Vertex Energy, Inc. announced that on and effective on, June 10, 2022, Mr. John Strickland resigned as Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of the Company. Mr. Strickland's resignation was not the result of any dispute related to accounting policies or internal controls or any other disagreement with the Company. Mr. Strickland will continue to serve as Vice President, Black Oil Operations for the Company, in a non-executive position, pursuant to the terms of his current employment agreement with the Company.

Mr. Strickland had served as Chief Operating Officer since October 1, 2015. Effective on June 10, 2022, the Board of Directors of the Company appointed Mr. James Rhame, as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Company, to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Strickland's resignation. Mr. James Rhame, age 63, since March 2022, Mr. Rhame has served as a consultant to the Company.

From December 2020 to March 2022, Mr. Rhame served as an independent consultant with JGR Consulting. Prior to that, from November 2019 to November 2020, he served as Vice President and General Manager of Motiva Enterprises. Before that, Mr. Rhame spent ten years with Flint Hills Resources, where he served as Vice President (Olefins and Polymers), from December 2017 to November 2019, Site Manager (July 2014 to December 2017), Production Manager (Petrochemical) (August 2010 to July 2014), and Production Manager (Refining), from July 2006 to May 2010.

During his time at Flint Hills Resources, he provided various services including leading operational responsibility for the Port Arthur Chemical Plant (ethylene cracker), Houston Chemical Plant (Propane Dehydrogenation), Longview (Polypropylene) and Peru, Illinois (Enhanced Polystyrene) plants. Prior to joining Flint Hills Resources, he served as Business Development Manager with Shell Chemicals and Shell Downstream from 2000 to 2006, and served in various other roles with Shell from 1987 to 2000, including Analyzer Engineer, Control Systems Team Leader, Control System Tech Manager and Operations Manager. Prior to that, Mr. Rhame held various roles with Celanese Chemical and Marathon Oil.

Mr. Rhame graduated with a BS degree in Chemistry from Sam Houston State University. He also attended the Wharton School of Business Executive Leadership Program. Also effective on June 10, 2022, the Board of Directors of the Company appointed Mr. Alvaro Ruiz as the Chief Strategy Officer of the Company.

Since 2013, Mr. Ruiz has served as the Company's Executive Vice President of Corporate Development. During his tenure with the Company, he has been responsible for identifying, developing, and executing both strategic commercial and market opportunities, including the April 2022 Mobile Refinery acquisition. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Ruiz held numerous senior management positions across the equipment manufacturing, telecom, energy, automotive and environmental services sectors.

Mr. Ruiz will continue to report directly to Benjamin P. Cowart, President and CEO. Mr. Alvaro Ruiz, age 53, joined the Company as Vice President of Business Development in September 2013. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing for FCC Environment AL, from March 2008 to July 2013, previously serving as a Regional/Area Manager for FCC Environment, from 2005 to 2008.

Prior to that, he held various sales and marketing and corporate development roles with companies in the telecom industry. Mr. Ruiz has a solid international background in Europe and Latin America and his leadership positions have included marketing, finance, business development, operations, sales and project management. Mr. Ruiz received a degree in Telecomm Engineering from the University of Valladolid, in Spain, and holds an Executive MBA from IE Business School, in Madrid, Spain, and a Masters in Marketing and Sales from ESIC Business School in Barcelona, Spain.