Mr. Ryan has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Company since August, 2000. Mr. Ryan serves as an Officer and/or Director of numerous venture stage companies and is an industry consultant. Mr. Ryan currently serves as a Officer, Director and/or advisor to MetalTech Corporation, a Spokane, Washington based specialty metal treatment company, Integrated Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Boston based bio-pharmaceutical company, Royal Silver Mines, Inc., a resource development company based in Walla Walla, Washington, and Metalline Mining Company, a development stage mining company based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. From September 1993 to August 1994, Mr. Ryan was a registered representative with Shearson Lehman Brothers, Inc. From August 1994 to April 1995, Mr. Ryan served as a consultant in mine engineering services. From April 1995 to April 1996, Mr. Ryan was a registered representative with Pennaluna & Co., a registered broker/dealer. Since 1996 Mr. Ryan has served various companies as an independent contractor and consultant. In addition to his professional degree in Mining Engineering, which he received from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, Mr. Ryan also holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Boston College Law School, Newton, MA. Mr. Ryan currently resides in Hilton Head, SC.