MISSION
Our mission is to accelerate the country’s access to a domestic supply chain of rare earth materials. Because they aren’t just strategic–they’re mission critical.
Today, over 90% of processing capacity for many of these materials is controlled overseas. This concentration represents not only an economic risk, but a strategic vulnerability.
Mission Critical Materials exists at the intersection of these challenges: recovering rare earths, development of a US domestic supply chain, and providing clean water, all are critical to our way of life today and for generations to come.
APPLICATION
Materials that power modern life–and protect it.
Submarines & Guidance Systems
Drones & Advanced Aerospace Applications
Medical Imaging Systems (MRI, X-Ray)
Consumer Electronics
Electric Vehicle & Battery Systems
TEAM
Dr. Stephen Dunmead
Board of Directors
Dr. Stephen Dunmead serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Mission Critical Materials and has over 35 years of strong operational and executive leadership in the mining, engineered materials, and specialty chemical sectors. He was an executive officer (Form 4 filer) for two different NYSE-listed Materials Companies, including as Chief Operating Officer of SWM International (now Mativ) and Executive Vice President of OM Group
Kenneth Van Heel
Board of Directors
Board Chair Kenneth Van Heel is the Chief Executive Officer at Motorcity Systems, a software provider in the trucking and transportation industry. Prior to joining Motorcity Systems, he spent 35 years at The Dow Chemical Company including his last role as Global Director of Strategic Planning and Corporate Ventures. Prior roles included Director of Alternative Investments and Global Director of Corporate Venture Capital.
Tom Heywood
Board of Directors
Board Member Tom Heywood is a former Managing Partner of Bowles Rice LLP, a regional law firm based in Charleston, West Virginia, and a former Chief of Staff to Governor Gaston Caperton, West Virginia’s 31st Governor. A practicing lawyer, he is active in business and philanthropic circles in West Virginia, and maintains a government relations practice. Tom presently serves on the boards of many non-profit organizations, charitable
Major General (Retired) James A. Hoyer
Board of Directors
Board Member Major General (Ret.) James A. Hoyer is a nationally respected leader in national security, innovation, economic development, and higher education with nearly 40 years of miliary and public service. A West Virginia native, he served as the Adjutant General of West Virginia, providing command leadership to more than 9,000 Guardsmen and civilians and directing the state’s Joint Interagency Task Force during major emergencies.
Kevin J. Craig
Advisory Group
Kevin J. Craig serves on the Advisory Group of Mission Critical Materials and is Executive Vice President at GP Natural Resource Partners (NRP), a role he has held since 2021. He previously served as Executive Vice President – Coal beginning in 2014. He joined NRP in 2005 from CSX Transportation and has extensive experience in marketing, finance, and operations within the energy industry. He also represents NRP as an appointee to the
Martin Gallagher
Advisory Group
Martin Gallagher serves on the Advisory Group of Mission Critical Materials and is a former Senior Principal Scientist with McCormick & Company and retired naval officer. Prior to serving in these roles, he held process and project engineering positions at Sherwin Williams, Unilever (Lever Brothers), and Westvaco. He is a retired US Navy Commander and Engineering Duty Officer. His significant assignments include PEO Ships, Naval Sea
Read more →
Melinda Sych
Advisory Group
Melinda Sych serves on the Advisory Group of Mission Critical Materials and is a seasoned C level executive with over 25 years of leadership in diverse technical markets including defense, semiconductor, industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, mining, water treatment, and critical materials. She recently served as Chief Commercial Officer at Battelle, leading growth and commercial strategy across the National Security, Environment &
Dr. Stephen Dunmead
Board of Directors
Dr. Stephen Dunmead serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Mission Critical Materials and has over 35 years of strong operational and executive leadership in the mining, engineered materials, and specialty chemical sectors. He was an executive officer (Form 4 filer) for two different NYSE-listed Materials Companies, including as Chief Operating Officer of SWM International (now Mativ) and Executive Vice President of OM Group (now Umicore / Jervois / Vacuumscmelze). During his 15-year tenure at OM Group, it was the world’s largest producer of cobalt, fifth largest producer of nickel, and had a significant presence in the lithium-ion battery and permanent magnet supply chains. He also served as Chairman of the Cobalt Institute and Chairman of OM Group’s Big Hill Joint Venture in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His career began with roles at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and The Dow Chemical Company. After leaving SWM in 2015, he established Dunmead Global Solutions LLC, a board and advisory business focused on strategy, operations, financing, and M&A in the mining, metals, engineered materials, and specialty chemicals sectors. Steve graduated from The Ohio State University with BS and MS degrees in ceramic engineering and has a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis in materials science and engineering.
