Bill has over 35 years of financial services experience in Canada and the USA, most recently as Managing Partner at Normera Capital Partners and Senior Managing Director and Registered Representative with Enclave Capital LLC (USA). He is a member of the board of directors of Kuber Mortgage Investment Corporation, Square Lending Inc. and is a member of the FSRA Stakeholder Advisory Committee for the mortgage brokerage sector. His previous employment includes positions as Strategic Lead Market Conduct at the Financial Services Regulatory Authority Ontario, President & CEO at MCAN Mortgage Corporation, Director of Finance at Starwood Capital Group and Managing Director & Industry Head for Real Estate at RBC. Bill holds an MBA and HBA from the Ivey School of Business Western University, holds several securities registrations with FINRA, is a Licensed Mortgage Agent Level 2 with FSRA and an ICD.D certification from the Institute of corporate Directors from the Rotman School of Business.
Howard Yanofsky, CPA, is a finance executive with over a decade of experience in real estate and mortgage lending. Before joining Lighthouse, he held senior finance and compliance roles at First Source Mortgage Corporation and Westboro Mortgage Investment Corp., overseeing fund operations, strategic planning, and regulatory oversight. He began his career at Firm Capital Corporation, supporting both public and private real estate investment entities. He is a graduate with an honours specialization in finance and administration from the Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies (BMOS) program at the University of Western Ontario. Outside of work, Howard enjoys spending time with his family, playing hockey, and staying active.
Aryeh Rosen has worked in various financial and accounting roles, specializing in cross-border tax, corporate accounting, financial forecasting, and operations. Having worked for a public accounting firm and for private companies, Aryeh brings a mix of skills from text-book knowledge to real-world application.
Brian Denes is a Senior Mortgage Underwriter at Lighthouse Credit Union with extensive experience in residential mortgage lending, credit adjudication, and risk assessment. With over two decades in the financial services industry, he has worked with a wide range of borrowers and lending scenarios, specializing in complex mortgage files, self-employed applicants, and property-based lending decisions.
Brian is responsible for reviewing and approving residential mortgage applications, assessing creditworthiness, analyzing financial documentation, and ensuring all lending decisions align with the credit union’s risk policies and regulatory requirements. He works closely with brokers, members, and internal teams to structure responsible lending solutions that support both member needs and prudent risk management.
Known for his practical approach and strong credit judgment, Brian is committed to helping Lighthouse Credit Union deliver thoughtful lending solutions while maintaining high underwriting standards.
Mark is a seasoned financial services executive with over 25 years of experience in mortgage lending, credit operations, underwriting, risk management, and operational leadership. He possesses deep expertise across both prime and non-prime residential lending, with a proven ability to exercise sound underwriting judgment and drive strong portfolio performance.
Throughout his career, Mark has held senior leadership roles at leading financial institutions, including CIBC, Bank of Montreal, and Accredited Home Lenders Canada. In these roles, he built and led high-performing teams while overseeing complex credit, risk, and operational functions.
His core competencies include credit operations, credit policy development, audit and regulatory compliance readiness, underwriting systems implementation, portfolio oversight, and strategic relationship management.
Alicia Borges is a Senior Underwriter with over a decade of experience in the mortgage industry. She is known for her clear communication, thoughtful decision‑making, and steady, solutions‑focused approach to even the most complex applications.
Alicia combines strong industry expertise with a friendly, approachable style, helping members feel informed and supported throughout the lending process. She values collaboration, consistency, and bringing a positive attitude to every file — often adding just the right touch of lightheartedness to keep the team energized.
Dedicated, dependable, and member‑focused, Alicia plays a key role in ensuring a smooth and supportive experience building strong external and internal relationships.
Harley Gold is a Partner and Managing Director of Peakhill Capital. Harley has closed in excess of $20 billion in loans in over 5,000 deals over the past 23 years in Canada and the US. Harley has extensive financing experience in all real estate asset types including multi-family, CMHC, senior housing, retail, industrial, hospitality, and land development. Prior to founding Peakhill Capital, Harley was the Vice -President of Business Development at CMLS Financial for 11 years, where he originated for institutional accounts, including RBC and PHN. Harley also worked for six years for a US mortgage banking firm and was successful bringing US lenders into the Canadian market.
