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.