Directors

Patrick J. Mars, Chairman of the Board and Director Mr. Mars was appointed the non-executive Chairman of the Board in March 2008. Mr. Mars is a corporate director with extensive experience in mining financing and analysis gained during his career of over 30 years in the Canadian investment industry. For the majority of his career he was with Alfred Bunting & Co./Bunting Warburg, a Canadian investment dealer and stockbroker where he was President and CEO from 1981 to 1994. During this time, he served three year terms both as a governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange and director of the Investment Dealers Association. Presently, he is a director of Yamana Gold Inc., Carpathian Gold Inc. and Sage Gold Inc. Mr. Mars is also the President of P.J. Mars Investments Limited, a private company, and sits on the board of directors of the Renascent Foundation, a charitable organization.
Jim Bannantine, Director Mr. Bannantine joined Aura Minerals in October 2011. Prior to joining Aura Minerals, Mr. Bannantine served as CEO of Intercap Energy Systems, a provider of systems and software to electric utilities and large commercial, campus and government customers. From 2005 to early 2010, Mr. Bannantine was a partner in Atlantic Capital Group and served as Managing Partner of their private equity activities, responsible for origination, investment due diligence, negotiation of transactions, investment pricing and structuring and fund raising. Between 2001 and 2005, Mr. Bannantine founded Acumen Capital, LLC, a private equity firm. From 2001 through 2002 Mr. Bannantine led and then sold a start-up company, Dorsal Networks, to Corvis Corporation (NASDAQ: CORV). Corvis subsequently became Broadwing Corporation (NASDAQ: BWNG), a $900 million telecom company, where Mr. Bannantine served as President and Chief Operating Officer from 2003 through 2005. Mr. Bannantine worked with Enron Corporation for ten years, from 1990 to 2000, holding several top management positions, including six years in Brazil, most notably as Chief Executive Officer for Enron South America, the power and pipeline division of Enron with assets of $3.5 billion and 4,500 employees. Prior to Enron, Mr. Bannantine served in the United States Army as Contracting Officer for the Corp of Engineers in Honduras, and as an Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance at the US Military Academy. Mr. Bannantine received an MBA from the Wharton School with Distinction and is a West Point Distinguished Graduate. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and is board member of several private companies, organizations and charities.
Tom Ogryzlo, Lead Director Mr. Ogryzlo was appointed the Lead Director of the Company in December 2011 and has over 45 years of experience in the development, financing, design, construction and operation of global mining, industrial and energy projects, particularly in Latin America. Mr. Ogryzlo has held executive management positions with a number of mining and engineering companies worldwide. He recently retired from the positions of Senior Vice President of Latin American Operations for Ram Power Corp. and President and CEO of Ram’s subsidiary, Polaris Geothermal Inc., a geothermal power producer founded by Mr. Ogryzlo in 2002. Among his previous positions, he has held the roles of President and CEO of Black Hawk Mining, a gold producer, President of Kilborn SNC-Lavalin, a large engineering contractor, and President of Cerro Matoso S.A., a large ferro nickel producer. Over the years, Mr. Ogryzlo has served on the board of twenty TSX listed companies and is currently a director of Baja Mining Corp. and Vista Gold Corp., and is also Interim CEO of Baja Mining Corp.
Stephen Keith , Director Mr. Keith has worked on projects in more than 30 countries, with a focus in Latin America. He has over 15 years of experience working with mining and energy companies, spearheading projects through feasibility studies, engineering design, project management and construction. He has engaged in over CDN$2 billion in financings and merger and acquisition deals for natural resource projects. Mr. Keith is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Search Minerals Inc. (TSX: SMY). Prior to his work with Search Minerals, Mr. Keith was a founder and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Rio Verde Minerals Development Corp. (TSX: RVD), a company he took from concept to listing onto the TSX, with over $30 million completed in equity financings. Mr. Keith led Rio Verde until its acquisition by B&A Fertilizers Limited on March 13, 2013. Mr. Keith has also held the titles of Vice President, Corporate Development at Plutonic Power Corporation; Director, Investment Banking at Thomas Wiesel Partners; Vice President, Investment Banking at Westwind Partners Mining Group; and Manager, Technical Services with Knight Piesold Consulting. He holds a BSc, Applied Science (Queen’s University), an International MBA (York University, Schulich School of Business) and a PEng (Ontario and British Columbia).
Elizabeth A. Martin, Director Ms. Martin is a corporate director and professional accountant with a strong background in international exploration and mining projects. She has held senior financial management and executive roles in base metal and precious metal companies such as Northgate Mines Inc., Western Mining Corporation, IAMGOLD Corporation and High River Gold Mines Ltd. Ms. Martin, who is a certified member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, is currently on the board of Marengo Mining Limited and is also on the board of directors of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre as well as the Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada, the latter two organizations being based in Toronto. Previously, in addition to serving as a financial consultant in the mining sector (2001 to 2006), she was on the board of Goldbelt Resources Ltd. (2005 to 2008), and was the chair of the board of St. John’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto (2005 to 2008).
William Murray, Director Mr. Murray is a Professional Engineer with 40 years of international mining experience in operations, engineering and construction. During the period of March 2003 and February 2008, Mr. Murray was President and CEO of PolyMet Mining Corp. where he was instrumental in developing and advancing the large-scale poly-metallic NorthMet project located in the Minnesota Iron Range. In the mid-1980s, he participated as an investor/developer in a number of private projects such as the Craigmont Mines magnetite operation (Canada) and the Boleo copper/cobalt project (Mexico). Mr. Murray previously worked in senior management positions at Anglo American Corporation, Fluor Daniel and Denison Mines, where he was part of the core team that built the $1.2 billion Quintette Coal project. He is currently a director of Polymet Mining Corp., South American Silver Corp. and Prospero Silver Corp.

