Theodore Pagano, P.E., P.G.

Theodore Pagano, P.E., P.G. is a Board Director at Group1, where he brings a unique strategic perspective as the founder of Group1's domestic potassium supply chain partner, Michigan Potash & Salt Company (MPSC). His appointment to Group1's board directly extends the companies' existing strategic collaboration, a signed MOU to build America's first integrated potassium-to-battery supply chain.

Mr. Pagano is a licensed Professional Engineer and Professional Geologist with over 27 years of natural resource development experience. He founded MPSC after discovering what is now recognized as the world's highest-grade potash ore deposit, located in Evart, Michigan, a reserve that outperforms the next-highest-grade deposit globally by a factor of two. Prior to MPSC, he co-founded Dakota Salts, LLC, establishing North Dakota's first public potash lease, legislative framework, and exploration program. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, serving as Team Lead overseeing 3,600 wells in the DJ Basin and leading the automation of DJ Basin operations, as well as positions at Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Onshore, Chevron, and Texaco.

His work at MPSC gives Group1 direct, vertically integrated access to the upstream domestic potassium source that powers its cell chemistry, without reliance on foreign-controlled mineral supply chains.

Expertise:

• Domestic potassium supply ownership: as Founder and CEO of MPSC, controls the upstream raw material source feeding Group1's K-ion chemistry, providing supply chain alignment and visibility unavailable to any lithium-based competitor.
• Resource development from discovery to production: 27+ years building natural resource projects from geological discovery through asset development, directly applicable to scaling Group1's domestic battery material sourcing.
• Critical minerals policy and regulatory navigation: established the first potash exploration regulatory framework in North Dakota; brings government relations experience directly relevant to Group1's domestic sovereignty narrative and policy positioning.