BOARD AND MANAGEMENT
David A. Fennell, Executive Chairman
David Fennell received a law degree from the University of Alberta in 1979. In 1983, he founded Golden Star Resources Ltd. During his term as president and CEO, Golden Star became a TSE 300 company and one of the largest and most successful exploration companies. In 1998, Mr. Fennell became chairman and CEO of Cambiex Explorations Ltd, which became Hope Bay Gold Corporation. He held this position through the merger of Hope Bay and Miramar Mining Corporation, and remained as executive vice-chairman and director for the combined entity until its takeover by Newmont Mining Corporation in 2008. Mr. Fennell has been instrumental in the success of several resource companies. He is currently senior executive officer or director of a number of publicly-traded resource companies including Reunion Gold Corp. Major Drilling Group International Inc., Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. and Torex Gold Resources Ltd.
Denis Miville Deschênes, President, CEO and Director
Denis Miville-Deschênes is a graduate of Laval University in mining engineering. He has more than 30 years of experience in the design, development and construction of mines as well as closure and rehabilitation of sites. He was Senior Vice President at IAMGOLD, responsible for development, project construction and technical services from 2006 to 2014. During his career which started with Falconbridge Copper and then with Cambior and Iamgold, Mr. Miville-Deschêsnes has worked on numerous technical studies and fourteen underground or open pit mining projects in North America, South America and Africa. He is recognized for his ability to establish dynamic work teams and operating at high standards.
Jean Desrosiers, Director
Jean Desrosiers is an engineer with over 40 years of experience in the mining business. In 2013 he retired from the position of Vice President – Mining Operations for Glencore Xstrata, where he was responsible for mining operations and exploration, having held that position since the acquisition by Xstrata Plc. of Falconbridge Ltd. in 2006. Prior to that, Mr. Desrosiers was Vice President Zinc for Falconbridge and Noranda, responsible for zinc mining operations since 1998.
John L. Johnson, Director
John L. Johnson, B.A. (finance), MLA, CFA, has over four decades of diverse experience in the investment industry, with a special focus on investment research in the natural resource sectors. He founded and until his retirement in December 2017, was managing director of NFJ Investment Group, part of Allianz Global Investors.
Luc Lessard, Director
Luc Lessard is a mining engineer with more than 25 years of experience designing, building and operating mines. He is Senior Vice-President, Technical Services of Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd and President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Falco Resources Ltd. Mr. Lessard was previously Chief Operating Officer of the Canadian Malartic Partnership, and prior to that was the Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Engineering and Construction for Osisko Mining Corporation. During his career, he has worked on 11 open pit and underground mine builds. Mr. Lessard also sits on the board of directors of two other publicly listed companies
Allen S. Winters, Director
Allen S. Winters, B.Sc. (mining engineering), M.Sc. (geological engineering), has spent more than 40 years in the mining industry, currently as a consultant and formerly as a senior executive with major U.S. mining companies, during which period he had direct responsibility for a number of U.S. mining operations.
Jo Mark Zurel, Director
Jo Mark Zurel, FCA, ICD.D, is a chartered accountant and holds a bachelor's of commerce from Dalhousie University. He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Professional Accountants of Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Zurel has been president of Stonebridge Capital Inc. a private investment company since 2006. From 1998 to 2006, he was senior vice-president and chief financial officer of CHC Helicopter Corporation, one of the world's largest helicopter operating companies. Mr. Zurel is a director and chair of the audit committee of Major Drilling Group International Inc. (a Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") listed company); director and member of the investment committee and chair of the audit committee of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board; board member of Fortis Inc. (a TSX and New York Stock Exchange listed company) and board member of several private companies and non-profit organizations.
Carlos Bertoni, P. Geo, Vice President, Exploration
Mr. Bertoni is a Professional Geoscientist and a seasoned mining industry executive with over 40 years of experience. A M.Sc. graduate of Queen's University, Mr. Bertoni has been acting as project manager of Highland since 2013. From 2007 to 2012, he acted as chief operating officer and Brazil country manager for Aura Minerals Inc. Prior thereto, Mr. Bertoni was President and CEO of Northern Mining Explorations Ltd. and Guyanor Ressources S.A.
Alain Krushnisky, CPA, CA, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Krushnisky, CPA, CA, graduated from the University of Ottawa in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in commerce and is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada. Mr. Krushnisky has over 25 years of experience in the mining sector including 10 years with a mid-tier producer in various capacities, including Vice-President and Controller. Since 2004, Mr. Krushnisky has been Chief Financial Officer of various publicly listed mineral exploration companies. He is currently CFO of four mineral exploration companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange.
Carole Plante, LLB, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Ms. Plante received a law degree in 1983 from the University of Montréal and is a member of the Québec Bar. Ms. Plante has over 20 years of experience in the mining sector acting mainly as general counsel and corporate secretary for various publicly traded companies having operations in South America, North America, Africa, Australia and Europe. Ms. Plante currently acts as general counsel and corporate secretary of a number of mineral exploration companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange.
David Charles, CFA, Manager Investor Relations
Mr. Charles has close to 30 years of experience in the financial services industry in Canada primarily as a mining equity analyst. During his career he has worked for BMO Capital Markets, GMP Securities and Dundee Capital Markets as a senior analyst and visited mines and projects in North and South America, Europe and Africa. Mr. Charles holds a bachelor's degree in geology from Trinity College Dublin, an MSc. (applied) in Mineral Exploration from McGill University and is a CFA charter holder.