INDEPENDENT MINING CONSULTANTS - Key Persons

Jacob W. Richey

Job Titles:
  • Partner
  • Partner - Jacob W. Richey
  • Professional Engineer
Mr. Richey is a Professional Engineer and shares responsibility in the management of the consulting group.

Joseph C. McNaughton

Job Titles:
  • Partner
  • Partner - Jacob W. Richey
  • Partner - Joseph C. McNaughton
  • Professional Engineer
Partner - Joseph C. McNaughton, P.E. B.S. Mining Engineering (University of Arizona) Professional Engineer with 8 Years in the mining industry. Mr. McNaughton has previously served in chief engineer capacity at operating mines and has been the lead and managing engineer for pre-feasibility / feasibility project level studies at the company. His specialties include financial analysis and mine planning. He has also been instrumental in the early mine planning for the feasibility study of the now producing Haile Gold Mine. Mr. McNaughton is a Professional Engineer and shares responsibility in the management of the consulting group.

Mr. Herbert E. Welhener - VP

Job Titles:
  • Vice President
  • Registered Member of the SME
  • Vice President - Herbert E. Welhener
  • Vice President - Michael G. Hester
Mr. Welhener is a Registered Member of the SME (Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration), and is a QP Member of MMSA (the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America).

Mr. John M. Marek - President

Job Titles:
  • President
  • Registered Member of the SME
  • Vice President - Herbert E. Welhener
45 years of experience in the minerals industry. Mr. Marek shares responsibility of all aspects of project engineering and management of this multi-disciplined mining consulting group. Financial analysis, mine planning, reserve verification and review are some of the areas of his expertise. Project specialties include determination of mine operating policy integrating all disciplines and constraints. Mr. Marek is a Registered Member of the SME (Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration), is Certified as a Registered Professional Engineer in Arizona and Colorado, USA, and in the Yukon Territory, Canada.

Mr. Michael G. Hester - VP

Job Titles:
  • Fellow
  • Vice President
  • Partner - Joseph C. McNaughton
  • Vice President - Michael G. Hester
Vice President - Michael G. Hester M.S. Mining Engineering (University of Arizona) - B.S. Mining Engineering (University of Arizona) 45 years of experience in the minerals industry. Mr. Hester's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, management of mining feasibility studies, ore reserve estimation and verification, and computer applications to mine planning. An essential Committee Member at the SME Resources and Reserves Committee who is actively pursuing updating USA regulation on mineral resources and reserves Mr. Hester is our foremost expert on ore reserve / resource estimation. Mr. Hester is a Fellow (FAusIMM) of the AusIMM (Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy) and a Registered Member of the SME (Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration).

Ms. S. Yvette Gengler

Job Titles:
  • Member of the IMC Consulting Group and Has Been
  • Mining Engineer - Jorge a. Contreras
  • Registered Member of the SME
  • Senior Geological Engineer
Mrs. Gengler is a Registered Member of the SME (Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration). The technical staff of Independent Mining Consultants has worked very well together for over three decades. The synergies of talent within the organization are tremendous. The mining engineers work directly with IMC's data analysts, and the geologists and draftsmen have good working relationships. IMC's technical documents and illustrations are most professional and have been reviewed and accepted by Canadian and U.S. financial and regulatory agencies.