Leadership Team
Tom Power
President & CEO – Sunshine Minting, Inc.
Chairman of the Board – Sunshine Minting International (Shanghai) Co. Ltd
Director – Star Gold Corporation, Nevada
Mr. Power has over 30 years’ experience in the precious metals and minting fields. He began his career with Johnson Matthey Ltd., the Canadian division of Johnson Matthey PLC based in the United Kingdom. During his tenure with Johnson Matthey, Mr. Power held several key management positions in both Operations and Sales. In May of 1997, Mr. Power emigrated from Canada to the United States to join Sunshine Minting, Inc., as a key member of the senior management team. After a 10-year track record of growth, Mr. Power successfully acquired 100% ownership of Sunshine Minting, Inc. in January of 2007, and assumed the role of its President and CEO. During his tenure as its strategic leader, Mr. Power has successfully expanded Sunshine Minting, Inc. from a small regional supplier of products with 30 employees to the large multi-national corporation that it is today, through strategic acquisitions and expansion into international markets. The company now employ’s over 300 people with operations in the United States and China, serving a number of the world’s largest sovereign Mints and financial institutions.
Since 2011, Mr. Power has served as Chairman of the Board of Sunshine Minting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., a joint venture between Sunshine Minting, Inc., and Shanghai JinYuan Culture Development Co. Ltd., to produce precious metal blanks and products in Shanghai, China to meet world-class standards for quality and delivery globally.
Mr. Power also currently serves as a Director for Star Gold Corporation, an exploration stage company, which engages in exploring, evaluating, and acquiring mineral prospects with the potential for economic deposits of precious and base metals. Its flagship project is the Longstreet Property located in Nevada.
Prior to the precious metal field, Mr. Power has held several positions in Food Manufacturing, as well as the Financial Services Industry.
Mr. Power has studied for his Business Administration Diploma from Wilfred Laurier University and at the University of Windsor for a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
Mr. Power currently resides in Henderson, Nevada with his wife.
Patricia Power
Vice President
Bio coming soon
Annie Yang
Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer
Annie Yang has over 20 years of experience in managing and growing businesses. Annie joined Sunshine Minting. Inc in 2015 with comprehensive experience in multi-national environment and with substantial knowledge of the precious metal industry. Her responsibilities include overseeing all sales and marketing functions as well as new product development. She also has full P&L responsibility of Sunshine Minting International (Shanghai) Ltd., a subsidiary of Sunshine Minting, Inc.
Annie has extensive international business background. She lived and worked in three countries on two continents, including US, Canada, and China, before relocating to Henderson, NV, where SMI’s headquarters are. Prior to joining SMI, Annie set up and managed international operations of one of the largest online precious metals dealers and grew a profitable and successful business.
Annie holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from McGill University and a master’s degree in Computer Science from University of Bridgeport.
Jason Trubey
Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer
Jason has over 25 years’ experience in manufacturing overseeing all operational aspects. Before joining SMI in 2015, Jason oversaw the start up and commissioning of large, combined cycle power plants and was a Plant Director of a commercial printing company where he oversaw all day-to-day operations and the company’s relocation from Los Angeles, CA to Las Vegas, NV.
Jason will provide leadership and management across all operations and drive operational standards for safety, quality, process improvements. Jason possesses an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from the Antelope Valley College.
Carl Gernandt
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Carl-Heinz Gernandt, has over 20 years of experience within the financial industry, bringing a broad range of financial expertise and business experience to SMI, including financial planning and reporting, treasury and risk management. During this time Mr. Gernandt has served and attained various director and management roles at listed and auditing-related companies. Mr. Gernandt holds accreditations and memberships with The Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business (CMA, CSCA), the Chartered Professional Accountants (British Columbia) (CPA) and Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (FCCA).
JB Spisso
Director of Security
JB has over 30 years of experience in transforming individuals into leaders. He is a veteran of the United States Army with 26 years of service, including ten years in Special Operations with the elite 75th Ranger Regiment, leading the Country's most talented Soldiers in combat. JB retired at the prominent rank of Sergeant Major, the highest and most respected Non-Commissioned Officer position in the military.
JB is extensively well-versed as a leader, trainer, and educator. He has executed effective team building and leadership training for several professional sports teams, including NFL and NHL clubs, and was the first in the National Hockey League to hold the position of Executive Director of Leadership and Cultural Development, spawning similar roles with other professional teams throughout the league.
He routinely advises C-Suite executives on leadership and culture and is a sought after speaker for industry gatherings and leadership podcasts.
With JB, what you see is what you get. He is a motivator with an energetic passion for helping others. He understands the rigors, the risk, the teamwork and the mindset needed for success.
JB holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Organizational Management & Leadership from Nyack College and studied under notable sports psychologist Dr. Derek Anderson from 2014-2017.
Ken Lawson
Director of Human Resources
Ken is a native to the Northwest, growing up in the greater Seattle area where he studied Business Administration and Communications at Bellevue College. After leaving Washington state, Ken moved to Southern California where he and his wife raised their two children who are now grown and out on their own. Then in 2012 relocated to Las Vegas NV. where he has been able to advance his career.
Ken has over 30 years of experience in Human Resources and Operations with the past 15 years in manufacturing. Prior to joining SMI in 2018, Ken was in the printing industry where he oversaw the HR and Operational responsibilities for the second largest online printing service with production facilities across the US and in Germany.
Ken was also responsible for the subsidiary companies including Software Development, Technical Support and Customer Care.
Before his career in manufacturing, Ken functioned as the District Manager for some of the nations largest retailers and was responsible for geographical areas in Southern and Central California.
Rick Hurt
Director of Refining Services
Rick Hurt has a passion for the recovery and refining of precious metals and has been following his passion for over 25 years. His journey began with training as an assayer and chemist with a highly respected umpire assayer in the Silver Valley mining district of North Idaho. He then traveled to recover strategic war metals, and subsequently owned and managed a gold mining company in North Idaho. He built a laboratory to do analytical work for the exploration and development phases of the mining company which then became Liberty Refiners in 2007.
Liberty’s refining services have been primarily in gold and silver with a focus on high purity refining. Liberty can provide 9999 to 99999 purity in silver and gold respectively. Rick’s honesty and integrity has earned him the favor of the regional mines and precious metal wholesalers for which he provided refining services.
Liberty has been Sunshine Minting’s primary metal refiner at their Coeur d’Alene Idaho location for many years, and now Rick brings his assets and experience to the Sunshine Team.
Barry Fishback
Chief Operating Officer of Annex Plating, LLC – Rhode Island
Mr. Fishback has over 30 years of experience in the electroplating industry. He began his career in sales with Regal Plating in Providence, Rhode Island. After a number of years, Mr. Fishback, along with a business partner, purchased Annex Plating, a company that specialized in jewelry. Over 20 years ago, Sunshine Minting, Inc. (SMI) became a client of Annex Plating with a business focus of electroplating on base metal blanks. The relationship between Annex and SMI continued to grow. When Mr. Fishback’s business partner elected to retire in 2014, SMI purchased 50% ownership of Annex Plating and it evolved into a full-service minting facility under the new name, Annex Plating, LLC. In August 2023, SMI acquired 100% ownership of Annex Plating, LLC with the goal of further expanding business lines into a fully self-sufficient minting and specialty finishing operation