Westwater Resources Appoints Steven M. Cates as Chief Accounting Officer

CENTENNIAL, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Westwater Resources,an energy materials company and developer of U.S. mineral resources essential for batteries for energy storage, today announced the appointment of Steven M. Cates as Chief Accounting Officer & Controller (“CAO”), effective May 10, 2021. As the Company’s CAO, Mr. Cates will serve as the principal accounting officer overseeing all accounting operations, financial reporting, tax and treasury functions. Mr. Cates will report to Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey L. Vigil, who will continue to serve as the Company’s principal financial officer.

Christopher M. Jones, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “As we manage the execution of our graphite business plan and in anticipation of the coming growth of the Company and its business, it is important that we ask strong leaders to join our team with the expertise necessary to support this growth. Steve has answered our call with excellent financial management expertise and his appointment to a senior leadership position strengthens Westwater’s financial management team.”

Jeffrey L. Vigil, Vice President-Finance and Chief Financial Officer, said, “After a comprehensive search process that yielded many highly qualified candidates, we are very pleased to have Steve join the Westwater team. Steve is a proven financial manager whose skills and experience will be instrumental in this stage of anticipated growth and value creation at Westwater.”

Mr. Cates joins the Company from Apartment Income REIT Corp. (NYSE: AIRC), a real estate investment trust, where he served as Controller. Prior to his time at AIRC, Mr. Cates held various accounting and financial reporting roles at companies including Caliber Midstream Partners, LP, an energy and oil infrastructure company, American Midstream Partners, Newmont Mining Corporation and Thompson Creek Metals Company, Inc. Mr. Cates began his accounting career at KPMG in 2002, where he served as senior manager for audit and advisory services through 2009. Mr. Cates earned a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Redlands and is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Colorado.

About Westwater Resources

Westwater Resources (NYSE American: WWR) is focused on developing battery-grade graphite. The Company’s projects include the Coosa Graphite Project — the most advanced natural flake graphite project in the contiguous United States — and the associated Coosa Graphite Deposit located across 41,900 acres (~17,000 hectares) in east-central Alabama. For more information, visit www.westwaterresources.net.

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