
Management & Directors
Corey Sandberg, President, CEO, Director
Mr. Sandberg has over fifteen years of professional experience in both corporate and small business environments. He has successfully lead business startup, organizational management and operational improvement initiatives, both strategic and tactical, for public and private companies alike.
Prior to becoming an independent consultant, Mr. Sandberg worked for seven years at American Express Financial Advisors, a subsidiary of American Express, (later spun-off to become Ameriprise Financial, Inc.). While at American Express, Mr. Sandberg held both management and leadership positions in predominantly entrepreneurial environments receiving recognition for challenging the status quo, taking risks and successfully implementing new ideas that helped with cost savings and revenue generation.
Mr. Sandberg held the FINRA Series 63, 7 and 24 Securities Licenses required for management and leadership positions within the company. Mr. Sandberg is a graduate from the University of Minnesota , Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Japanese Language & Culture.
Hans J. Rasmussen, Technical & Business Development Advisor
Mr. Rasmussen has over 29 years of professional experience in the mining industry as a geophysicist / geologist. He currently serves as the Vice President of Exploration at Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE: CDE, TSX: CDM) with a key focus on identifying high-grade precious metal deposits viable for near-term production. He most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Colombia Crest Gold Corporation, a public company with gold exploration in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.
Mr. Rasmussen has held senior positions with mining exploration companies in North and South America and worked as a consultant with clients that included Teck Cominco Ltd., Quadra Mining Ltd. and Mansfield Minerals Inc. His experience includes conducting and managing all geological and geophysical aspects of exploration, commercial transactions and investor relations. Mr. Rasmussen’s prior employment included four years with Newmont Exploration Ltd., 12 years with the Kennecott Exploration / Rio Tinto group, including three years as Country Manager of Argentina and Bolivia. Most recently, Mr. Rasmussen was Chief Geophysicist with White Knight Resources. Mr. Rasmussen is an active member of the Society of Exploration Geologists, Northwest Mining Association and the Geologic Society of Nevada. He graduated with a Master of Science from the University of Utah, and holds Bachelor of Science degrees in geology and physics from Southern Oregon State College. Mr. Rasmussen is also a Director of Pachamama Resources Ltd., StoneShield Capital Corp., and Golden Phoenix Minerals, Inc.
J.P. Van Hasselt, In-House Council
Senior attorney specializing in Corporate Law, Mr. van Hasselt has over 20 years of experience developing businesses in leading U.S., Peruvian and multinational organizations. His experience includes mergers and acquisitions in Latin America and resulting taxation implications. He has a concentration in Corporate Law, Competition Law, Negotiations, Foreign Investment, Mining, Energy and Patent and Trademark Law. Mr. van Hasselt is bilingual, important in Cross-cultural negotiations, and has his Master in Comparative Law and experience in developing businesses in leading organizations in Peru and around the globe.
Mr. van Hasselt is currently the Manager of Legal Affairs (CLO) Chief Legal Officer for Haug, S.A., largest construction and metal mechanics company in Peru, servicing mainly the mining and oil industries, with responsibility on legal operations and corporate affairs. He is the main negotiator on all-important contracts with domestic and foreign clients. Mr. van Hasselt is the leading negotiations strategist with most large mining companies.
As Alumni Leader in Peru for The George Washington University (Washington, DC), Mr. van Hasselt directed the Global MBA to select Haug S.A. to conduct a Business Strategy program, which took place May 2013.
Mr. van Hasselt holds his law degree from The George Washington University, National Law Center, Washington, D.C.. He has been quoted and published in several articles and publications: ANDA News, Sintesis, and IP Worldwide. Mr. van Hasselt spoke in Lima Peru, 2007, on “Environmental Trusts” for the New York State Bar Association, along with many other speaking engagements. Mr. van Hasselt is fluent in Spanish and English and has a working proficiency with French.
Paola Frias, Executive Assistant
Ms. Paola Frias has 10 years experience as a highly competent, bi-lingual, motivated and enthusiastic Logistics and Administration Manager with a special focus on Latin America. Ms. Frias served as point person for managers and vendors to ensure proper lines of communication. She maintains excellent communication skills, strong networks within the mining industry, problem resolution abilities, and a high-level of confidentiality.
Ms. Frias started her career in Chile, working for a publishing company and supporting a Foundation. Since returning to Peru in 2011, Ms. Frias has been working in the Mines and Metal Industry, working for an oil company and an Australian mining company.
Ms. Frias is responsible for managing and overseeing the entire administration, logistics and corporate back office of Affinity Gold Corp., in Latin America; directly reporting to the company’s CEO, Corey Sandberg.
Ms. Frias worked for several charity organizations where she supported the groups with profound knowledge and experience solving social and political issues in remote mining areas.
Craig Laughlin, Director & Non-Executive Corporate Secretary
Mr. Craig Laughlin is the founder and President of SRC Funding, Inc., a private company owned by Mr. Laughlin through which he has provided business consulting services and engaged in private investment activity since 1991. During the past 22 years, Mr. Laughlin has served as an officer and director of numerous public companies through which he has structured reverse mergers and funding transactions for micro-cap private companies.
Mr. Laughlin currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer of HPC Acquisitions, Inc., a reporting issuer posted for trading on the OTCQB that is seeking an acquisition; and as the Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Financial Officer of Renewable Energy Acquisition Corp., a reporting issuer seeking an acquisition in the renewable energy space. In recent years, Mr. Laughlin has filled director and officer positions with similar reporting issuers such as Simplagene USA Inc. (for which he managed a self-underwritten IPO), and Dotronix, Inc. (a consulting assignment which involved spinning off a legacy business and preparing the company to acquire an existing private business).
Johnny Lian Yong, Director
Mr. Yong is currently the Chairman of JAS Singapore Group of Companies, a Singapore corporation that has subsidiary and affiliate businesses spanning more than 13 countries, covering medical and hospitality services, finance and investments, logistics, human resources and professional development, green technologies and information technology services.
He has also been the Chairman of JAS Singapore Group of Companies since October 1992. From October 2000 to present, Mr. Lian has been a director of JAS Medical Screening Centre Pte., Ltd., a Singapore corporation that provides health services for the needy and medical screening for Chinese immigrants, foreign workers and foreign students coming into Singapore. Mr. Lian obtained a Degree in Business Administration from Thames Valley University in the U.K.