Board of Directors
Dr. Pieter J. Barnard, Ph.D., MBA, B.Sc. (Hons)
Dr. Barnard retired in November 2014 as President for the global Industrial Materials division of GrafTech International Holdings Inc. (formerly NYSE: GTI). Dr. Barnard was a Reporting Officer for GraphTech International and served as chairman and board member for several of GrafTech’s international affiliates. He gained extensive international experience traveling to many countries across the globe and working in South Africa, Europe and the USA. On August 17th, 2015, Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (NYSE:BAM) (TSX:BAM.A) completed its acquisition of GrafTech International Holdings Inc. for US700 million taking the Company private.
Dr. Barnard was appointed President, Graphite Electrodes in April 2005 and President Industrial Materials in April 2008. In these roles, he led the division that manufactures a broad range of high quality graphite electrodes, petroleum needle coke and graphite/carbon refractory products, increasing sales from US$600 million to over US$1 billion, and EBITDA from US$130 million to US$350 million. In addition to his role as President for Industrial Materials, Dr. Barnard also managed several corporate functions providing services to both divisions and the corporate group. These included Health Safety and Environmental Protection, Worldwide Engineering and Procurement.
Bruce Coventry
Bruce is currently Chairman of the Board of TowerSec LLC, a privately owned, Detroit / Israeli based Automotive Cyber Security company. Mr Coventry is also a Director at U S Manufacturing, a private equity owned maker of lightweight automotive axle components. Previously, Mr. Coventry was Vice President of Operations at Electrovaya, a Canadian large-format lithium ion battery manufacturer. Mr Coventry has more than forty years' experience in the automotive, energy, and private equity fields.
Mr Coventry was previously President of Dresser Waukesha Engine, prior to the sale of Waukesha to General Electric, and was President of Global Electric Motorcar, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chrysler LLC. Mr. Coventry was also the President and Non-Executive Chairman of the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance, a joint venture between Chrysler, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi, and was responsible for all joint venture activities between the three companies. Bruce also was the Vice President of Powertrain Manufacturing for Chrysler's $5 Billion Powertrain Division. Mr Coventry is a current Trustee, and past Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Kettering University in Flint, Michigan.
Greg Lipton, P.Geo
Mr. Lipton is a registered Professional Geoscientist with the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO), and a long time member of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC). Mr. Lipton has more than 33 years of field experience in international exploration for base metal, precious metal, diamond, and industrial mineral deposits, most of which was with BHP International and Utah International as a Senior Geologist. Mr. Lipton has worked many and varied geologic environments including porphyry, epithermal, VMS, MVT, BHT, and Sedex types in North, Central, and South America, Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Mr. Lipton has been a frequent speaker at professional conferences and at seminars, and has authored and co-authored numerous technical papers. Mr. Lipton has held his current position as President, CEO, and Director of Metallum Resources Inc. (TSX-V:MRV) since the fall of 2004.