Dennis Bennie
Dennis Bennie is a pioneer, entrepreneur and innovator in the Canadian technology industry. Over the past 20 years, Bennie’s entrepreneurial management has powered Mission Electronics, Ingram Canada and Delrina.From 1988 to 1996, Mr. Bennie was CEO of Delrina Corporation, an independent software developer and publisher, which forged the new software categories of electronic forms and PC fax communications. Under Mr. Bennie’s leadership, Delrina pioneered the development of PC fax software called WinFax and became a world leader in the communication software market with annual sales revenue exceeding $130 million. Listed on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and NASDAQ, Delrina cultivated a reputation for leadership, growth and profitability, and completed several public offerings. In November 1995, the company was successfully sold to Symantec Corporation for share consideration valued at $560 million.
In 1997, he founded and managed the original XDL Ventures Fund, focusing on information technology opportunities. The $25 million fund is now fully invested and has yielded exceptional returns to date. One of its most noteworthy investments was a 1997 start-up, Delano Technology Corporation (NASD:DTEC).
Mr. Bennie entered the world of technology in 1979, when he co-founded Mission Electronics. He drove the expansion of this leading British audio equipment manufacturer to become a dominant force in the high-end stereo market. In 1982 he sold his interest in Mission Electronics and founded Aviva Software, an independent, mass-market software developer. Under his direction, the company expanded its scope to include software distribution and merged with Ingram Micro Inc. in 1986 to become Canada’s largest software distributor.
Mr. Bennie is also a Director of and advisor to, the following companies: CompanyDNA (formerly iRecognize Inc.), Entercept Security Technologies, (formerly ClickNet Software), Kamoon Inc., and Semagix (formerly The Protege Group).
Residing in Toronto, Canada, with his wife Laura and three daughters, Dennis is an avid skier, golfer and runner. A member of the Young President’s Organization, he also regularly serves on various charitable boards including the Toronto Hospital Board.
Michael Bregman
Michael Bregman is an experienced entrepreneur and community leader. Michael earned an MBA degree at Harvard Business School and received his undergraduate degree at Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He was formerly the Chairman and CEO of Second Cup Ltd., Canada’s leading specialty coffee retailer. Purchasing the company for $12 million in 1988, Mr. Bregman took Second Cup public in 1993, ultimately returning $175 million to shareholders, culminating in the sale of the company to Cara Operations Ltd. in 2002.Michael commenced his career in 1977 as Director of Corporate Development for Loblaws Ltd. In 1979 he founded mmmuffins Inc., which operating under this banner, became Canada’s leading specialty bakery retailer. After building the company to more than 200 stores in Canada and the U.S., the company was successfully sold in 1994.
Mr. Bregman is an active investor in various public and private companies and serves on the Board of Directors of Clairvest Group Inc., Vincor International Inc., and Allied Global Holdings Inc.
Michael and his wife Barbara have one son and three daughters. He is an active triathlete and skier. Michael serves various charitable organizations including Mount Sinai Hospital (Treasurer), United Jewish Appeal (2002 Campaign Co-Chair) and Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation (Chairman).
Tony van Marken
Tony van Marken has had a successful career as a high-tech entrepreneur, management consultant and venture capitalist. As CEO of Architel Systems Corporation (NASDAQ:ASYC, TSE:ASY), Mr. van Marken helped establish Architel as a global leader in telecommunications software development. From 1994 through 1999, he helped Architel achieve a compound annual growth rate of 85 percent, while transforming the company into a leading supplier of Operational Support Systems (OSS) software products to telecommunications service providers worldwide. As president and CEO, he led Architel through its initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 1996; fielded its successful expansion into the U.S., European and Asian markets; oversaw the acquisition of Accugraph Corporation and successfully completed a NASDAQ listing in 1998. Architel had annualised revenues of over $50 million (US) and more than 400 employees world-wide. Architel was listed by the Branham Group as the 13th largest independent software company in Canada prior to the sale of the company for $400 million (US) to Nortel on April 19, 2000.
