Silver Institute Elects New Leadership
(Washington, D.C. – June 17, 2009) Roque Benavides, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cia. de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. (NYSE: BVN), has been elected President of the Silver Institute by its membership. Mr. Benavides has been the President and CEO of Lima, Peru-based Buenaventura since 2001. He succeeds Silver Institute President Robert Quartermain, President and CEO of Silver Standard Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: SSRI), whose two-year term ended on June 15.
Geoff Burns, President and CEO of Pan American Silver Corp. (NASDAQ: PAAS) was elected Vice President of the Institute. In addition, Tom Angelos and Ken Koski, both of Coeur d’Alene Mines Corporation (NYSE: CDE) in Idaho, were elected as the Institute’s Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, respectively.
Mr. Benavides stated that he would like to continue the Institute’s primary mission, which is to increase global silver demand through a series of programs. “As part of that goal, key target areas, such as jewelry consumption and increasing silver’s use in industrial applications are currently at the top of the portfolio,” said Benavides.
"Both Roque and Geoff bring a tremendous amount of experience to the table, and the membership of the Institute, as well as the key players in the silver industry, look forward to working with them," said Michael DiRienzo, Executive Director of the Silver Institute. “We also want to acknowledge and thank Bob Quartermain for the excellent job he did in leading and promoting the Institute for the past two years. Bob is a dedicated industry leader, and we look forward to his continued guidance and counsel on the Executive Committee,” Mr. DiRienzo concluded.
The Silver Institute is a nonprofit international industry association headquartered in Washington, D.C. Established in 1971, the Institute serves as the industry’s voice in increasing public understanding of the value and many uses of silver. Its members include leading silver producers, refiners, manufacturers and dealers.
For Further Information Contact:
Mike DiRienzo
The Silver Institute
888 16th Street, N.W., Suite 303
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel: (202) 835-0185
Fax: (202) 835-0155