Bernd and Toby in Freiburg, 2019
(PRESS RELEASE) CORVALLIS, OR — Mercury Free Mining (MFM) announced that German jewelry designer Bernd Wolf has joined the executive circle of MFM’s Leadership Council.
Mr. Wolf will be taking a leadership role in Europe, promoting the $1 million USD challenge prize to be awarded to the team of scientists, engineers or innovators who discover an alternative for mercury, which is presently the only available means by which millions of impoverished miners can make a living mining for gold.
“We are very excited to be working with Bernd to promote the Mercury Free Mining Challenge in Europe”, said Toby Pomeroy, MFM founder and executive director.
He continued, “Bernd’s name and position in the jewelry industry will be tremendously valuable to our organization as we seek a solution to the global problem of 8,000 pounds of toxic mercury being inadvertently released into the environment every day, by some 15~20 million subsistence gold miners around the world.”
Mercury Free Mining is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation established in the state or Oregon, USA.
Mr. Wolf commented: “I was inspired by Toby’s vision and direction, who is organizing a significant leadership team to organize and manage the MFM challenge prize.”
Also working with Pomeroy and MFM are widely recognized leaders from the jewelry, diamond, gem and mining industries. The MFM Board of Directors is chaired by Bill Boyajian, former president and CEO of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Other Board members include Eric Laker of Lashbrook, Treasurer; Ronnie Vanderlinden of Diamex, secretary; Marty Hurwitz, founder, and CEO of MVI Marketing LLC, will serve as MFM’s marketing director and Tiffany Stevens, CEO of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee. In addition, Jerry Buckley, a nationally recognized and award-winning fundraising and nonprofit executive, is MFM’s director of global initiatives.
Chairman Boyajian also noted: “We are facing a huge problem and we have an opportunity to unite as an industry and make a tremendous global difference. I’m thrilled to be engaged in this project and we are thrilled to welcome leaders like Bernd Wolf to join us.”
For additional information visit https//:mercuryfreemining.org