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Paul Sparkes is an accomplished business leader and entrepreneur with over twenty-five years of experience in media, finance, capital markets and Canada’s political arena. Paul spent a decade as a leader in the broadcast and media industry as CTV globemedia’s Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs. He also held senior positions in public service, including with the Government of Canada as Director of Operations to Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, and as a senior aide to two Premiers of Newfoundland and Labrador. Paul was a Co-Founder and executive vice chairman at Difference Capital Financial and serves on a number of private and public boards. He is currently President of Otterbury Holdings Inc. and is an advisor and deal maker for growth companies in the private and public markets.
Jason Latkowcer is a resource based executive with experience in junior mining, capital markets, taking companies public, assessing asset viability, and operating corporate growth. Over the past two years, Jason has worked as the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Pan American Energy Corp, a North American focused lithium exploration mining company. Prior to working in the capital markets, Jason worked in commercial business development for over 10 years in chemical and technology business development, managing a portfolio over $50 million per year in sales with some of the largest energy companies in North America. Jason is a Quantic School of Business and Technology EMBA graduate (2023) and also graduated from the University of Ottawa in 2011.
Piotr Kukialka, M.Sc, P.Geo, is a salt cavern specialist with broad experience across a variety of world class projects in Canada, the United States, and Europe. With over 20 years in industry, Piotr has provided technical, geological, and engineering support in the solution mining field for all types of salt caverns (storage, waste disposal, and brine production).
He has worked for DEEP. Underground Engineering GmbH (Germany), and consulted for Encana / Cenovus, CNRL, CBW Engineering / SubTerra Engineering, and Pure Environmental. Mr. Kukialka is a Ph.D. candidate (2023) in solution mining and salina geology at the AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow, Poland.
Shawn grew up in Timmins Ontario and began his career in exploration in the early 80’s working with Kidd Creek Mine’s geophysics team and various other local contracting firms. In 1996 he focused his prospecting in the Dawson District looking for the sources of all the alluvial gold. His research led to perfecting soil sampling techniques that led him to mapping out many new gold discoveries. He has been honored with the Yukon Chamber of Mines Prospector of the Year in 1998 for the Horn, high grade gold skarn discovery in the Tombstone Mountains north of Dawson City, and with RyanWood Exploration in 2009 for initiating what is now called “The Yukon Second Gold Rush”. Shawn received the Spud Huestis Award for excellence in prospecting and mineral exploration from AME BC in 2010 for the White Gold Discovery (Kinross). In 2011 Shawn was also honored with the Bill Dennis, Prospector of the Year Award by the PDAC for prospecting success with a Canadian discovery on the White (Kinross) and Coffee (Goldcorp) Projects. During the last 10 years (2012 -2022) Shawn and the GroundTruth Exploration team have been working on developing new exploration techniques (Drones to Drills ™) that have dramatically dropped the exploration cost by roughly 70%, can be worked all year round and is extremely environmentally friendly.
An experienced and well-respected Newfoundland and Labrador-based business leader and entrepreneur, Robert Crosbie is the Chair of Crosbie and has significant experience leading growth-oriented companies. Rob started with the family business in 1991 and led the company’s growth in real estate development and industrial services. Rob Crosbie is a member of the Order of Canada (2018), holds an honourary Doctor of Laws degree from Memorial University (2018), and is a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Business Hall of Fame (2016). Rob has also received Ernst & Young’s Atlantic Canada Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2016), Memorial University’s J.D. Eaton Tribute Award (2014), and Memorial University’s Faculty of Business Administration Alumnus of the Year Award (2003).
After retiring from his position as Premier of Nova Scotia, the Hon. Stephen McNeil joined Cox & Palmer in the role of Strategic Business Advisor to the Halifax office. His national and international insights and experience help our clients and our lawyers, recognize and participate in new opportunities throughout Atlantic Canada and beyond. Until his resignation in Spring 2021, Stephen was the dean of Canadian premiers, having held the office since 2013. In total, he served for 18 years in the Nova Scotia Legislature and was re-elected five times by the voters of Annapolis. During his time in provincial government, Stephen served as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Minister of Planning and Priorities, Minister of Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness, Minister responsible for Military Relations, Minister responsible for Social Innovation and Integrative Approaches, and Minister responsible for Youth. He was Leader of the Official Opposition in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 2009 until 2013.
With over 20 years of experience in climate and clean technologies, and other relevant experience as a lawyer and in public policy and government, he brings a wealth of experience to organizations. His current focus is helping lead companies in the emerging carbon (markets, credits, production and removal) and climate/clean tech space, capital raising, investing and advisory. Current, active roles include CEO, Cero Technologies, Senior Advisor, Fort Capital and Partner, PacBridge Capital Partners.
Stephen serves on the Board of Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), DevvStream Carbon Credit Investing and Cero Technologies. Previously, he served as Vice-Chair, Fuel Cells Canada (FCC); Chair, Canadian Transportation Fuel Cell Alliance (CTFCA); Steering Team & Planning Committee – California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP); Member, US Dept. of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Advisory Panel; Director, National Hydrogen Association (U.S.) & Director, US Fuel Cells Council..
George J. Furey is a former Senator from Newfoundland and Labrador, was the longest serving member of the Canadian Senate at the time of his retirement earlier this year. He most recently served as the Speaker of the Senate of Canada. Mr. Furey holds three degrees from Memorial University and a law degree from Dalhousie Law School. During his career as an educator, he was a teacher with the Roman Catholic School Board in St. John’s, a Supervising Vice-Principal with the Port-au-Port Roman Catholic School Board and a Supervising Principal of the Placentia-St. Mary’s Roman Catholic School Board. Mr. Furey was called to the Bar of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1984 and was subsequently named a partner at the St. John’s law firm of O’Brien, Furey & Hurley. While in his second year of practicing law, he successfully challenged the Criminal Code language on sexual assault and proved that with the advent of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, certain Criminal Code provisions were unconstitutional. He also served as Queen’s Counsel in 1996. He has been committed to advancing the interests of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.