Prior to Architel, Mr. van Marken worked for Andersen Consulting from 1988 through 1994, in South Africa and the United Kingdom, managing and implementing complex systems integration projects in a variety of industries, including government, transportation and telecommunications. Whilst in the United Kingdom, Mr. van Marken worked in Andersen Consultings Telecommunications Industry Group where he was responsible for selling and implementing Billing and Operational Support Systems across Europe. In the earlier stages of his career, Mr. van Marken worked in software development.Mr. van Marken has acted as a director and advisor to numerous public and private venture backed, high technology companies in Canada, the United States and Europe. Recognized as a leader in his field, Mr. van Marken was honoured in 1998 as one of Canadas Top 40 Under 40 and was awarded the 1996 Canadian Venture Capital Associations Entrepreneur of the Year Award Mr. van Marken graduated with a B.Sc. (Computer Science) from the University of Cape Town and with a B.Comm. (Economics/Business Economics) from the University of South Africa.
Mr. van Marken is based in Cape Town, South Africa. He is married with two sons and is an avid runner, cyclist, mountaineer and skier. In June 2005 he completed his quest to climb the worlds seven continental summits. He can be reached at tvmarken@mac.com .
David Latner
David Latner is a key member of the XDL team. Prior to joining XDL Capital in 1997 as a director and officer, Mr. Latner served as General Counsel of Delrina Corporation, the leading developer and publisher of electronic forms and communications software, and its spinoffs, SoftQuad Inc. and MGI Software Corp. during their rapid growth phases.Before Delrina, David was in private legal practice, with a particular focus on computer law and financing transactions, was a contributing editor to several computer industry publications and taught negotiation skills to lawyers as part of the Law Society Bar Admissions Course. Mr. Latner is a graduate of the University of Toronto, a member of the Computer Law Association, and a Fellow of the I.C.S.A.
Mr. Latner is currently a lecturer at Bell Habitat’s New Media Program, and was formerly an adjunct lecturer at the University of Waterloo Computer Science Department; a frequent contributor at business and legal conferences discussing issues of concern to high-tech companies; a member of the advisory board of RT Communications, a digital health care communications agency, and a director of Ideaca Inc.
David lives in Toronto with his wife Cherie and three children. He is an avid cyclist and an active participant in United Jewish Appeal and other charities.
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board of XDL Intervest Limited Partnership currently consists of the following individuals:
Bert Amato – Bert Amato brings with him a successful entrepreneurial record of more than 15 years experience in the high technology industry. As a founder, Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of Delrina Corporation, he was responsible for all product research and development activities which resulted in the growth of Delrina into one of the top 10 software companies in North America. In November 1995, he helped orchestrate the sale of Delrina to Symantec Corporation where he then served a one year term as a Vice-President. Prior to Delrina, Mr. Amato held a technical development position at the IBM Canada Research Laboratory and was a co-founder and executive officer of Schematix Computer Systems Inc. He graduated from the University of Toronto in Industrial Engineering. Mr. Amato currently serves as a technology consultant to software companies and is a director of Immersion Studios Inc. Mr. Amato is also a director on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering.
Brent Belzberg – Brent Belzberg is President and Chief Executive Officer of Harrowston Inc., a public company that acquires and manages operating businesses. Since it was founded in 1993, Harrowston has achieved significant growth and generated exceptional financial performance. Mr. Belzberg has 20 years of executive management experience in finance, acquisitions, corporate restructuring and operations. He is a Director of Harrowston, Anchor Lamina Inc. and Marsulex Inc. A committed and energetic community leader, Mr. Belzberg has also played an active and meaningful role in a diverse number of community organizations. As Co-Chairman of the United Jewish Appeal Toronto’s 1999 Campaign, he helped raise a record $41 million for the organization. Mr. Belzberg’s work has including the following: Director of Mount Sinai Hospital, the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews, the UJA, Beth Tzedec Synagogue and Crescent School. Mr. Belzberg is also a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council of Queen’s University, School of Business, and the University of Toronto Law School, and has been Chairman of Young Presidents’ Organization, Upper Canada Chapter. He is also a volunteer at the Out of the Cold Program at Holy Blossom Synagogue in Toronto. A lawyer by profession, Mr. Belzberg began his career at Tory, Tory, Deslauriers & Binnington in Toronto. He received his B. Comm from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario in 1972 and an L.L.B from the University of Toronto in 1976.
