Leadership

Mr. Van Nieuwenhuyse was appointed to serve as President, Chief Executive Officer, and director of the Company effective January 6, 2020. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Trilogy Metals Inc. from January 2012 until December 2019. Between May 1999 and January of 2012, he served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of NOVAGOLD, Inc, a company that he founded. He served as the Vice President of Exploration for Placer Dome from 1990 to 1997. Mr. Van Nieuwenhuyse holds a Candidature degree in Science from Université de Louvain, Belgium and a Master of Science degree in Geology from the University of Arizona. Mr. Van Nieuwenhuyse currently serves on the board of directors of Alexco Resource Corp. He served on the board of directors of Sandfire Resources America, Inc. (formerly, Tintina Resources Inc.) from 2008 until 2016. Mr. Van Nieuwenhuyse has over forty years of experience in the minerals mining industry and brings significant industry and technical knowledge to the Company.

Mr. Clark was appointed to serve as Executive Vice President - Finance of the Company, effective July 11, 2023. He was then appointed as Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Secretary, effective January 1, 2024. He previously served as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary for Alexco Resource Corp. from December 2014 to September 2022 at which time Alexco Resource Corp was acquired by Hecla Mining Company. Between 2010 and 2014, Mr. Clark served as Chief Financial Officer of Goldgroup Mining Inc. and from 2007 to 2010 Mr. Clark served as Chief Financial Officer for the Grosso Group and its member companies. Mr. Clark received an undergraduate degree from the British Columbia Institute of Technology and is a Canadian Qualified Chartered Professional Accountant. Between 2016 and 2020, Mr. Clark also served on the Board of Trustees for the Burnaby Hospital Foundation as Chair of the Finance Committee.

Mr. Derek Meneghin assumed the role of Director of Finance for Contango Ore in October 2023, bringing a wealth of financial leadership to the organization including a robust background in the mining and exploration sector. Mr. Meneghin has been involved in various stages of the mine life, from exploration and permitting to construction and operations. Prior to his current position, Mr. Meneghin has held key roles, including his tenure at Hecla Mining, where he was the Site Controller for the Keno Hill Mine. His journey includes extensive experience in financial and operational reporting, evolving into a strategic financial professional with a specialized focus on the unique challenges inherent in the minerals mining industry. Mr. Meneghin is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Certified General Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University.

Chris has 45 years in the mining industry with over 40 years in senior responsibility positions including 26 years in Alaska. Chris has worked at 3 of the 6 operating mines in Alaska where he continued to develop and share his expertise in underground mining, surface mining, ore processing, maintenance, Environmental, Health and Safety disciplines. Chris has worked in Chile and Peru in the position of General Manager and Technical Advisor for Sumitomo Metal Mining, Chris had also held the position of General Manager of the Pogo Mine in for 8 years.

Chris currently lives in Fairbanks Alaska with his wife, Jane, and 6 children and 14 grandchildren with the 15th grandchild arriving soon. Chris continues to serve on the advisory board for UAF College of Engineering & Mines department of mining and geological engineering and is on the UAF Chancellors Advisory board. In 2014 he was selected for the UAF CEM Distinguished Service Award. Chris has also served as President for Council of Alaska Producers for the mining industry.

Dave brings over 20 years’ experience in executing exploration programs. He has been Chief Exploration Geologist for the Pogo Gold Mine and Principal Geologist Exploration for Teck Resources Vancouver Head Office. Dave brings his extensive expertise in operating exploration activities in Alaska from his understanding of the geology, operating conditions and networks.

Alina Wyatt joined the Company in 2020, bringing over 20 years of experience working in Alaska’s mineral exploration industry. Her duties with the Company include mineral property research, mining claim regulatory compliance, exploration database management, and field project support.  Prior to joining the Company, Alina spent 22years working at Avalon Development Corporation as a Senior Geologist/GISAnalyst where she contributed to the development of Contango Ore’s Manh Choh gold-silver project from its discovery in 2009 to 2020. Alina received her Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of North Carolina before moving to Fairbanks in 1994.

Keith Miles has been working at the Lucky Shot Mine for over 25 years and collectively has over 40 years of experience in the natural resource industry and project management sectors.  He has extensive experience as an underground miner including positions as Mine Foreman and Operations Manager for public and private companies operating across Alaska, the lower 48 and globally.  Keith has also been involved in Natural Resource Development and Program Management for several Alaska Native Corporations in addition to managing a variety of oil and gas environmental services companies.