Smooth ROCK Announces Additions to Management Team

1130 West Pender St.-Suite 820

Vancouver, B.C. V6E 4A4

Tel : 888 909-5548

Fax : 888 909-1033

Trading Symbols: TSXV: SMRV US-OTC: SMRVF

SMOOTH ROCK ANNOUNCES ADDITIONS TO MANAGEMENT TEAM

Vancouver, B.C. March 17, 2026 - Smooth Rock Ventures Corp. (“Smooth Rock” or the “Company”)

(TSXV: S MRV; OTC-US: SMRVF) is pleased to announce the appointment of current director, Mr.

Michael Ruggles as President and Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Donald Gordon as a director of the

Company, both effective immediately.

Michael Ruggles – President & CEO

Mr. Ruggles brings over two decades of proven leadership in the financial services sector, with deep

expertise in merchant banking, corporate restructurings, and investment strateg y. Most recently, as Chief

Operating Officer at Arrow Park Capita l - a merchant bank specializing in corporate restructurings and

capital markets advisory, he oversees daily operations and led strategy development to drive client value in

complex investment environment. Throughout his career, Mr. Ruggles has held pivotal roles spanning

equity research, marketing, and investor relations , where he developed market analyses and investor

communications that support stakeholder engagement through transformative corporate phases.

"I am thrilled to join Smooth Rock at such a pivotal moment in its development and the current resurgent

natural resource markets ," said Mr. Ruggles. "Smooth Rock holds some of the premier underdeveloped

gold and mineral exploration projects in the heart of Nevada's prolific Walker Lane Trend. With Palmetto's

large land position and existing NI 43-101 gold & silver mineral resource estimate, and Giroux's extensive

historical workings, hosting multi minerals, our focus will be to accelerate exploration programs, including

resource expansion."

Donald Gordon, CFA – Director

Mr. Don Gordon, BA, MBA, CFA, has over 40 years of experience in corporate finance and capital markets.

As an independent consultant since 2000, he has provided corporate finance consulting, CFO services, due

diligence support to investment dealers and dozens of issuers. Early in his career Mr. Gordon held an

executive position as Director of Corporate Finance and Listings at the Vancouver Stock Exchange, the

predecessor to the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV). He later represented the Canadian Securities Exchange

(CSE) in Vancouver, opening its local office and serving for over five years. He is a past President of the

Vancouver Society of Financial Analysts and serves as a director for a number of public and private

companies.

Management Transition

Mr. Christos Doulis, outgoing President & CEO, will remain on the board of directors of the Company, the

Board thanks Mr. Doulis for his many contributions to the Company.

Christopher Hobbs, Chief Financial Officer of Smooth Rock, commented: "We are very pleased to welcome

Michael and Don ald to our management team and board, respectively . They bring a wealth of capital

markets experience to the Company and have helped guide numerous Canadian companies through many

stages of exploration and development into successful ventures. We look forward to working together in

these very robust resource markets."

About Smooth Rock Ventures Corp.

Smooth Rock Ventures Corp. is a US-based exploration-stage company engaged in the acquisition and

exploration of mineral properties, primarily in the prolific Walker Lane mineral belt in Nevada . The

Company holds a 100% undivided interest in the Palmetto Gold Project, that consists of 116 unpatented

mining claims totalling 2217 acres in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The Project hosts a NI 43-101 compliant

mineral resource estimation (WSP Canada Inc . McCraken 10-15-2020). Palmetto has benefitted from

significant exploration by several major operators over the years, including, Newmont Gold, Phelps Dodge

Corp, Romarco Minerals, and most recently by ML Gold Corp. The initial “Discovery Hole” was drilled

by Phelps Dodge in 1988, with bonanza gold -silver veins subsequently drilled by Romarco Minerals

between 1997 and 2002.

For more information, visit www.smoothrockventures.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Chris Hobbs, CFO & Director

Tel: 888 909-5548

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.smoothrockventures.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the

policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.