Board of Directors

 

We’re a global team of innovators, researchers and business leaders with first-class experience in telecommunications, online retail, app-based ride-sharing, healthcare, gaming, capital markets and more. We’ve helped take small industries worldwide and we’ve been responsible for international operations in complex regulated markets. Our backgrounds vary from journalism to analytical chemistry, pharmaceuticals to property investment – but we are united by our passion and professionalism. Together, we’re able to strategize, operate, invest and grow like no other company.

Ronald Schmeichel
Chairman
Mr. Schmeichel has over 20 years of experience in financial transactions including high-yield credit, leveraged loans, buy-outs and equity capital markets with a focus on middle market companies in Canada and the United States. Mr. Schmeichel is the Chairman and of JJR Private Capital Inc., a Toronto based private capital firm founded in 2003 in Toronto. Mr. Schmeichel has served on the boards of more than 19 TSX and TSXV Exchange listed companies. For the past 12 years, Mr. Schmeichel has been a guest lecturer at the University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Law, with a focus on entrepreneurial finance and securities law. He currently serves as a member of the Ontario Advisory Committee for the TSXV. Mr. Schmeichel received a B.A. degree, with Merit, from York University in 1992 and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1995.
James Eaton
Director
James Eaton is a partner of JJR Private Capital, co-founder of Nuuvera Inc. (TSX: NUU.V), and serves on the the boards of JC Clark Ltd., Medley Capital Corp. (NYSE: MCC) and Dream Alternatives Trust (TSX: DRA.UN).

James is the President of Weatons Holdings, a Canadian private holding company and has been active in the founding, growth and divestiture stages of the Weatons portfolio companies across a wide variety of industries. His responsibilities at Weatons include overseeing numerous private investments and a portfolio of listed securities.

In addition to Chairing the Invictus Games Toronto 2017, James is a founding director of the True Patriot Love Foundation and serves as trustee of the John David and Signy Eaton Foundation.

James holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

In 2012 James was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal honouring significant contributions and achievements by Canadians.
Lorne Abony
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Abony was the founder and chief executive officer of three public companies: Fun Technologies, a skill and fantasy sports gaming company dual listed on the TSX and London Stock Exchange; Mood Media, a retail audio and entertainment company dual listed on the TSX and London Stock Exchange; and FastForward Innovations Ltd., a technology investment firm listed on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange (“FastForward”). Mr. Abony received a BA degree from McGill University, and MBA from Columbia University, an LLB from University of Windsor and a JD from University of Detroit.
Anthony Lacavera
Director
Mr. Lacavera is an entrepreneur in the telecommunications industry. Mr. Lacavera founded Globalive Capital (“Globalive”) in 1998 where he continues to act as Chairman. Under Mr. Lacavera’s leadership, Globalive co-founded, seeded, financed, operated and divested a number of companies in the telecommunications and technology sectors. Globalive received numerous best in business awards, including 1st ranking on Profit Magazine’s 2004 list of Canada’s 100 fastest growing companies, Canada’s 30 Best Workplaces, and Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies Award for 12 consecutive years. In 2008, Mr. Lacavera founded wireless carrier Wind Mobile where he served as Chairman and CEO until its acquisition by Shaw Communications for approximately USD $1.3 billion in December 2015. Mr. Lacavera was named Canada’s 2010 CEO of the Year by Globe and Mail’s Report on Business magazine. Mr. Lacavera supports young entrepreneurs with financing and mentorship through accelerator programs and various boards including the Next 36 (co-Chair), the Hatchery Project, the Creative Destruction Lab (co-founder of the lab), OneEleven, and MaRS. Mr. Lacavera has served on a variety of charitable boards focussed on university fundraising and on entrepreneur advisory boards and, in 2007, founded the SHAMBA foundation, a unique charity that assists other charities with fundraising and organizational efforts.
Michael Young
Director
Michael Young has extensive senior level executive management and trading experience in the Canadian and U.S. capital markets. Throughout his career in finance and banking, he has built a strong network of Canadian, American, and international investors. Most recently he held the position of Managing Director and Co-Head of Trading for GMP Securities in Toronto. GMP Securities is a leading independent investment dealer headquartered in Toronto, providing investment banking, institutional sales and trading and research to a global client base. Previously he established and ran the Equity Capital Markets desk for GMP Capital in New York City. Mike began his career as an Equities Trader at GMP in 2003. He was quickly promoted to Director and soon after became one of the youngest Managing Directors at the company in the firm's history. He is an active sponsor of the Northern Bursary which provides post-secondary scholarships for high school graduates in Thunder Bay, Ontario.