Richard Russell is a highly respected financial executive and seasoned public company leader, nominated to serve as an independent director of the Company. Mr. Russell previously served as Chief Financial Officer of the Company from December 2019 through February 2022, providing critical financial oversight and guidance to the company as it navigated strategic growth and public market requirements.

Mr. Russell serves as Chief Financial Officer for a leading bitcoin and digital asset company, LM Funding America, Inc (NASDAQ: LMFA), where he as serviced as CFO since November 2017.

Mr. Russell also served as Chief Financial Officer for Mission Health Communities from 2013 to 2016 and, before that, Mr. Russell served in a variety of roles for Cott Corporation from 2007 to 2013, including Senior Director of Finance, Senior Director of Internal Auditing, and Assistant Corporate Controller.

Mr. Russell’s extensive professional experience with public companies includes his position as Director of Financial Reporting and Internal Controls for Quality Distribution a previously listed publicly held company traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “QLTY” and as Danka’s Director of Reporting from 2001 to 2004 a previously listed publicly held office imaging company traded on both the London Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Exchange (“DANKY”).

Mr. Russell served from 2021 to 2024 as a director of SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation (Nasdaq: ICU), a medical technology company developing a platform therapy to reduce the consequences of hyperinflammation on vital organs.

Mr. Russell earned his Bachelor of Science in accounting and a Master’s in tax accounting from the University of Alabama, a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from the University of South Florida, and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Tampa.

On March 1, 2020, Mr. Russell was appointed to the board of directors for Trident Brands Inc., a publicly held consumer products company traded on the OTC market under the symbol “TDNT”. Mr. Russell was also Chairman of the Hillsborough County Internal Audit Committee and had been a member of the Committee from September 2016 to April 2021. He was reappointed to the Committee in October 2021 until April 2024.