Six months after Hecla Mining Co. announced the retirement of longtime CEO Phillips S. Baker Jr., Rob Krcmarov has been selected as Hecla's next president and CEO by the company's board of directors.

Krcmarov's new role begins Thursday, Nov. 7, and comes with a position on the company's board of directors, where Hecla's interim president and CEO, Catherine "Cassie" J. Boggs, will remain as board chair.

Boggs says of Krcmarov in a press release, "His experience in managing complex operations and his commitment to safe, sustainable mining practices make him the ideal fit for Hecla's next chapter."

Krcmarov, a seasoned industry executive, joins the Coeur d'Alene-based silver-producing mining company with over 35 years of experience, including at Barrick Gold Corp., a Toronto, Canada-based gold and copper operation, where his last role was as the executive vice president of exploration and growth.

"It's a privilege to join Hecla and lead such a talented and dedicated team," Krcmarov says in the release. "I look forward to building upon Hecla's legacy of operational excellence."

Krcmarov's experience includes leading efficient and safe operations, evaluating new business opportunities, community relations, and engagement with institutional investors, financial markets, and other stakeholders within the mining industry.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in geology from the University of Adelaide, in Adelaide, South Australia, and a master's degree in economic geology from the University of Tasmania.

"The board conducted a rigorous selection process to ensure that our new CEO has the right experience, vision, and leadership to guide Hecla forward, and that is Rob," Boggs says.

Hecla was established over 130 years ago in 1891 and is the largest silver producer in the U.S., with operating mines in Alaska, Idaho, Quebec, Canada; and another developing mine in Yukon, Canada.