VERTICAL EXPLORATION APPOINTS IAN TURNER AND NICOLE HUYBENS TO ADVISORY BOARD
Vertical Exploration Inc. has appointed Ian Turner and Nicole Huybens to its advisory board.
Mr. Turner graduated from McGill University in 1974 with a mining engineering degree and obtained his MBA from McGill in 1980. He then began work at a seasonal quartz quarry in Malbaie Quebec with his future partner Dr Howard Hogan at Baskatong Quartz Inc. Together they developed eight high purity mines in eastern Canada specifically for the silicon metal industry, responding to a growing need for higher purity metals. Mr. Turner also worked for four years at Noranda and Kidd Creek managing underground mine and shaft development, and he has served as the past Treasurer of the Canadian Institute of Mining's Montreal Branch for over 15 years.
In 1998 Mr. Turner went on to purchase his own company and subsequently created Sitec Quartz Inc. in partnership with Investment Quebec, where he spearheaded the use of quartz in engineered countertops with DuPont for the North American market. During his term of Company president Mr. Turner helped to further develop Sitec's Malbaie quartz mine, before selling Sitec in 2018 to its largest client where he remained to help with its continued growth until his retirement in 2023. The Malbaie mine and related processing plants currently employ 110 workers in Quebec.
Ms. Huybens graduated in Social Communication from the Universite Catholique de Louvain (Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgique), and she also has a Master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of Montreal. The subject of her thesis was the ethical and symbolical aspects of social acceptability in the case of the boreal forest exploitation in Quebec. Ms. Huybens is a retired professor from both the University of Quebec in Chicoutimi (sustainable development for EcoAdvisers) and the Institutes Eco-Conseil of Namur (Belgium) and Strasbourg (France). She was also an invited professor at the University of Mons and Arlon (Belgium), and at the EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne - Suisse). Ms. Huybens interests in Vertical include the areas of environmental and social consulting in support of the Company's responsible and green development of its St-Onge mine, and she will also help with the overall carbon-neutral development of the Company.
Peter P. Swistak, President/CEO of Vertical Exploration Inc., commented, "We are happy to have both Mr. Turner and Ms. Huybens join our Vertical team at a key time in the Company's growth. Ian's vast knowledge of the Quebec mining industry, as well as his experience gained through working on a range of large mining industry operations brings key technical and industry expertise to Vertical. Nicole's extensive academic background and keen interest in supporting Vertical with its green and social development aspirations for its St-Onge wollastonite, will help the Company assess and move forward with upcoming carbon-neutral development opportunities. I am excited about having both Mr. Turner and Ms. Huybens on our Advisory Board, and the Company looks forward to collaborating with them both to help maximize our partnership and revenue opportunities."
ABOUT VERTICAL EXPLORATION
Vertical Exploration's mission is to identify, acquire, and advance high potential mining prospects located in North America for the benefit of its stakeholders. The Company's flagship St-Onge Wollastonite property is located in the Lac-Saint-Jean area in the Province of Quebec.