Controlled Thermal Resources Announces Appointment of Bari Bean as Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Relations

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif., Oct. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Controlled Thermal Resources Holdings Inc. (“CTR” or the “Company”), a developer of integrated geothermal energy and critical minerals projects in California’s Imperial Valley, today announced the appointment of Bari Bean as Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Relations.

Based in Imperial Valley, Ms. Bean brings extensive experience in government affairs, economic development, and critical minerals. She joins CTR from the County of Imperial, where she most recently served as Assistant County Executive Officer and Deputy CEO of Natural Resources. In that role, she led natural resource and economic development initiatives. She served as California’s Lithium Ombudsman and played a central role in advancing the County’s Lithium Valley strategy.

Ms. Bean has led legislative and policy initiatives supporting critical minerals and energy development, including California legislation AB 2163, which established Strategic Clean Energy and Critical Mineral Development Zones. She has also worked extensively with federal, state, and tribal governments and utilities.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Bean was Marketing & Community Relations Manager at Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables, where she supported geothermal and other renewable energy projects.

In her new role at CTR, Ms. Bean will lead the Company’s government affairs and public relations activities, working with federal, state, and local governments as well as community and Tribal stakeholders as CTR advances its geothermal power and critical minerals development in Imperial Valley.

Rod Colwell, CEO of CTR, said:

“Bari brings a combination of regional knowledge, government experience, and energy and critical minerals expertise that will be highly valuable to CTR. Her relationships across government and the community will strengthen our engagement, and we are very pleased to welcome her to the team.”

Bari Bean, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Relations at CTR, said:

“The Imperial Valley is my lifelong home, and I believe deeply in its potential to become a global leader in geothermal energy and critical minerals. I’m excited to join CTR and help get responsible projects built and ensure this opportunity creates lasting economic benefits for the people who call the Imperial Valley home.”

Ms. Bean holds an Executive MBA in Energy from the University of Oklahoma, a master’s degree in Marketing, Communications, and New Media from Georgetown University, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Arts from Chapman University. She serves on the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Geothermal Technical Advisory Committee.

About Controlled Thermal Resources

Controlled Thermal Resources is developing Hell’s Kitchen in Imperial County, California – one of America’s largest and most advanced integrated geothermal power and critical minerals projects. From a single, proven geothermal resource, CTR plans to produce clean, 24/7 baseload power and recover battery-grade lithium from the same superheated brine. Its Power First strategy prioritizes bringing power online while preserving the significant long-term value of lithium and other critical minerals as the project scales. For more information, visit www.cthermal.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains estimates, predictions, opinions, projections and other forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about our business, future performance, strategies, and plans, as well as assumptions made by management. Forward-looking statements typically include words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “forecast,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control and may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may affect future results include, but are not limited to: changes in market conditions; economic trends; changes in laws, regulations, or governmental policies; technological advancements; and other business risks, if applicable. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Contact:

ICR for Investors and Media: ICRCTR@icrinc.com

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