About

Paul Golini Jr., ICD.D

Chair

Paul Golini is the Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Empire Communities, a leading Ontario-based real estate development company. In addition to his role at Empire, Paul was the Chair of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) from 2011 - 2012, and a tireless champion of ethical building practices as they relate to the environment. He remains an active member at BILD as Board member and Co-Chair of the Builder Council.

He was a member of the steering committee for the Canada Green Building Council LEED Canada for Homes Project.  He is a member of EnerQuality Corporation's Board of Directors, and was appointed President on the Board of Directors for the Italian Contemporary Film Festival (ICFF) in Toronto.

Paul has been an Advisory Council Member at Habitat for Humanity Toronto since 2012.

Hari Panday, FCPA, FCGA, ICD.D

Vice-Chair

​Hari is a seasoned executive and an independent corporate director with experience in banking, investment industry, private and capital markets and non-profit sectors in Canada and the USA. His career spreads over 35 years in senior roles with ICICI Bank Canada and ICICI Wealth Management Inc. (as the founding President & CEO and a member of the boards), ICICI Securities (USA), HSBC Bank Canada, Bank of Montreal and PriceWaterhouse Coopers.

Currently, he owns PanVest Capital Corporation, an Exempt Market Dealer (“EMD”) in Toronto, engaged in corporate finance and advisory services to boards on corporate governance, risk management, business strategy and new market development.

He is an Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel, 32 Service Battalion, Canadian Armed Forces, focusing on economic self-sufficiency of our men and women transitioning out of Canadian Armed Forces.

He is currently an independent director on the boards of Pro-Demnity Ins. Co. and Tarion Warranty Corporation. Most recently, he was on the boards of ICICI Bank Canada, ICICI Securities (USA), Avalon Rare Metals Inc. and the Canadian National Stock Exchange (CNSX).

He contributes to the not-for-profit sector and sits on the boards of: Canadian Forces College Foundation; the Institute of Corporate Directors – Ontario Chapter; CD Howe Institute – National Council; the Honorary Governor of the Royal Ontario Museum as well as The Corporation of Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall. He acts as a Director-in-Residence for a Rotman/ICD joint course offering and an examiner for the ICD.D designation.

Hari was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.  In June 2009, he received the Corporate Executive of the Year Award from the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce.  In 2008, India Abroad named him in its Power List of 35 most influential Indo-Canadians.

RJ Falconi, B.Sc., JD., ICD.D

Director

RJ Falconi is currently Managing Director of RayleeValleyGroup that provides guidance and advice to clients and boards on various areas of the law and as well as public policy, government and stakeholder relations, corporate secretarial / board administration, corporate governance and compliance. 

Mr. Falconi was formerly Executive Vice President, Chief Legal & Government Affairs Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at CSA Group (Canadian Standards Association) for 17 years.  He was responsible for corporate governance, policy and administration of its Board of Directors, provided oversight for CSA’s government relations activities on international trade, lobbying and compliance matters, and interacted with governmental regulatory authorities and domestic and international law enforcement agencies to resolve regulatory, compliance and intellectual property infringement issues. 

Previously, Mr. Falconi was Vice‐President, General Counsel & Assistant Corporate Secretary for Parsons Corporation, a global multi‐disciplinary engineering firm, and was Legal Counsel for the Consumer Banking Division of Citibank Canada.

Mr. Falconi has a Bachelor of Science degree (magna cum laude) from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Laws (Juris Doctor) degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1985. In October 2012, he was certified by the Institute of Corporate Directors as an Institute‐Certified Director (ICD.D). Mr. Falconi is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, the Canadian, American and International Bar Associations, the Institute of Corporate Directors and the US‐based National Association of Corporate Directors.

He continues to serve on the national board for Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Inc. and was a previously a member of the board of the US‐based Electrical Safety Foundation International, Inc. In January 2019, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) by The Honourable Bill Walker, Minister of Government and Consumer Services, Province of Ontario, and was subsequently appointed as Vice Chair of the Board and in May 2019, was appointed as TSSA’s Chair of the Board.

Bob Finnigan

Director

Bob’s educational background is in Economic Geography specializing in locational analysis, graduating with an Honours B.A from Ryerson University in 1982.

Before joining The Heron Group in the late 1980’s, Bob worked in the real estate departments of several large national corporations, which gave him a solid grounding in a unique range of disciplines.

Bob became a partner at Herity in 1994 and in that capacity; he has directed and overseen Heathwood’s marketing and sales programs for more than 40 developments, representing more than 7,500 homes across Southern Ontario. In addition, he plays a key role in the groups land acquisition and development team and is very active in product development and design.

Bob served with distinction as the 2007 President of BILD, and the 2011 President of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA). In 2017 Bob, served as President of the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA) and its 8000 members.

He is recognized as an industry spokesman, and sat as a member of the Real Estate Advisory Board at The Ted Rogers School of Management.

In addition, Bob is Vice-President and a Director of The Mikey Network, a charitable organization that provides defibrillators to high risk locations. To-date The Mikey Network has provided more than 2300 defibrillators throughout Canada.

Daniel Gabriele

Director

Daniel is President of Marz Homes, a family operated home building and development company, based in the Hamilton area. Since its inception in 1979, Marz Homes has strived to create distinctive communities and provide thoughtfully built new homes in the Golden Horsehoe area.

He is a graduate of the University of Guelph, and entered the new home and Real estate industry after graduating in 1986. He is a past president of the Hamilton-Halton Homebuilders Association, as well as the Ontario Homebuilders Association and resides in a Marz community in Stoney Creek.

