Agri-Business & Mining Industry Veteran to Serve in Newly Created Executive Leadership Position

Company Continues Executive Leadership Expansion as Revolutionary Process for Producing High-Quality Phosphoric Acid Looks to Scale Globally

[Fort Meade, Florida - May 7, 2024] Novaphos announced today that James Samuelson will serve as Chief Technology Officer, a newly created executive leadership position reporting to Andrew "Woody" Lewis, the first leadership announcement since Mr. Lewis was appointed company president in April. Today’s announcement continues the broad leadership expansion of the company as it looks to roll out its paradigm-changing new technology to produce phosphate more efficiently and without environmentally harmful waste. Today’s announcement continues a flurry of recent senior leadership additions, including internationally recognized operations leader Evgeny Fedoseev as its Chief Operating Officer, who served in the same capacity for the fertilizer division at EuroChem Group. Most recently, Mr. Lewis was appointed President of Novaphos after a long and distinguished 36-year military career as a 3-star senior officer serving in the United States Navy, where he served as Commander of the U.S. 2nd Fleet and NATO Joint Force Command in Norfolk, Virginia.

For the last ten years, Novaphos has developed a revolutionary process for producing high-quality phosphates, one of the most valuable resources on the planet and a vital ingredient in manufacturing fertilizers, lithium-ion batteries, and many other essential products. Embodying a series of patents and proprietary technological innovations, Novaphos' innovative process will provide a low-waste, low-cost method to ensure that phosphates remain available and produced sustainably. Last month, the United States Department of Agriculture announced its support for Novaphos's new facility in rural Florida through a multi-million dollar grant under its Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP). The facility will implement Novaphos' proprietary and innovative technologies to revolutionize the production of phosphoric acid. 

Before joining Novaphos as Chief Technology Officer, Mr. Samuelson founded the TaySAMM consulting firm, where he first served Novaphos and other companies around the world as an internationally recognized expert in phosphate production and developing new organic phosphate fertilizers. Previously, he served as Director of Engineering for the Simplot AgriBusiness Group, directing engineering for mining and manufacturing operations, technology development, and capital management and planning.

“Through significant investment and research, Novaphos has built a groundbreaking method to produce phosphoric acid. When fully scaled, our country’s phosphate capacity will dramatically increase, strengthening our national security, food security, and related supply chains. Most of all, it will create a significant paradigm change within the mining industry and how we treat the planet,” stated Novaphos President Andrew "Woody" Lewis. “Changing and challenging the status quo is a big step for any company, and as Chief Technology Officer, Jim will serve as Novaphos' key strategic architect. Jim has been supporting us as a consultant for years, helping to develop and validate the technology we have today. Jim’s expertise, unique understanding of phosphate, and historical perspective will be instrumental to our future. He is the first hire we have made since I became President, and I am thrilled he will join our executive team.”

“My involvement with Novaphos has been the most rewarding time of my career,” stated Novaphos Chief Technology Officer James Samuelson. “Phosphate is one of the most important minerals in the world, and I am so proud to be part of the team that has developed this new, revolutionary technology. I take great pride in striving to maintain the highest scientific integrity in all I do. I was raised to work hard and get my hands dirty, and after years of working on this project, I am very thankful to have the opportunity to take our phosphate technology into commercialization and honored to join my friends and this great leadership team.”

ABOUT NOVAPHOS

Novaphos Inc. is a privately owned company that has developed proprietary processes in the phosphate industry. Novaphos technology allows phosphate producers to use low-quality phosphate rock to make high-quality phosphoric acid for use in agriculture and industry without producing any phosphogypsum waste, representing the most significant technology development in decades for the global phosphate industry. The process is scalable, energy-efficient, and produces a useful construction aggregate byproduct—J-Rox™—instead of phosphogypsum. For more information, go to www.novaphos.com.

# # # 

Contact: Matthew Frankel, MDF Strategies, (917) 617-7914, [email protected]