The quality and success of our developments is directly attributable to the skill and experience of HOA’s small, highly professional management team. HOA is committed to employing individuals with a dedication to excellence, and who reflect the values and vision of the organization.
HOA’s management team has had extensive experience in the private sector, in government and in the non-profit sector. Their network of contacts at all levels, accumulated over several decades, has been critical in building HOA’s credibility and has been invaluable to its development partners.
Richard Owen, the Chief Executive Officer, has the primary responsibility for strategic and financial management. Richard has dedicated the past 13 years to the affordable housing sector, as CEO of Home Ownership Alternatives (3 years), as Vice President, Real Estate Portfolio Strategy of Toronto Community Housing (3 years) and as Chief Financial Officer of the Metro Toronto Housing Authority (7 years).
Richard previously spent 10 years restructuring large private companies in Calgary and Ottawa, and prior to that was Chief Financial Officer of a major international TSX-listed real estate development company for 8 years.
Richard holds an honours degree in Business Administration and is a Chartered Accountant.
Joe Deschênes Smith, the Vice President Partnerships, has the primary responsibility for establishing and maintaining relationships with government, private and non-profit partners and managing corporate communications. Joe is actively engaged in moving forward HOA’s strategy to expand both geographically and with many new development partners.
Joe brings experience to HOA from the public and private sectors with policy, operations and financial experience. Most recently Joe was Chief of Staff to the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing where he had a hand in the development of several recent policy initiatives such as the New Planning Act, City of Toronto Act, the new Municipal Act, the Residential Tenancies Act, the 2007 Building Code as well as new housing programs such as the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program (“AHP”), ROOF and the Ontario Rent Bank. Joe was previously Director of Research Operations at St Michael’s Hospital and Director of Finance at the Hugh MacMillan Rehab Centre.
Joe has an MBA from McGill University in Montreal and an honours degree from the University of Toronto.
Gregory Banfield, the Mortgage Manager, has the primary responsibility for the origination of “extra help” mortgages for home buyers, mortgage risk management, reporting to regulatory agencies and to HOA’s funding partners, communications with mortgagors and the administration of HOA’s growing portfolio of Alternatives Mortgages.
Gregory is a licensed mortgage professional and holds a Certificate in Financial Planning. Gregory has an MBA in Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship and an undergraduate degree in Economics.
As a mortgage professional, Gregory possesses many years’ experience in mortgage origination, sales and marketing, staff development and the administration of mortgage portfolios. As a bonus, Gregory also has solid financial industry experience, making him well suited to assist with the financial analysis and decision-making processes essential to creating and managing diverse partnerships with builders, development consultants and varied sources of funding.
Anika Collington, the Executive Assistant, provides administrative support and is often the first point of contact with the organization. Anika brings the superior interpersonal and administrative skills necessary to keep all the corporate bits and pieces functioning smoothly together.