Patrick J. Mars, Chairman of the Board and Director

Mr. Mars was appointed the non-executive Chairman of the Board in March 2008. Mr. Mars is a corporate director with extensive experience in mining financing and analysis gained during his career of over 30 years in the Canadian investment industry. For the majority of his career he was with Alfred Bunting & Co./Bunting Warburg, a Canadian investment dealer and stockbroker where he was President and CEO from 1981 to 1994. During this time, he served three year terms both as a governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange and director of the Investment Dealers Association. Presently, he is a director of Yamana Gold Inc., Carpathian Gold Inc. and Sage Gold Inc. Mr. Mars is also the President of P.J. Mars Investments Limited, a private company, and sits on the board of directors of the Renascent Foundation, a charitable organization.

Jim Bannantine, Director

Mr. Bannantine joined Aura Minerals in October 2011. Prior to joining Aura Minerals, Mr. Bannantine served as CEO of Intercap Energy Systems, a provider of systems and software to electric utilities and large commercial, campus and government customers. From 2005 to early 2010, Mr. Bannantine was a partner in Atlantic Capital Group and served as Managing Partner of their private equity activities, responsible for origination, investment due diligence, negotiation of transactions, investment pricing and structuring and fund raising. Between 2001 and 2005, Mr. Bannantine founded Acumen Capital, LLC, a private equity firm. From 2001 through 2002 Mr. Bannantine led and then sold a start-up company, Dorsal Networks, to Corvis Corporation (NASDAQ: CORV). Corvis subsequently became Broadwing Corporation (NASDAQ: BWNG), a $900 million telecom company, where Mr. Bannantine served as President and Chief Operating Officer from 2003 through 2005. Mr. Bannantine worked with Enron Corporation for ten years, from 1990 to 2000, holding several top management positions, including six years in Brazil, most notably as Chief Executive Officer for Enron South America, the power and pipeline division of Enron with assets of $3.5 billion and 4,500 employees. Prior to Enron, Mr. Bannantine served in the United States Army as Contracting Officer for the Corp of Engineers in Honduras, and as an Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance at the US Military Academy. Mr. Bannantine received an MBA from the Wharton School with Distinction and is a West Point Distinguished Graduate. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and is board member of several private companies, organizations and charities.

