Joe Hinzer offers a distinguished career in geological and mining consultancy, backed by a Bachelor of Science in Earth Sciences from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Science in Geology from the University of Western Ontario. He has been deeply involved in industry leadership as the past president of the CIM Toronto Branch and a former director of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), where he continues to serve on the planning committee.

Since joining the Toronto-based consulting firm Watts, Griffis and McOuat Ltd. (WGM) in 2000, Hinzer has served as president since 2004. In this capacity, he directs mineral project exploration management, reporting, due diligence, and valuation. He also leads WGM’s strategic activities in China, Africa, and with First Nations communities, and provides expert guidance in international arbitration cases.

Earlier in his career, he proved his technical expertise by delineating the Lyon Lake, Creek, and Mattabi F zone deposits with Mattagami Lake Mines and assessing mineral deposits for Union Oil in western Canada. He also spent nine years in Côte d’Ivoire, where he was instrumental in bringing a small gold mine into production and served as general manager of the local operating company, SOMIAF, for five years.

Throughout his tenure at WGM, HInzer has been a vocal advocate for industry best practices, governance, and community relations as essential tools for managing project risk. He has presented his insights at global conferences across Asia, North America, Europe, and Africa, and has even explored the potential benefits of mining industry collaboration for extra-terrestrial exploration activities.