Frank Balestra - Managing Director
Frank Balestra began working in Rwanda 2012. He is the Founder of East Africa Mineral Processing Ltd. and AB Minerals Corp. and has over 25 years experience in assisting and advising private and public companies; procuring funding and incubating organizations in various stages of growth. He has successfully transformed start-ups from R&D and product development to commercially successful public entities.
He has assembled a team of experienced chemical, metallurgical, engineering and scientific experts that specialize in the tantalum industry. This team has extensive knowledge and experience in tantalum processing and the tantalum supply chain.
Curt Huber - Business Development
Curt Huber is an independent corporate and financial consultant. He has been involved in all facets of public companies for more than 25 years. He is an experienced director and senior officer who has represented public companies in many different sectors: mining, oil and gas, and technology. In addition, he has provided investor relation services, raised financing in the public markets and built corporate awareness for the companies with which he has been associated.
Advisory Board
FRANK MUGYENYI - Senior Industry Advisor in the Office of the Commissioner for Trade and Industry, African Union Commission (AUC)
Frank Mugyenyi is a development economist with vast experience and specialization in economics for African development. He joined the AUC Department of Trade and Industry in 2013 as a Senior Industry Adviser.
WILLIAM (BILL) MILLMAN - Director, Mines, Minerals, Metals & Markets Ltd.
Bill Millman has been involved in all aspects of the capacitor industry for over 40 years including R&D, engineering, manufacturing, materials, process, new product development, and quality. More recently he has been focused on the development of models for responsible sourcing of conflict free tantalum minerals through innovative initiatives.
DAVID HENERSON - Founder and President of Rittenhouse International Resources, LLC and recent President of the Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center (T.I.C.)
In his 35+ year career in the specialty metals industry, Mr. Henderson has gained extensive expertise in areas that include Tantalum raw materials mining, hydrometallurgical processing and marketing of intermediates and mill products.
MIKE LOCH - Founder and President of Responsible Trade, LLC
With over 30 years of industry experience, Mr. Loch is one of the most recognized conflict minerals experts in the world, and was named the Number One Conflict Minerals Influential Leader on the Top 100 Conflict Minerals Influential Leaders by Assent Global.
KEVIN KIRBY
Kevin Kirby is an entrepreneur who has held various senior executive positions throughout his career. With over 36 years experience in the metals sector as a trader and company executive, Kevin is a knowledgeable expert in the global tantalum and niobium markets and has extensive ties and contacts to the superalloys and aerospace industries, as both a vendor and a consumer.