Tom Ogryzlo, Lead Director

Mr. Ogryzlo was appointed the Lead Director of the Company in December 2011 and has over 45 years of experience in the development, financing, design, construction and operation of global mining, industrial and energy projects, particularly in Latin America. Mr. Ogryzlo has held executive management positions with a number of mining and engineering companies worldwide. He recently retired from the positions of Senior Vice President of Latin American Operations for Ram Power Corp. and President and CEO of Ram’s subsidiary, Polaris Geothermal Inc., a geothermal power producer founded by Mr. Ogryzlo in 2002. Among his previous positions, he has held the roles of President and CEO of Black Hawk Mining, a gold producer, President of Kilborn SNC-Lavalin, a large engineering contractor, and President of Cerro Matoso S.A., a large ferro nickel producer. Over the years, Mr. Ogryzlo has served on the board of twenty TSX listed companies and is currently a director of Baja Mining Corp. and Vista Gold Corp., and is also Interim CEO of Baja Mining Corp.

Stephen Keith , Director

Mr. Keith has worked on projects in more than 30 countries, with a focus in Latin America. He has over 15 years of experience working with mining and energy companies, spearheading projects through feasibility studies, engineering design, project management and construction. He has engaged in over CDN$2 billion in financings and merger and acquisition deals for natural resource projects. Mr. Keith is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Search Minerals Inc. (TSX: SMY). Prior to his work with Search Minerals, Mr. Keith was a founder and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Rio Verde Minerals Development Corp. (TSX: RVD), a company he took from concept to listing onto the TSX, with over $30 million completed in equity financings. Mr. Keith led Rio Verde until its acquisition by B&A Fertilizers Limited on March 13, 2013. Mr. Keith has also held the titles of Vice President, Corporate Development at Plutonic Power Corporation; Director, Investment Banking at Thomas Wiesel Partners; Vice President, Investment Banking at Westwind Partners Mining Group; and Manager, Technical Services with Knight Piesold Consulting. He holds a BSc, Applied Science (Queen’s University), an International MBA (York University, Schulich School of Business) and a PEng (Ontario and British Columbia).

Elizabeth A. Martin, Director

Ms. Martin is a corporate director and professional accountant with a strong background in international exploration and mining projects. She has held senior financial management and executive roles in base metal and precious metal companies such as Northgate Mines Inc., Western Mining Corporation, IAMGOLD Corporation and High River Gold Mines Ltd. Ms. Martin, who is a certified member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, is currently on the board of Marengo Mining Limited and is also on the board of directors of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre as well as the Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada, the latter two organizations being based in Toronto. Previously, in addition to serving as a financial consultant in the mining sector (2001 to 2006), she was on the board of Goldbelt Resources Ltd. (2005 to 2008), and was the chair of the board of St. John’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto (2005 to 2008).

William Murray, Director

Mr. Murray is a Professional Engineer with 40 years of international mining experience in operations, engineering and construction. During the period of March 2003 and February 2008, Mr. Murray was President and CEO of PolyMet Mining Corp. where he was instrumental in developing and advancing the large-scale poly-metallic NorthMet project located in the Minnesota Iron Range. In the mid-1980s, he participated as an investor/developer in a number of private projects such as the Craigmont Mines magnetite operation (Canada) and the Boleo copper/cobalt project (Mexico). Mr. Murray previously worked in senior management positions at Anglo American Corporation, Fluor Daniel and Denison Mines, where he was part of the core team that built the $1.2 billion Quintette Coal project. He is currently a director of Polymet Mining Corp., South American Silver Corp. and Prospero Silver Corp.