William Butler
Chairman, CEO, Director
Mr. Butler of Bishop’s Falls, NL is the owner and operator of Hi-Point Industries, a highly successful peat producer and manufacturing business. In 2006 Mr. Butler was presented the Exporter of the Year Award by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in recognition of over 2 decades of servicing the International Petroleum Industry through a worldwide distribution network in 28 countries. He has also been the recipient of other awards from various organizations including the Manufacturing Association and Environmental Industry Association. With extensive experience in the prevention and control of environmental hazards, Mr. Butler’s expertise and products have helped mitigate environmental damage at major spills such as the Alaskan Valdez spill, the Iron Baron spill in Australia and a catastrophic spill in Uruguay.
Victor A. French, M.Sc., P.Geo.
President, COO, Director
Victor French of Bay Roberts, NL holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Geology, is a Registered Professional Geoscientist in Newfoundland and Labrador, a Fellow of the Geological Association of Canada, and a life member of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada. During a 50+ year career, he has worked in the mining industry as a senior manager in an open pit mining operation and as an exploration consultant to the industry with expertise in gold and silver exploration. He is also on the board of several NL based, private natural resource companies.
Mr. French has had a successful career in the mineral resource industry having been the lead geologist in identifying the mineral potential in several active exploration districts of Newfoundland & Labrador (NL). These include the western White Bay Gold District, the Point May Epithermal Gold – Silver System on the Burin Peninsula and the 16 km gold mineralized structure on Glover Island in western Newfoundland, all of which are host to measurable NI 43-101 compliant resources. He has also generated NL based, successful exploration projects for global mining companies such as BHP Billiton & Placer Dome (acquired by Barrick in 2006).
Rex Simmonds
Director
Mr. Rex Simmonds formerly of St. Anthony, NL and now residing in St. John’s is a highly successful entrepreneur in the Newfoundland & Labrador Fishing Industry. Throughout his career Mr. Simmonds has been a leader in advancing fishing techniques and identifying new opportunities for processing and freezing fish products at sea. In 1998 he received the Innovator of the Year award in the fishing industry and was the first fisherman in Canada to hold a processing at sea license for an Inshore Vessel. From 2003 – 2007 he served as a member of the Marine Institute, Industry Advisory Board.
Mr. Simmonds has participated in the Newfoundland and Labrador fishing industry for over 35 years and is the owner of RS Marine Ltd. and Real-Time Ocean Data Services Ltd. principally involved with the harvesting of different fish species from the southern Grand Banks to the Davis Strait which he supplies to local and worldwide markets.
David F. Strong, Phd., LLD.
Technical Advisor
David F. Strong, PhD, DSC, LLD, FRSC, KSJ of Victoria, B.C. has a distinguished career as an academic, entrepreneur and scientist. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Honorary Fellow of the Geological Association of Canada. His many distinctions include the Canadian Institute of Mining Distinguished Service Award, an Honorary Doctorate of Science Degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from St. Francis Xavier University. Dr, Strong is the founding President and Vice-Chancellor of University Canada West, past President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Victoria, B.C, and a former Vice President Academic at Memorial University of Newfoundland. A highly respected geoscientist, he has served on the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada, the Research Council of the Canadian Institute of Advanced Research, the Standing Advisory Committee on University Research of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, and the Advisory Councils on Science and Technology for the Premiers of both Newfoundland and British Columbia.
Fred R. Keats
Prospector Advisor
Mr. Keats has a distinguished career as one of Newfoundland & Labrador’s most successful prospectors with more than 45 years prospecting experience throughout Canada and North America as well as South America, Africa, Europe & Australia. Fred is a member of the Keats & Stares Prospecting Family who won the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Bill Dennis award in 2007 which cited “Fred discovered a 36-ounce/ton Visible Gold boulder on the Appleton Linear for Noranda Exploration”, the Appleton Linear is now the focus of exploration on the New Found Gold Queensway Gold Project.
Mr. Keats has discovered several deposits throughout his career including the Stog’er Tight Gold Deposit on the Baie Verte Peninsula, NL now being mined by Anaconda Mining and a copper-porphyry deposit in Argentina. While in South America he has also prospected extensively throughout the Atacama region of Chile. His discoveries also include being a member of the team which discovered the Duck Pond massive sulphide deposit, a past producer mined by Teck Resources in central Newfoundland. He has worked for many mining companies including over 30 years with Noranda, Falconbridge and Xstrata.