Team
We are assembling a highly innovative team to scale our technology and team utilizing end of life products for innovative solutions.
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Chris Dreska
Chief Executive officer and director
Mr. Dreska has 30+ years working in business development, sales, marketing, accounting and finance positions through a wide variety of companies from start-ups to fortune 500. From 2015 through present, Mr. Dreska has worked as a commercial appraiser for Collateral Evaluation Services. Mr. Dreska is the co-founder of Clay Resources, LLC and has served as the firm’s president since 2021. Mr. Dreska spent two years as the Program Director of the Copper Innovation Center, a consortium of private, government, and educational partners, concentrated on educating and bringing new copper innovations to the market. Mr. Dreska graduated from The Ohio State University with degrees in Accounting and Finance.
Kirk Taylor, CPA, MBA
Chief Financial officer and director
Mr. Taylor, CPA, has over 18 years of financial, accounting and tax structuring experience. After working in national public accounting firms, he has been the Chief Financial Officer of American Resources Corporation (Nasdaq: AREC) since 2015, leading the public process as well as integrations of 8 different acquisitions within the infrastructure and resource space. Mr. Taylor is also a founder and President of Land Betterment Corporation, a benefit corporation, focused on positive environmental and social communities facing a changing industrial landscape, since 2020. Mr. Taylor was up until recently the President and Chief Financial Officer of American Acquisition Opportunity Inc., a special purpose acquisition vehicle that successfully completed a merger with an operation company.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mark Laverghetta (nominee)
Chairman of the board
Mr. LaVerghetta has served as the Chairman on the Board of Director of our Company since August 2022. After spending 20 years in capital markets, Mark has been dedicated to delivering shareholder and stakeholder value. In addition to his board services with Novusterra Inc, Mr. LaVerghetta serves as Vice President of Corporate Finance and Communications of American Resources Corporation (Nasdaq: AREC) where he is a management team member focused on organic and acquisition growth opportunities and capital markets activity. Mr. LaVerghetta and is also a Co-Founder and Director of ReElement Technologies Corporation, a leading provider of high-performance refining capacity of rare earth and critical battery elements to support energy transition and national security needs. Mr. LaVerghetta also serves as Co-Founder and Chief Governance Officer of Land Betterment Corporation, an environmental solutions company fostering positive impact through upcycling former coal mining and industrial sites to create sustainable community development and job creation. Prior to these endeavors, Mr. LaVerghetta has over 15 years of financial market experience, holding various roles with several Wall Street firms. Mark is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a B.A. in economics while playing varsity lacrosse.  Mr. LaVerghetta has no direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Bob Galyen (Nominee)
independent Director, Chairman of the compensation, member of Audit and NOminating committee
Mr. Galyen is currently CEO and Founder of Galyen Energy. Bob is an energy storage technology executive with experience in large corporations (ATL, CATL, Magna, Delphi, GM) and small entrepreneurial businesses (Tawas, Indy Power Systems, World Energy Labs). He previously served as CTO of CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited) the world’s largest battery manufacturer. Specializing in clean technology, lithium-ion battery systems used in electric vehicles, and high-efficiency storage systems, he has held the Chairmanship of SAE International Battery Standards Steering Committee for 5 years and is President Elect for NAATBatt International. He also serves on Senator Lugar’s Advisory Board for Renewable Energy at IUPUI the Dean’s Executive Advisory Council at Ball State University and the National FireProtection Agencies Board of Advisers. Bob holds a master’s degree in Chemistry and has 38-years of experience in battery technology. He was the first ever front cover individual feature story for Batteries International and has feature articles on a regular basis. Mr. Galyen has no direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Jack Perkowski (Nominee)
independent Director, Chairman of the Audit Committee, Member of compensation and NOminating committee
Mr. Perkowski, upon graduating from Yale and the Harvard Business School, spent almost twenty years on Wall Street rising to Head of Investment Banking at Paine Webber. Well before others recognized the significant role that China would play in the global economy, he spent three years investigating opportunities in Asia and China, leading to the founding of ASIMCO Technologies in 1994. Widely recognized as an expert on doing business in China, he authored Managing the Dragon: How I’m Building a Billion Dollar Business In China, published by Crown Publishing, a division of Random House, in March 2008. Mr. Perkowski is a frequent speaker and commentator on China to the broadcast media, including CNN, CNBC, Fox, BBC,NPR and CCTV, as well as a variety of audiences worldwide: universities, business schools, corporate and industry conferences, and various chapters of the Council on Foreign Relations, Asia Society, YPO and other professional organizations. Mr. Perkowski has no direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Neal Olson (Nominee)
Independent Director, Chair of Nominating & Governance Committee, member of audit and compensation committe
Mr.Olson is a highly accomplished CPA with years of experience in public company accounting and financial reporting. Current, Mr. Olson is the VP Corporate Controller for Impossible Foods and has been in this capacity since August 2024.  Previously, Mr. Olson worked for Elanco from May 2021 to August 2024 in the rolls of US Assistant Controller and Senior Director of Finance – US Controller. Previously Mr. Olson was the Manager of Financial Reporting for Steel Dynamics from November 2020 through April 2021. From August 2015 through November 2020 Mr. Olson for the accounting firm EY in progressive roles culminating as an Assurance Senior Manager. Mr. Olson has no direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Christopher M. Dreska (Nominee)
CEO and Director
Mr. Dreska has 30+ years working in business development, sales, marketing, accounting and finance positions through a wide variety of companies from start-ups to fortune 500.  From 2015 through present, Mr. Dreska has worked as a commercial appraiser for Collateral Evaluation Services.  Mr. Dreska is the co-founder of Clay Resources, LLC and has served as the firm’s president since 2021.  Mr. Dreska graduated from The Ohio State University with degrees in Accounting and Finance.  Mr. Dreska has no direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K