The Foundation
The Wyoming Mining Natural Resource Foundation is a non-profit corporation. The impetus to form the Foundation was an outgrowth of a cooperative, voluntary conservation initiative led by the trona/soda ash industry with an objective of benefiting the Greater sage-grouse and other sagebrush obligate species and conserving the habitat on which they depend in southwestern Wyoming.
Board of Directors
The Wyoming Mining Natural Resource Foundation Board of Directors is comprised of representatives from like-minded companies with many years of collective experience in the mining industry
John Lucas
Chairman
Board Member since 2022
John is the Environmental Engineering Manager at Genesis Alkali which mines and refines soda ash and associated products in Green River Wyoming. John administers the environmental engineering team that oversees environmental monitoring, reporting and permitting for the facility. Prior to joining Genesis Alkali and its predecessors in 2008, John worked in the energy sector for a brief period doing geophysical study and then joined Rio Tinto Energy America where he had various environmental roles including mine reclamation, and environmental and regulatory affairs for active and closure sites in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico and Tennessee. John has a BS in environmental engineering from Utah State University and was a graduate of the University of Wyoming Ruckelshaus Institute’s Collaboration Program in Natural Resources. John is particularly proud of being involved in two separate reclamation projects that received national recognition. He is excited to be a part of the Wyoming Natural Resource Foundation that he expects will one day be recognized for environmental stewardship and collaboration. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren and he enjoys the great Wyoming outdoors.
Chairman
Board Member since 2022
John is the Environmental Engineering Manager at Genesis Alkali which mines and refines soda ash and associated products in Green River Wyoming. John administers the environmental engineering team that oversees environmental monitoring, reporting and permitting for the facility. Prior to joining Genesis Alkali and its predecessors in 2008, John worked in the energy sector for a brief period doing geophysical study and then joined Rio Tinto Energy America where he had various environmental roles including mine reclamation, and environmental and regulatory affairs for active and closure sites in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico and Tennessee. John has a BS in environmental engineering from Utah State University and was a graduate of the University of Wyoming Ruckelshaus Institute’s Collaboration Program in Natural Resources. John is particularly proud of being involved in two separate reclamation projects that received national recognition. He is excited to be a part of the Wyoming Natural Resource Foundation that he expects will one day be recognized for environmental stewardship and collaboration. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren and he enjoys the great Wyoming outdoors.
Tyler Schiltz
Vice Chairman & Treasurer
Board Member since 2017
Tyler is the Environmental Superintendent at Sisecam Wyoming LLC. (formerly Ciner Wyoming LLC.) which mines trona and produces soda ash in the Green River Wyoming area. His major area of emphasis is air quality but he is involved in all aspects of environmental compliance including water, land, waste, reclamation and wildlife. Prior to working in the trona industry Tyler performed work in the in-situ-leach uranium mining and gypsum mining/wallboard manufacturing industries in several capacities which included environmental affairs, wellfield restoration, engineering and maintenance. He has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (2004) and a M.S. in Organizational Management from Chadron State University in Nebraska (2018). Tyler has also been actively involved with the Society of Mining Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) since 2011 and has held positions as treasurer of the Central Wyoming chapter and chairman/vice chairman/treasurer of the Southwestern Wyoming chapter.
Tyler was involved with the Foundation for a little over a year prior to obtaining his official positions. He looks forward to working with the other members of the Foundation on future projects.
When he is not working, Tyler enjoys spending time with his wife and three boys enjoying the outdoors.
Vice Chairman & Treasurer
Board Member since 2017
Tyler is the Environmental Superintendent at Sisecam Wyoming LLC. (formerly Ciner Wyoming LLC.) which mines trona and produces soda ash in the Green River Wyoming area. His major area of emphasis is air quality but he is involved in all aspects of environmental compliance including water, land, waste, reclamation and wildlife. Prior to working in the trona industry Tyler performed work in the in-situ-leach uranium mining and gypsum mining/wallboard manufacturing industries in several capacities which included environmental affairs, wellfield restoration, engineering and maintenance. He has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (2004) and a M.S. in Organizational Management from Chadron State University in Nebraska (2018). Tyler has also been actively involved with the Society of Mining Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) since 2011 and has held positions as treasurer of the Central Wyoming chapter and chairman/vice chairman/treasurer of the Southwestern Wyoming chapter.
Tyler was involved with the Foundation for a little over a year prior to obtaining his official positions. He looks forward to working with the other members of the Foundation on future projects.
When he is not working, Tyler enjoys spending time with his wife and three boys enjoying the outdoors.
Siarra Freuler
Secretary
Board Member since 2023
Siarra is an Environmental Engineer at American Soda LLC, a Solvay company that mines trona and produces soda ash and other trona products in the Green River, Wyoming area. Siarra is heavily involved in the site’s environmental compliance involving water quality, land quality, and wildlife. Siarra has worked in the trona industry for about two years and worked as a technician in a DNA synthesis lab before working at Solvay. Siarra has a B.S. in biological engineering with a minor in chemistry from Utah State University. She was involved with the Foundation for a few months before obtaining a position on the board. She is looking forward to learning more and collaborating with other members of the Foundation. In her free time, Siarra loves to golf, play volleyball and soccer, knit, and spend time with her friends and family.
Secretary
Board Member since 2023
Siarra is an Environmental Engineer at American Soda LLC, a Solvay company that mines trona and produces soda ash and other trona products in the Green River, Wyoming area. Siarra is heavily involved in the site’s environmental compliance involving water quality, land quality, and wildlife. Siarra has worked in the trona industry for about two years and worked as a technician in a DNA synthesis lab before working at Solvay. Siarra has a B.S. in biological engineering with a minor in chemistry from Utah State University. She was involved with the Foundation for a few months before obtaining a position on the board. She is looking forward to learning more and collaborating with other members of the Foundation. In her free time, Siarra loves to golf, play volleyball and soccer, knit, and spend time with her friends and family.