Kenneth Van Heel
Board of Directors
Board Chair Kenneth Van Heel is the Chief Executive Officer at Motorcity Systems, a software provider in the trucking and transportation industry. Prior to joining Motorcity Systems, he spent 35 years at The Dow Chemical Company including his last role as Global Director of Strategic Planning and Corporate Ventures. Prior roles included Director of Alternative Investments and Global Director of Corporate Venture Capital. He also serves as a Director on the Board of SeaStar Medical. He brings experience in private equity and venture capital investment, financial analysis and reporting, and strategic planning. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and an MBA from DePaul University.
Tom Heywood
Board of Directors
Board Member Tom Heywood is a former Managing Partner of Bowles Rice LLP, a regional law firm based in Charleston, West Virginia, and a former Chief of Staff to Governor Gaston Caperton, West Virginia’s 31st Governor. A practicing lawyer, he is active in business and philanthropic circles in West Virginia, and maintains a government relations practice. Tom presently serves on the boards of many non profit organizations, charitable foundations, and private companies, including WVU Medicine, the Benedum Foundation, and West Virginia American Water Company. He is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School.
Major General (Retired) James A. Hoyer
Board of Directors
Board Member Major General (Ret.) James A. Hoyer is a nationally respected leader in national security, innovation, economic development, and higher education with nearly 40 years of miliary and public service. A West Virginia native, he served as the Adjutant General of West Virginia, providing command leadership to more than 9,000 Guardsmen and civilians and directing the state’s Joint Interagency Task Force during major emergencies. Following his military service, he served as Vice President of Economic Innovation at West Virginia University (WVU), advancing cross-sector collaboration in public health, cybersecurity, technology, and next-generation economic development. He currently serves as an advisor to WVU and as a Senior Mentor for the Civil Military Innovation Institute (CMI2), a nonprofit organization that bridges the gaps in defense innovation. He also serves on the boards of City Holding Company and Fidelis New Energy LLC. He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Charleston and holds a master’s degree in management and public administration from the West Virginia Graduate College, a master’s in strategic studies from the US Army War College, and a Certificate in Identity Management from the Naval Post Graduate School.
Kevin J. Craig
Advisory Group
Kevin J. Craig serves on the Advisory Group of Mission Critical Materials and is Executive Vice President at GP Natural Resource Partners (NRP), a role he has held since 2021. He previously served as Executive Vice President – Coal beginning in 2014. He joined NRP in 2005 from CSX Transportation and has extensive experience in marketing, finance, and operations within the energy industry. He also represents NRP as an appointee to the Board of Managers of Sicecam Wyoming LLC. From 2000 to 2015, he was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, where he was elected to seven consecutive terms. During his legislative tenure, he chaired both the Committee on Energy and the Committee on Natural Resources, playing a key role in shaping state energy policy. He currently serves on the boards of West Virginia University, Encova Mutual Insurance Company, and the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, where he is Vice Chairman. He is a former Captain in the US Army and holds a BBA with an accounting concentration from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from Georgia Southern University.
Martin Gallagher
Advisory Group
Martin Gallagher serves on the Advisory Group of Mission Critical Materials and is a former Senior Principal Scientist with McCormick & Company and retired naval officer. Prior to serving in these roles, he held process and project engineering positions at Sherwin Williams, Unilever (Lever Brothers), and Westvaco. He is a retired US Navy Commander and Engineering Duty Officer. His significant assignments include PEO Ships, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), and US Embassy Baghdad. He graduated from West Virginia University with BS and MS degrees in Chemical Engineering and from Loyola University with a MS degree in Finance where he was an Alpha Sigma Nu honors graduate.
Melinda Sych
Advisory Group
Melinda Sych serves on the Advisory Group of Mission Critical Materials and is a seasoned C level executive with over 25 years of leadership in diverse technical markets including defense, semiconductor, industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, mining, water treatment, and critical materials. She recently served as Chief Commercial Officer at Battelle, leading growth and commercial strategy across the National Security, Environment & Infrastructure, and Health sectors. Her executive roles include Global Vice President of Revenue Operations at Tektronix and Global Vice President at Suterra, The Wonderful Company, where she advanced global commercial expertise and scaled innovation-driven businesses. She also held senior leadership positions at Rohm & Haas and The Dow Chemical Company where she led commercial strategy, P&L performance, growth, and M&A. She holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Oregon State University, executive education from The Wharton School, and serves as the Chair of the Brian Grant Foundation.
PARTNERSHIP
Our efforts align directly with U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Defense priorities—strengthening domestic supply chains while addressing long-standing environmental challenges.
This development effort has received more than $35 million in U.S. government support and has advanced from development through pilot- and commercial-scale deployment. Mission Critical Materials works with a limited number of partners across:
- Federal agencies (DOD, DOE, EPA) and national laboratories
- Advanced materials and magnetics companies
- Metal separation and refining companies