Jack Bernstein – Jack Bernstein, B.C.L., LL.B., is a member of the Quebec and Ontario Bars. He is the senior tax partner at Aird & Berlis and is in charge of the international tax practice. Mr Bernstein is a former Governor of the Canadian Tax Foundation and is a member of Council of the International Fiscal Association (Canada). Mr. Bernstein is the author of five CCH books and is the editor of CCH’s Tax Profile, a monthly newsletter distributed nationally. He is a regular contributor to Canadian Tax Highlights, a newsletter published by the Canadian Tax Foundation. Mr. Bernstein has also written a number of contemporary tax-related articles for The Financial Post, The Canadian Tax Journal, C.A. Magazine, Tax Management International Journal, Tax Notes International, The Bulletin (a publication of the International Fiscal Association), World Tax Report, The Journal of International Taxation and other publications. He has lectured extensively on domestic and international tax planning for the Ontario Bar Admission Course, Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants, Canadian Bar Association, Canadian Tax Foundation, American Bar Association and International Fiscal Association.
John Cassaday – John Cassaday is President and Chief Executive Officer of Corus Entertainment Inc. Corus Entertainment’s business interests revolve around kids and music. Its principal assets in specialty television networks and radio include YTV, CMT, Treehouse, DMX and fourteen radio stations situated in Canada’s major markets, including The Edge in Toronto and CFOX in Vancouver. Mr. Cassaday was previously the President and Chief Executive Officer of CTV Television Network Ltd. for seven-and-a-half years. Immediately prior to joining CTV, Mr. Cassaday held a number of increasingly more responsible positions at Campbell Soup Company, including President of both its Canadian and U.K. subsidiaries. Mr. Cassaday’s career prior to broadcasting spanned a number of leading packaged goods companies including, RJR Macdonald, General Foods and Campbell Soup Company where he advanced through positions in Sales, Marketing and Strategic Planning in Canada, the United States and the U.K. John Cassaday sits on the boards of Manulife Financial, Loblaw Companies Limited, and Premdor Inc. and is an active volunteer in the community. John has an MBA from the University of Toronto where he graduated on the Dean’s List and was honoured in 1998 with their Distinguished Business Alumni Award. In 1995, John Cassaday was Chair of the United Way Campaign for Metro Toronto, leading a successful campaign which surpassed its goal of $50 million by over $1 million.
Cindy M. Gordon – Cindy M. Gordon is the CEO of Helix Commerce International Inc, a consultancy specializing in collaboration commerce. Helix helps companies improve their multi-channel eCommerce collaboration capabilities. Cindy has over 15 years of senior executive experience in industry and professional services. Prior to founding Helix, she was a partner at XDL Intervest, an Associate Partner, Accenture (global practice leader for electronic commerce and knowledge management); GM and Senior Director, Professional and Outsourcing Services, Xerox; Director, Corporate Strategy for Nortel Networks, and a VP of Information Systems with Citicorp. Entrepreneurially, she helped start up a software and professional services company with Don Tapscott, and co-founded InfoTech Consultants, a strategy consulting firm. Cindy is completing her PhD at the University of Toronto, with a dissertation on Knowledge Management and eCommerce. She is a frequent industry speaker and published author on the new economy, knowledge management and eCommerce. Recently, she has also co-authored several books including Chief Knowledge Officers in the New eEconomy, The Future of Knowledge Management, and Knowledge Management: Classic and Contemporary Works. Her new book on Corporate Knowledge Portals with Dr. Jose Claudio Terra will be released in the Fall of 2002. Cindy enjoys traveling, reading, sports, theatre, and playing classical piano.
