Riot Blockchain is focused on supporting the Bitcoin ecosystem through proof-of-work mining. We are believers in Bitcoin and our efforts aimed at growing our mining operation demonstrates our commitment to the Bitcoin network.
Riot is one of the largest U.S. based publicly-traded Bitcoin miners in North America and we are constantly working to improve our efficiency and production.
Chief Executive Officer
Jason is the driving force behind the Company’s mission to become one of the most relevant and significant companies supporting the Bitcoin network. He has been deeply involved with Bitcoin since 2013, with significant experience in cryptocurrency mining, and as an engineer studying protocol development, and contributing to open-source projects.
Jason was also a founding partner of Binary Digital, a software-development company where he led the engineering team and coordinated project development for artificial intelligence, reverse engineering, and inter-software compatibility projects.
Additionally, Jason’s background includes over a decade of unique experience as a former professional heads-up poker player during which he has successfully competed in high-stakes games online, in addition to the most prestigious, high-stakes tournaments in the world. In 2015 and 2017, he was selected as a human benchmark for testing the world’s best poker artificial intelligence in what was dubbed “Man vs Machine” at Carnegie Mellon University in 2015 and 2017.
Jason holds a Bachelor of Science in Information & Computer Science from UC Irvine.
Chief Financial Officer
Jeff is the longest-standing member of Riot’s executive team and resumed his duties as the Company’s permanent CFO in February 2021. During 2019 and 2020 he had served as Riot’s CEO.
Jeff brings decades of experience and steadfast leadership to the Company, both critical characteristics in emerging industries such as Riot’s. In addition, he brings extensive hands-on experience in working with growing companies, achieving enhanced value for shareholders. His career has spanned over forty years in senior leadership roles working as an audit partner with a national accounting firm, in addition to roles as an executive within multiple public entities. He has in-depth expertise in matters pertaining to mergers and acquisitions, as well as SEC public reporting compliance, private offerings, IPOs, secondary offerings, and exploring and analyzing financing alternatives.
Jeff started his public accounting career with BDO USA, LLP. From 1974 to 1997, he was an accountant with BDO USA, LLP, most recently serving as Managing Partner of the BDO office in Denver, Colorado. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting from Florida State University and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1975, now retired.
Chief Operating Officer
Megan Brooks’ experience includes over 20 years in operations, risk management, and finance with seven years of executive management. Brooks has a B.S. in Finance, along with a Masters Certificate of Accountancy from University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College of Business, certification in risk management and is a licensed Risk Manager.
Brooks is highly experienced in emerging industries and navigating new regulatory territories. As Chief Operating Officer of Riot, she brings comprehensive experience in operations, finance, and risk management to the Riot Team. Brooks oversees Riot’s operations, including mining, IT/Cybersecurity, SoX control design/implementation, and initiatives related to future expansion.
During her time in the risk management/insurance industry Brooks received a global award for Power 50 "One to Watch List" and has written numerous pieces for global publications. Brooks worked with emerging insurance domiciles and regulatory bodies to design and implement guidelines/legislature for financial reporting, solvency, and asset portfolios. Further she provided tax planning, audit management, investment solutions, lending, and reinsurance programs for clients across multiple industries from real estate to manufacturing.
Vice President, Finance
Mr. Werner joined Riot Blockchain in March 2021, after spending the past eight years as Senior Director of Real Estate & Transactions Accounting at UDR Inc. (NYSE: UDR), a member of the S&P 500 and a multifamily real estate investment trust (REIT). Prior to UDR, Mr. Werner was Director of External Reporting & Debt Accounting at Archstone, another multifamily REIT. Mr. Werner started his career in Ernst & Young’s audit practice, primarily specializing in publicly traded companies. Mr. Werner’s significant public accounting experience bolsters Riot’s already highly experienced finance team. Mr. Werner is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Master of Accounting & Information Systems degree and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting & Business Administration degree, both from the University of Kansas.
