Our Team

Kirby Renton

President & CEO

Kirby Renton is a highly experienced business leader with a strong focus on business development, marketing and sales, and comprehensive project management. His career demonstrates a consistent ability to drive growth, optimize operations, and build impactful relationships across diverse sectors.

Formerly, a Consulting Landman for Novacor Exploration, Kirby was instrumental in facilitating the acquisition of new companies, meticulously reviewing legal and production reports, evaluating LLR, and conducting thorough site and equipment assessments and facilitating the sale of Novacor Assets to Trio Petroleum a publicly trading company. From 2022 to 2024, Kirby served as a Director at Foundation Auto Group, where he spearheaded business development for cutting-edge AI technology and software, built and mentored sales teams, developed a robust fleet business, and managed contractual agreements for dealer acquisitions and fleet programs.

As President/Founder of Border Surplus Management from 2017 to 2022, Kirby was responsible for significant project management in asset retirement and decommissioning. He drove Indigenous Business Development initiatives, managed marketing and sales of surplus equipment, and held full corporate fiscal responsibility, overseeing OPEX, inventory, payroll, and safety programs. A notable achievement during this tenure was the sale of 51% of the company to National Indigenous organizations. This process completely revolutionized the way that Husky Energy handled Surplus equipment in the Heavy Oil Group.

Earlier in his career, as Senior Landman/President of Renton Land Services Ltd. for over two decades, Kirby was deeply involved in business development, traditional and digital marketing, and the comprehensive management of a land services company, including HR, budgets, and project oversight. He also served as Vice President (Special Projects) at Predator Midstream, where he was responsible for the acquisition and leasing of land for crude-by-rail facilities and the supervision of large-scale construction projects to facilitate the shipping of Crude oil to the United States

Kirby’s professional attributes include strong business acumen, results-driven focus, independent problem-solving, leadership, and a commitment to accountability, all underpinned by efficient organization and analytical capabilities.

Curtis Riou, P.Geo.

COO, Senior Project Management & Environmental Specialist

Curtis Riou is a Professional Geoscientist with over 25 years of experience leading complex environmental and resource development projects across Canada’s oil, gas, and mining sectors. As co-founder of X-Terra Environmental Services Ltd., a First Nation–owned environmental consulting firm, Curtis has built a reputation for delivering innovative, regulatory-compliant solutions that balance operational efficiency with environmental stewardship.

Curtis’s career includes extensive work in sensitive habitat, contaminated site remediation, and large-scale infrastructure projects in proximity to sensitive waterbodies and culturally significant lands. He has successfully guided projects through stringent provincial and federal regulatory frameworks, aligning development objectives with sustainability and community values. His leadership extends to building partnerships with Indigenous governments, providing capacity-building opportunities, and ensuring meaningful engagement at every stage of project planning and execution.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Earth Science and professional memberships in good standing with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS) and Alberta (APEGA), Curtis brings technical expertise and strategic oversight to every assignment. He has managed multidisciplinary teams across diverse commodities and terrains, ensuring projects remain on schedule, on budget, and fully compliant with environmental and safety standards.

A proven collaborator and results-driven leader, Curtis is committed to advancing sustainable exploration practices that reduce environmental impact while maximizing long-term value for clients, stakeholders, and communities.

Cheyenne Arnold-Cunningham

Indigenous Engagement & Policy Advisor

Cheyenne is a Métis lawyer with mixed European ancestry, with Métis roots in St. Albert and Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta. She specializes in Indigenous law, governance, and policy development, with a focus on revitalizing Indigenous laws and advancing legal pluralism. Her experience spans provincial and federal legislative reform, Indigenous rights protection, public inquiries, teaching, and projects that strengthen Indigenous governance and decision-making. She operates an independent legal and policy practice, leads research on Indigenous law revitalization, and serves in-house with a First Nations political advocacy organization.

From 2020 to 2022, Cheyenne managed the BC First Nations Climate Strategy and Action Plan, which received Special Recognition at the 2022 Climate & Energy Action Awards for its innovative integration of First Nations’ rights, laws, and knowledge into climate solutions. She has facilitated numerous Indigenous law workshops, presented at conferences nationwide, and has been recognized among the Top 25 Women of Influence in North America and received the Queen’s University Outstanding Alumni Award, both in 2023.

Ken Wheatley

Consulting Geologist

Ken Wheatley is an accomplished exploration geologist with more than 40 years of expertise in uranium deposit discovery. Over his 45-year career, he has worked with prominent companies such as Orano, Uranerz, Minatco, and most recently Forum Energy Metals. Ken has been instrumental in discovering eight uranium deposits—five of which reached production—and has identified numerous additional showings in the Key Lake, McClean Lake, Cluff Lake, and Maurice Bay regions. He earned his H.B.Sc. in Geology from Laurentian University in 1980 and his M.Sc. in Geology from the University of Saskatchewan in 1985.