Harley holds a Master of Business Administration from Canisius College and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Toronto. Harley is a member of the board of Governors of the Abraham Global Peace Initiative, and a chapter advisor to several AEPi chapters.
Jeff Birman is the president of Cando Apartments Ltd. and Cando Management since 2012. Jeff took over the family operations from the Patriarch Harry Birman who created Cando Property Management in 1982. As an Owner and Manager of real estate, predominantly in the multi-residential space, his responsibilities include everything from day-to-day operations, partner/client relations and strategic growth.
Director of Operations at Plazacorp Investments Limited
Matthew Gordon brings extensive experience in finance, real estate development, and law to his role as a Director at Lighthouse Credit Union. He currently serves as Director of Operations at Plazacorp Investments Limited, where he leads finance, daily operations, partner relations, and strategic growth initiatives. Over his career, he has contributed to the development of approximately 10,000 housing units, helping to shape vibrant, mixed-use communities.
Before entering the real estate sector, Matthew practiced as a litigation lawyer, representing some of Canada’s largest insurance companies. This legal foundation continues to inform his legal and analytical approach and commitment to sound governance.
At Lighthouse Credit Union, Matthew is dedicated to enhancing financial services for members by applying his operational expertise and strategic insight. He champions financial resilience and community-driven growth to help ensure the credit union remains a trusted and forward-thinking institution.
Bernard Heitner is the founder and CEO of the Heitner Group and Reddick Wellington where he leads a team of experts focused on delivering innovative new solutions in asset management, real estate investments and private equity. In 2017, he sold the company to FLEETCOR (NYSE: FLT) for C$900 Million. Today, Bernard enjoys working with visionary investors and business leaders who share his passion for building successful partnerships.
Senior Director, Finance and Investments at Altree
Natalie (Leibowitz) Abrams is the Senior Director, Finance and Investments at Altree Developments Inc. and oversees all aspects of finance, capital structuring, treasury, investor relations and legal matters at the firm. Prior to joining Altree, Natalie worked at a prominent multinational retailer, primarily focusing on expanding its supply chain and e-commerce distribution and fulfillment networks through strategic real estate acquisitions throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Prior thereto, Natalie held positions on the financial planning and analysis team at a prominent North American retailer, primarily focusing on both internal and external financial reporting and advising on the sale of its various real estate assets across Canada and the United States. Throughout her career, Natalie has overseen, led, or advised on over C$2 billion in transactions. Natalie began her career in capital markets in quantitative equity research at a well-known independent and globally diverse asset management firm in downtown Toronto. Natalie holds an Honours Bachelor’s degree in economics from York University as well as a joint Master’s of Financial Economics from the Richard Ivey School of Business and the University of Western Ontario.
Co-Owner of Cedarmount Capital
Mordy Weinberg is Co-Owner of Cedarmount Capital, a growing asset and property management company focused on apartment buildings in Toronto. With over 13 years of experience in the real estate industry, he is known for his entrepreneurial approach and analytical skills.
Earlier in his career, Mordy served as Director of Community Development at the Thornhill Kollel, where he developed and supervised programs and events for over 400 weekly participants. He has since been actively involved in numerous community projects, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to community engagement.
Global Head of Compliance and the Chief Compliance Officer
As Global Head of Compliance and the Chief Compliance Officer, AGF Investments Inc., Jennifer Schwartz is responsible for the firm’s Canadian compliance program and the development and implementation of the centralized enterprise-wide compliance program related to AGF Management Limited’s global business.
Prior to joining AGF, Jennifer served as Vice-President, Legal and Compliance at Polar Asset Management Partners Inc., a multi-strategy alternative asset manager. Before that she was Vice-President and Chief Compliance Officer at Northwater Capital Management Inc. where she was responsible for the firm’s Canadian and U.S. compliance programs. Jennifer began her career at McMillan LLP, practicing in the Capital Markets and Investment Funds & Asset management group for seven years.
Jennifer received a Bachelor of Science, Physiology from McGill University and earned her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from Osgoode Hall Law School.
