SPECIAL REPORT / HOT LIST 2015
Steve Whitehead VP, Atlantic Canada TMG The Mortgage Group Steve Whitehead has helped to significantly grow the broker industry in Atlantic Canada – sometimes a challenge, given the economic conditions of the region. Atlantic Canada isn’t as large a market as the Greater Toronto Area or Vancouver – yet each year, brokers on Whitehead’s team break national records.
Albert Collu President, Mortgage Architects
Rich Spence VP of Canadian sales Manulife/Benesure Rich Spence heads up the channel’s leading creditor insurance provider, now under the Manulife banner. Industry eyes are on Spence as he attempts to grow penetration in the broker channel and encourage a majority of brokers currently not selling creditor insurance to do so.
Lisa Pellerin and Ana Cruz Partners Mortgage Intelligence LA Mortgage Lisa Pellerin and Ana Cruz had an impressive year. In addition to increasing LA Mortgage’s revenue by more than 30%, they led the firm to win CMP’s Canadian Mortgage Award for Best Newcomer Brokerage Firm. Under Anthony Contento’s leadership, Sherwood Mortgage increased its business by 25% in 2014, hitting its goals for funded volume sooner than expected. Although still a new kid on the block – Sherwood opened its doors just five years ago – the company has been recognized as the Brokerage of the Year by CMP in two out of the last three years. In 2014 years. In 2014, Contento was recognized as Broker of the Year.
Albert Collu grew his own brokerage – Argentum Mortgage and Finance Corp. – to a network of more than 500 brokers. As president of Mortgage Architects, Collu is integrating MA and Argentum, and so far customer retention has been all but complete. A staunch industry advocate, Collu served two consecutive terms as president of the IMBA.
Agostino Tuzi SVP of mortgage lending, Home Trust As Home Trust’s senior vice president of mortgage lending, Agostino Tuzi has been at the forefront of developing the company’s B-lending products and making them available to brokers, making Home Trust one of the country’s major monoline lenders for one of the fastest-growing segments in the industry.
James Laird President, CanWise Financial Before taking the reins as president of CanWise Financial earlier this year, James Laird helped grow True North Mortgage to become one of the largest brokers in Canada. Under Laird’s guidance as COO, True North also became the country’s most successful storefront-focused broker.
30 | JANUARY 2015
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