

 

Mr. Jim Gallagher, P.Eng. Mr. Gallagher is a seasoned mining executive and Professional Engineer with a 35-year track record of optimizing operational performance, leading successful projects and consulting with global scope. Mr. Gallagher was most recently the President and CEO of North American Palladium Ltd. (“NAP”). During his 6 year tenure at NAP, Mr. Gallagher rebuilt the senior management team, introduced advanced technologies and mining methods at the Lac des Iles Mine and achieved an operational and financial turnaround that made the Lac des Illes Mine one of the largest and lowest cost underground mines in Canada, culminating in the 2019 sale of NAP for $1 billion to Impala Platinum. Prior to NAP, Mr. Gallagher spent 24 years with Falconbridge Inc., in a variety of operational and project management roles and eight years as Global Director of Mining for Hatch, leading one of the largest mining EPCM teams in North America. Mr. Gallagher is currently the chair of the technical committee on the board of Directors for Harte Gold and also serves on the board of the Ontario Mining Association.

 

Abraham Drost, M.Sc, P.Geo.

CEO & Director

 

Mr. Drost is Professional Geoscientist (Ontario) with a 35 year career and is a former President and Director of Sabina Gold and Silver (SBB:TSX), former President and Director of Sandspring Resources Inc. (SSP:TSXV) and former CEO, Director of Source Exploration Corp. (SOP:TSXV) now Mexican Gold Corp. Mr. Drost is a former Chairman of Premier Gold Mines USA Inc. and the former CEO and founding Director of Premier Royalty Inc. (NSR:TSX), prior to the sale to Sandstorm Gold. He was a former CEO and then Director of Mega Precious Metals Inc. (MGP:TSXV) at the sale to Yamana. Mr. Drost was most recently CEO and Director of Carlisle Goldfields Ltd. (CGJ:TSX) at the sale to Alamos Gold (AGI:TSX). Previously, Mr. Drost was Regional Land Use Geologist with the Ontario Government.

 

Kelsey Chin, CPA, CGA

Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

 

Kelsey is a chartered professional accountant, certified general accountant and a graduate of the University of British Columbia (BCom). Ms. Chin has over 15 years of experience in audit, finance and accounting within the mining, exploration, health care and technology industries. She has served as a director and executive officer for numerous publicly traded companies, where she was responsible for all aspects of financial services, financial reporting, corporate governance, and has led numerous financings, mergers and acquisitions to successful completion.

 

Dean Chambers, P.Eng. ICD.D

Director

 

Mr. Chambers is a professional engineer and financial executive with over 35 years of business, technical and financial experience. In 2017, Mr. Chambers retired as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Sherritt International Corporation, a major international resource company. Mr. Chambers' career as a senior executive in the mining and chemical industries also includes progressive positions with The Dow Chemical Company, Falconbridge Limited and Dynatec Corporation. Most recently, Mr. Chambers served four years on the Board of Directors and chaired the Audit Committee of North American Palladium Ltd. leading up to its successful sale to Impala Platinum in 2019. Mr. Chambers holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. Mr. Chambers also serves on the Industrial Advisory Committee for the Engineering and Management program at McMaster University.

 

MaryAnn Crichton, P.Eng. MBA

Director

 

Ms. Crichton is a Professional Engineer and senior executive with over 30 years of international business experience in financing; project development; environmental, social and governance (“ESG”)/Corporate Social Responsibility (“CSR”) and strategy. Ms. Crichton holds B.Sc. (Chemical Engineering) from the University of Alberta and an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University. She spent most of her career as Global Director of Management Consulting for Hatch Ltd. (“Hatch”), a global engineering, advisory and construction firm working in the mining, metals, and infrastructure and energy industries. Prior to joining Hatch, she worked in private equity and the resource and chemical industries. In 2017 and again in 2020, Ms. Crichton was elected to the Board of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (“PDAC”) and is currently a member of both their Governance and Nominations Committee and CSR/Diversity and Inclusion Working Group. In 2018, she was elected to serve as PDAC’s representative on the Board of Mining Matters.

 

Carson Phillips, M.Eng.

VP Corporate Development

 

Carson Phillips is a mining executive with over a decade of experience with a focus on precious metals. He was also an initial founder and director of Ecuador Gold & Copper Corp. (TSX.V: EGX) which was subsequently acquired by Lumina Gold Corp. (TSX.V: LUM) in 2016. Carson has a degree in Business Administration from the University of British Columbia (Okanagan) as well as a degree in International Business from Hogeschool Zeeland in the Netherlands. Mr. Phillips has also completed a Master of Engineering in Mine Economics & Finance from the University of British Columbia in 2014.