Head- Public Fundamental HG Credit & Portfolio Manager OTPP
Mr. Michael Isenberg is a lawyer by training with over 24 years of capital markets and transactional experience. Mr. Isenberg is a graduate of Cornell University and the University Pennsylvania Law School.
Upon graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Mr. Isenberg joined the Derivatives & Structured Finance group of the New York, corporate law firm Shearman & Sterling LLP, focusing on complex and innovative transactions. Mr. Isenberg then moved to Merrill Lynch & Co’s investment banking division in the Corporate Finance group, where he concentrated on structured hybrid capital transactions, M&A and LBO financing, and credit rating analysis.
Mr. Isenberg then moved to Toronto and joined the equity long/short portfolio group at Gluskin Sheff & Associates (managed $1.5 billion of capital). With his extensive background advising banks on structured and corporate transactions, Mr. Isenberg was well positioned to help Gluskin Sheff navigate successfully the Global Financial Crisis, as the firm’s lead global financial sector portfolio manager and analyst. While at Gluskin Sheff, Mr. Isenberg also worked extensively with the firm’s long/short credit portfolio management team, assisting in the deployment of $2 billion of capital into North American corporate credit.
Mr. Isenberg then joined RP Investment Advisors when it was a relative start up, and helped grow the firm from $300 million of assets to $5 billion. Mr. Isenberg was a partner, portfolio manager, the head of research, and a member of the investment committee at RP Investment Advisors. Then, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Isenberg was recruited to join Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan to help grow its bottom-up, public fundamental corporate credit practice. Mr. Isenberg’s team grew capital deployed from $500 million to $5 billion in positions, with a focus on North American corporate credit.
Robert Trager is a co-founder and current president of Vault Mortgage Corporation (VMC), one of Canada’s largest residential non-institutional mortgage lending companies. Robert is licensed with the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario as a mortgage broker and administrator and is a licensed exempt market dealing representative with the Ontario Securities Commission, the Alberta Securities Commission, the British Columbia Securities Commission and the Autorite des Marches Financiers.
Rita Simkin is the President of INKAS® Security Services Ltd. for over two decades. Rita’s vision and unwavering work ethic led the company to become one of Canada’s Big 3 Cash In Transit providers within short time. Mrs. Simkin is proud to be an integral part of a business which contributes significantly to her local and the Canadian economy. The company’s vision is built upon a foundation of integrity, ethics, and a genuine desire to enact positive change in the world – and that is why Rita co-founded the Khazanski Foundation – an organization that empowers her community and actively supports non-profit organizations.
Haya Zilberboim founded Emma Capital in 2021, which has since acquired over USD $1.2 billion of property assets. Haya was formerly the CEO of Greenwin, Canada’s premier full-service real estate firms with more than 20,000 residential apartment units and commercial properties under management across Canada with over 600 employees. Haya was responsible for Greenwin’s Asset Management Services, acquisition and partnership opportunities. Haya is also the COO & CFO of Fishman Holdings North America overseeing over Billion Dollar of Commercial real Estate in North America.
Executive Chairman, Bluestar Equity
Roy Murad is a veteran investment banking and corporate finance executive with over four decades of leadership across Canada, the U.S., and Europe. As Executive Chairman of Bluestar Equity, the Murad family office, Roy oversees a diverse portfolio of investments spanning real estate, financial services, fintech, and professional services. Under his leadership, Bluestar has expanded its footprint across multiple sectors, including law, accounting, wealth management, and insurance, while also managing a flagship fund focused on multi-unit real estate and public equities.
Roy’s career is distinguished by his role in structuring and executing complex financial transactions, including M&A, debt and equity financing, and public offerings. As Managing Director of Bridge Capital Corp, he chaired the investment committee of a mezzanine fund managing $200M–$500M annually, leading 20–40 transactions per year and holding advisory or board roles in numerous portfolio companies.
He has served as a strategic advisor to major banks in Canada and the U.S., helping rehabilitate distressed companies and restore banking relationships through innovative capital solutions. Roy has also played a pivotal role in the acquisition, development, and transformation of real estate assets across North America and Europe.
Roy holds a BSc from McGill University and the ICD.D designation from the Rotman School of Business. He is fluent in English and French, with working knowledge of several other languages, and is based in Toronto, Canada.
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