Executive Chairman of the Board
Benjamin was recruited to Riot in October 2018 to serve as a director, audit committee chair and member of a special committee of the Board. At the time, Riot's market capitalization was approximately $34 million. During his tenure, the Company's collective achievements to-date include significantly improved operational and financial profiles, including the attainment of profitability, a reconstituted and more diverse Board of Directors, a reconstituted and operationally streamlined management team, and the announcement of a transformative transaction to create a US-based leader in Bitcoin mining via the planned acquisition of Whinstone US, the largest Bitcoin mining facility in North America. Benjamin was elected Chairman of the Board in November 2020 and nominated Executive Chairman in May 2021.
Benjamin brings significant experience in corporate strategy, corporate development, and governance to the Company. In addition to having served as a director of several public and private companies, he also brings over sixteen years of unique capital markets experience to the management team, with a particular expertise in fintech-enabled businesses, specialty finance, and special situations investing through a company's capital structure.
Prior to Riot, Benjamin led the capital markets and corporate development efforts at IOU Financial, a tech-enabled lender to small businesses and an investee company of Neuberger Berman. Prior thereto, he worked directly under Ned Goodman, a renowned Canadian financier, investor and founder of Dundee Corporation, a Toronto-based conglomerate. Prior to Dundee, Benjamin was a securities analyst at the predecessor to 1832 Asset Management L.P., where he covered energy and special situations investments on a team managing one of North America's largest natural resources-focused investment funds. Benjamin is a CFA charter holder and holds a Master of Finance degree from the Rotman School of Management and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Trinity College in the University of Toronto.
Director
Hubert is a veteran capital markets professional, corporate director, and Chair of the Marleau Lecture Series on Economic and Monetary Policy at the University of Ottawa. Currently, he serves as Chief Economist at Palos Management, a boutique investment management firm headquartered in Montreal, Canada. In addition to a career in the capital markets that has spanned over five decades, Mr. Marleau has previously served as a Governor of the Montreal and Vancouver stock exchanges, and as a Director of the Listing Committee for the Toronto Stock Exchange and Director of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada (now known as IIROC).
Hubert’s broad areas of expertise include macroeconomic policy & analysis, corporate governance, financial analysis, and investment banking. In addition to his being a current or past board member of approximately fifty publicly traded companies, he has raised funds privately and publicly for hundreds of emerging and mature companies, structured numerous mergers and acquisitions, and acted as the driving force behind numerous transactions. Hubert graduated from the University of Ottawa with an Honours Bachelor of Social Sciences in Economics.
Director
Hannah is an award-winning marketing and communications executive with expertise in brand building and storytelling. She has over 15 years of experience in enterprise technology brand marketing, product and corporate communications supporting hyper-growth companies and global, multinational organizations in business growth and expansion, rebranding efforts, M&A, IPO and divestiture.
Hannah holds a BA Honours in Criminology from Carleton University and currently resides in Sonoma, California where she enjoys the wine culture and outdoor activities the area offers.
Pierre is the lead bitcoin strategist at Kraken, one of the world’s largest bitcoin exchanges. Pierre has been involved with bitcoin as a researcher, investor, and software developer since February 2013. He co-founded the Satoshi Nakamoto Institute to curate the best primary source literature on bitcoin and cryptography. In addition to developing bitcoin software, Pierre is an outspoken advocate for bitcoin's decentralized governance. In 2017 he began co-hosting the Noded Bitcoin Podcast. His successful open-source software projects include BitcoinACKs.com and the Node Launcher. In 2019 he founded Lightning Power Users, which operates one of the largest Lightning Network routing nodes.
Yan is the co-founder and CTO of Swan Bitcoin, a bitcoin on-ramp for recurring purchases of bitcoin, and the author of Inventing Bitcoin, a book on the inner workings of bitcoin. Formerly, he was co-founding CTO of Reverb.com, a music instrument marketplace that he helped grow to half a billion dollars in annual sales volume. Yan also invests into bitcoin startups through Bitcoiner Ventures and advises Bitcoin companies.
Cory is the founder of Swan Bitcoin. He also serves as an advisor to Unchained Capital and is a partner in Bitcoiner Ventures. As an advisor, he has supported more than $250M of fundraising since 2016, and as an angel has funded 20+ early stage startups. Before focusing primarily on startups, Klippsten worked for Google, McKinsey, Microsoft and Morgan Stanley, and earned an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the University of Chicago.