Steve Alfers, executive chairman, president and CEO of Pershing Gold Corp., has a distinguished, thirty-year career in the domestic and international natural resources industry. He has a proven success record in building value and maximizing growth. He has extensive experience in private and public corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, complex international business transactions and governmental affairs. He is nationally and internationally recognized for his expertise in natural resource development, privatization of state-owned enterprises and foreign investment.