Greg Graham, Pro.Dir

Director

Greg Graham is the Chief Operating Officer of Cardel Homes and the Cardel Group of Companies (Ottawa, Calgary, Denver and Tampa) and serves on the Board of Cardel. He also serves as the Regional President of Cardel Homes, Ottawa. Greg is the past President of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association and remains active on the Board. Over the past 40 years, Greg has served in various senior level management positions, including his role as an executive with the Ottawa Senators/Palladium Corporation, where he had primary oversight for the design and construction of the Canadian Tire Centre – Home of the Ottawa Senators. He started his career in banking moved into technology and then to real estate. Greg serves as a mentor and coach to senior level managers.

Greg remains very active in the community and is involved with many local charities. In 2012, he was awarded the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation's most prestigious award, the Rabbi Reuven Bulka Award, in recognition of his leadership in the fight for cancer survivorship in the community. He has been a volunteer, generous donor and member of the Courage Campaign Cabinet for the past decade. He also supports Dreams Take Flight, The Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation and the Children’s Aid Foundation. He is a promoter and supporter of Women in Construction and Women of Inspiration. 

Greg graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1981.

Andy Kenins, CPA, CA, ICD.D

Director

Andy is a Chartered Professional Accountant and has the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Andy retired from KPMG in 2016, where he was a partner in the financial services audit practice. During his career at KPMG he provided audit and advisory services to every nature of financial services organization, from Canada's major banks to start-up banks, credit unions, insurers, investment dealers and banking technology companies. He represented the firm in relationships with federal and provincial financial services regulators. He served the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario and Canada as chair or a member of committees dealing with financial services regulation and insurance.

He is currently on the boards of SBI Canada Bank, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Banff Centre Foundation, the Oakville Symphony Orchestra and the Executive of the Institute of Corporate Directors, Ontario Chapter. He recently completed a term as board chair of Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and has been a director of other not for profit organizations.

Sheldon Libfeld

Director

Sheldon is president of The Conservatory Group. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration from York University in 1982 and has become a well-respected leader within the home building industry, serving as director of the Greater Toronto Home Builders’ Association since 1998, and as President in 2002.

He has served on the executive of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association and sat on the BILD Board of Directors from 2009 to 2013.

Sheldon has contributed to various community and charitable organizations, serving as a Member of the Board of Governors’ of Bnai Brith Canada. He was recognized for his extraordinary contribution to the new home industry by being inducted into the BILD Hall of Fame in 2014. With unique vision and strong commitment to building first class communities, he has been instrumental in making The Conservatory Group one of the largest home builders in the Greater Toronto area.

Glen Padassery

Director

Glen is the Executive Vice President, Policy for the newly created Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA). He will be responsible for working across core regulatory areas to develop rules regulating the following sectors: property and casualty insurance; life and health insurance (including auto insurance rates); credit unions and caisses populaires; loan and trust companies; mortgage brokers; health service providers (related to auto insurance); and pension plans.  In addition to leading the strategic policy function, he will also have responsibility for the Innovation and the Consumer Office roles within the organization.

Glen has over 20 years in the public sector, with extensive policy, consumer protection expertise and experience, most recently as Assistant Deputy Minister of Consumer Protection Ontario in the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services.
 

Lynn Peterson, ICD

Director

Lynn has served a as Director on the Tarion Board since 2011. She is a member of the Consumer Committee, Governance Committee, Regulatory Affairs Committee and is the Board Liaison to the Consumer Advisory Council.

She served as the Mayor of Thunder Bay from 2003-2010 and was a City Councillor prior to that. Before entering municipal politics she served 12 years as a Trustee with the Lakehead District School Board including 3 years as Chair.

Her tenure as Mayor is notable for emphasis on economic development, incorporating the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission, instituting the City’s first strategic plan and improving the City’s appearance through public art, beautification, environmental greening and development of the waterfront.

Lynn has served as Chair on a number of local, regional and provincial associations including the Ontario Public School Boards Association, Thunder Bay District Municipal League, the Northern Ontario Municipal Association, the Large Urban Caucus of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the MNDM Northern Development Council. She is also currently a member of the boards of the NorWest Community Health Centre, TBaytel and the Thunder Bay Disaster Relief Committee.

Wendy Rinella, ICD

Director

Wendy is the CEO of the Oakville Community Foundation.  Prior to this she served as VP Corporate Affairs at First Canadian Title, the largest provider of title insurance in Canada. She also served as the President of the FCT Charitable Foundation and as the VP Public Affairs & Treasurer for the Title Insurance Industry Association of Canada.

Wendy is the past Chair of the Board of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce and the host of “In Good Company” a joint production of the Chamber and Cogeco TV. Wendy is a Board member of the Halton Learning Foundation which raises funds to reduce barriers to public education. She has previously served on ten other not-for-profit and charity boards including the Ontario Arthritis Society, and the Responsible Gambling Council. Wendy has also served on the Advisory Council of the Consumer Council of Canada, and as a member of the Oakville Mayor's Advisory Group on Sustainability, the Standards Council of Canada Advisory Body on Anti-Terrorism & Money Laundering, and the Ontario Advisory Group on Marijuana Grow Ops & Clandestine Drug Labs.

Wendy lives with her husband, Peter and daughter, Katerina in Oakville.

Lesley Ross

Corporate Secretary

​Lesley Ross brings extensive corporate governance experience to Tarion. She joined the organization in 2010 as Deputy Corporate Secretary after spending 16 years in corporate governance in the credit union sector. She was appointed Tarion's Corporate Secretary in 2013.

Lesley is responsible for the administration of the Board of Directors, acting as a focal point of communication between the board, management and stakeholders to ensure the board has the proper advice and resources to discharge their duties. She provides leadership and advice to the board and management on governance matters, maintaining best-in-class corporate governance principles and practices. Her work with the Board resulted in Tarion receiving a governance award in 2013 from the Governance Professionals of Canada.