Our Team
Virginia Uranium is a Virginia company that is committed to being a good steward of the land and a responsible corporate citizen of the community.
To that end, we've assembled a managerial and technical team with strong roots in the region. Some of our key team members hail from from local points such as Gretna, Sheva, Danville, and, of course, Chatham.
In short, we’ve gathered some of Virginia’s best talent, with deep ties to the region, to work on this project.
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Walter Coles, Sr. – President and CEO Mr. Coles began his career in 1961 as a Chief Industrial Engineer for the Lane Furniture Company. In 1966, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army for two tours in Vietnam, resulting in the award of the Bronze Star and Air Medals. Mr. Coles then had a 30 year career in the U.S. Foreign Service as an Economic Development Officer where he managed U.S. foreign assistance activities, including serving as the key architect for U.S. policy initiatives on privatization and land reform implementation in countries that comprised the former Soviet Union. Since retirement, Mr. Coles has worked as an international consultant in privatization and land reform issues. Mr. Coles is the owner and operator of a cattle and grain business on the Coles Hill Property. He has a Bachelors degree from The Citadel and is a licensed commercial pilot. |
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Joseph Kiely – Chief Financial Officer Mr. Kiely has over 20 years of experience as a Chief Financial Officer. He is currently the Chief Financial Officer of both Virginia Uranium, Inc. and Cadence Investment Partners. Previously, he was the Chief Financial Officer of Monarch Capital Holdings, an asset management firm with $300 million of assets under management, as well as Baker Nye Greenblatt and Simms Capital Management, with assets under management of $1 billion and $500 million, respectively. Previously, Mr. Kiely was an audit manager with Spicer and Oppenheim Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Kiely has a Bachelors of Business Administration degree from Dowling College and is a Certified Public Accountant. |
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Walter Coles Jr. – Executive Vice President Mr. Coles has ten years of experience in the finance industry. Most recently, Mr. Coles was an equity and high yield bond analyst for Cadence Investment Partners, a New York based event-driven hedge fund. Prior, he worked at UBS Investment Bank as a research analyst from 1999 through 2005, covering companies in multiple sectors. A native of Chatham, Mr. Coles has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Richmond. |
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Neal Keesee – Senior Legal Counsel Mr. Keesee has over 20 years of experience as legal counsel with concentration in all areas of corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, contracts, computer law, internet, tax, succession planning, employee benefits, real estate, financing, creditor's rights and venture capital. A native of Lynchburg, Mr. Keesee completed his undergraduate work at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (B.S. Accounting, magna cum laude) and earned his Juris Doctor from the College of William & Mary. He was a member of the Order of the Coif and the William & Mary Law Review. Mr. Keesee is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, and frequent speaker on topics of interest to business owners. Neal is listed in Best Lawyers in America and Virginia Business' "Legal Elite" in both business law and intellectual property and was nominated for "Small Business Advocate of the Year" in 2007 by the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce. |
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Joseph Aylor – Chief Geologist, PhD Dr. Aylor, a native of Gretna, has over 30 years of experience as a geologist and environmental engineer. Most recently he was the Environmental Services Manager with ECS Mid-Atlantic LLC. Dr. Aylor has extensive experience in all aspects of project management, including researching prospects, budgeting proposed projects, performing environmental site assessments, supervising drilling activities and negotiating with regulators. He also assisted the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control in the drafting of Brownfield regulations. Dr. Aylor held various research and teaching positions with the Florida Geological Survey and Florida State University and has authored numerous articles for industry publications. Dr. Aylor holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology from the University of Virginia, a Masters of Science degree in Geology from Arizona State University and a Ph.D. in Geology from Florida State University. |
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Patrick Wales – Geologist, Project Manager Mr. Wales has two of years experience in the field of environmental geology. Most recently, he has served as Manager of Environmental Services for the Danville, VA., office of Dewberry & Davis, Inc. As Manager of Environmental Services he was charged with all aspects of project management, including marketing, budgeting, proposal preparation, hiring, implementation of projects, and QA/QC. Mr. Wales, a native of Danville, holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology from Radford University (cum laude) and a Masters of Science degree in Geology from the University of Mississippi. |
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Stewart East - Geology Technician Mr. East is a lifelong resident of the Sheva Community. He has over three years experience in the fabrication and manufacturing industries. Most recently Mr. East was employed at Cooks Composites & Polymers in Chatham, VA as a Process Support Technician. Mr. East was in charge of preparing and mixing chemicals to produce resin that is used by manufacturers of fiberglass products. He is trained in Department of Transportation and Hazardous Materials compliance. Mr. East received two Associates of Arts Degrees in General Electronics and Industrial Electrical-Electronics Equipment Servicing from Danville Community College in 2004. |
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Nina Beth Thornton – Controller Ms. Thornton has over 20 years of experience as a Controller. She served as Treasurer of ProMark Utility Locators, Inc., a national underground utility locating firm. From 2005 to 2007, she managed the administrative and financial duties of Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative, a Southside Virginia based open-access wholesale telecommunication provider. Ms. Thornton has a Bachelor of Science degree from University of North Carolina at Greensboro (cum laude) and an Associate of Arts degree from Peace College. |
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Frances Haley – Executive Assistant |
