Eric Fier
Coeur MiningAbout Eric Fier
Eric N. Fier (age 63) is an independent director of Coeur Mining (CDE) appointed effective February 14, 2025 following Coeur’s acquisition of SilverCrest Metals; he is a Certified Professional Geologist (USA) and Engineer (Canada) with 35+ years in international mining and holds BS degrees in Geological Engineering and Mine Engineering from Montana Technological University . The Board determined he is independent under NYSE and SEC standards, and his director compensation is consistent with Coeur’s non‑employee directors . He joined Coeur’s Audit and Finance & Technical (F&T) Committees; 2024 committee cadence was Audit (6 meetings) and F&T (5 meetings) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| SilverCrest Metals Inc. | Founder, CEO, Director | Until Coeur’s acquisition in Feb 2025 | Led technical studies, construction and ramp-up of Las Chispas; deep operational execution |
| Goldsource Mines, Inc. | Executive Chairman | Jan 2018 – Jul 2024 | Strategic oversight; company acquired by Mako Mining |
| SilverCrest Mines Inc. | Co‑founder; COO; President | Oct 2002 – Oct 2015 | Built and scaled operations; company acquired by First Majestic |
| Pegasus Gold Corp. | Senior Engineer; Chief Geologist | Jun 1985 – May 1995 | Technical leadership across exploration and operations |
| Eldorado Gold Corp. | Project Manager | Sep 1996 – May 1998 | Project execution |
| Newmont Mining Corp. | Senior Engineer; Manager | Jun 1995 – Aug 1996; 1999 – 2000 | Mine planning and operations |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Start | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mako Mining Corp. | Executive Chairman | Jul 2024 | Active board leadership at a gold mining company |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Committee assignments | Audit Committee (member); Finance & Technical Committee (member) |
| 2024 committee cadence | Audit: 6 meetings; F&T: 5 meetings (Fier joined 2025; cadence indicates workload) |
| Independence | Board determined Fier is independent; Audit and CLD Committees meet heightened independence criteria |
| Attendance | Board met 8 times in 2024; all incumbent directors attended ≥95% of Board/committee meetings (Fier appointed 2025) |
| Executive sessions | Independent directors held executive sessions at least eight times in 2024 |
| Director education | Ongoing onboarding and education; topics include audit, cyber, reserves/resources, HCM, ESG |
| Board leadership | CEO serves as Chairman; Lead Independent Director role held by J. Kenneth Thompson with robust responsibilities |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $90,000 | Non‑employee directors |
| Annual equity retainer | $100,000 | In common stock or deferred stock units (DSUs) |
| Committee chair retainers | $25,000 (Audit, CLD, EHSCR); $20,000 (F&T); $15,000 (NCG) | Only chairs receive additional cash; no meeting fees |
| Lead Independent Director retainer | $25,000 | Established May 2024; not applicable to Fier |
| Meeting fees | $0 | Coeur does not pay meeting fees |
Performance Compensation
| Element | Structure | Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Director equity | Time‑vested stock/DSUs | No performance metrics; directors do not receive PSUs/options |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mako Mining Corp. | Executive Chairman | Mining peer; no related person transactions disclosed by Coeur since start of 2024 |
| SilverCrest Metals Inc. | Former CEO/Director | Coeur acquired SilverCrest; Fier appointed to Coeur Board per arrangement; determined independent |
| Committee interlocks | None | CLD Committee interlocks/insider participation: none |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Certified Professional Geologist and Engineer; 35+ years across exploration, development, construction, and operations globally .
- Deep experience in reserve/resource estimation, economic analysis, project management, and ramp‑up of Las Chispas .
- Technical oversight aligned with Coeur’s F&T Committee mandate on capital allocation and reserves/resources .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | Ownership % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| N. Eric Fier | 3,322,161 | <1% | Includes 3,180,487 shares held via Maverick Mining Consultants Inc. |
| Ownership guidelines | 5× annual base cash retainer | N/A | Directors must hold ≥5× cash retainer; unvested time‑vested shares/DSUs count; compliance period 5 years; directors either met or are within compliance period |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited | N/A | No hedging or pledging of Coeur stock under insider trading policy |
Insider Trades and Filings
- Form 3 initial statement of beneficial ownership filed February 21, 2025 (upon appointment) .
- Form 4 filed February 25, 2025 (reporting changes in beneficial ownership) .
- Form 4 filed May 15, 2025 (subsequent transaction reporting) .
- Fintel summary lists Maverick Mining Consultants Inc. as an indirect holder of 3,180,487 shares and shows additional filings for Fier .
Governance Assessment
- Alignment: Significant personal equity (3.32M shares, including Maverick entity) supports skin‑in‑the‑game and long‑term alignment; director stock ownership guidelines reinforce alignment .
- Independence and conflicts: Board explicitly determined Fier’s independence; no related person transactions since 2024; CLD interlocks absent; insider policy bans hedging/pledging—reducing misalignment risk .
- Committee effectiveness: Placement on Audit and F&T leverages deep technical and operational expertise; Audit has a designated financial expert (Linda Adamany), supporting committee depth .
- Compensation structure: Cash/equity retainer with no performance awards for directors minimizes pay complexity and potential pay‑for‑performance distortions; strong clawback/forfeiture and no tax gross‑ups enhance shareholder‑friendly posture .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed—no pledging/hedging, no related‑party transactions, no attendance issues. Potential perceived conflict from concurrent chair role at Mako Mining should be monitored, but Board independence determination and absence of related transactions mitigate risk .