Robert Grundleger – Robert Grundleger is currently Senior Vice President, Managing Director and Co-Head of the Institutional Equity division of National Bank Financial. Mr. Grundleger has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Witwatersrand (South Africa) and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. Since his arrival in Canada in 1974, Mr. Grundleger has served as a Vice-President of Wood Gundy, Executive Vice President in charge of the Institutional Equity Division of Walwyn Inc. and Executive Vice President and Director of Institutional Equities at First Marathon Securities. Mr. Grundleger has served as President of the Harvard Business School Club of Toronto and now sits on its executive committee. He is a member of the Board of Governors of Mt. Sinai Hospital.
Robert Haft – Robert Haft is an entrepreneur with more than 20 years of business experience in discount marketing and retailing. He has founded and operated numerous businesses, and has led IPOs for three companies. Currently, Mr. Haft is founder and President of Vitamins.com, Inc., a multi-channel brand name vitamin and supplements marketer headquartered in Washington, D.C. The company has an e-commerce based growth strategy supported by conventional advertising, existing catalogue companies and retail “demonstration” superstores. From 1995 to 1997, Mr. Haft was Chairman and CEO of Phar-mor. During that time he rescued the company by selling US$1.2 billion of bankruptcy claims, revamped the company’s marketing efforts and took the company public. Mr. Haft was also founder and chief executive of Crown Books (the third largest book seller in the United States) from 1997 to 1993 and ran Dart Group – a US$1.2 billion retail, real estate and financial company – from 1982 to 1993. Mr. Haft has an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Masters degree in design from Harvard’s Kennedy School and a BS in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School.
William T. Holland – William T. Holland is President and Chief Executive Officer of C.I. Fund Management Inc., one of Canada’s leading independent wealth management companies with $19 billion in assets under management. In his 11 years at C.I., Mr. Holland has played a crucial role in fostering the company’s development and growth. He is also a major shareholder and director of C.I., which trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CIX. Mr. Holland is one of the founders of Covington Capital Corporation, a labour-sponsored venture capital firm, was a director from 1995 to 1999. He is also member of the board of VERSUS Technologies Inc.
Richard W. Ivey – Richard Ivey is Chairman of Ivest Corporation, an investment holding company. Mr. Ivey is also Chairman of Irwin Toy Limited, a toy manufacturer and distributor, and Ivest Properties Ltd., a real estate development and management company. Mr. Ivey currently serves in the boards of directors of Canada Colors and Chemicals Limited, Investment Challenge Inc., The University Health Network, The Canadian Insitute for Advanced Research and The Richard Ivey Foundation.
Vahan Kololian – Vahan Kololian is an entrepreneur and investor, whose career includes investment banking, venture capital, turn-around management and private equity investments. He began his career in 1981 with Burns Fry Limited, where he later became a partner and director, working in the areas of corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. In 1988 he joined Gordon Capital Corporation, as a partner and director in its investment banking group. In 1990, Kololian left traditional investment banking and co-founded Polar Capital Corporation, a Toronto based merchant banking firm, of which he has been President since its inception. He is a director of Northside Group Inc. and Telco Research Corporation and a director and shareholder of K.K. Precision Industries Inc., a private industrial company in Toronto. In addition, he recently joined the board of Exclamation Inc., an e-commerce/internet incubator, which is a spin-off of Cyberplex Inc. Kololian is a member of The Young Presidents’ Organisation. He holds a B.A. from the University of Western Ontario(1975) and an LL.B. from the University of Ottawa (1979). He is a member of The Law Society of Upper Canada.
Dale H. Lastman – Dale Lastman is the Co-Chair of Goodman Phillips & Vineberg in Toronto, where he has practised corporate, commercial and securities law since 1984. Mr. Lastman was recipient and is now a director of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40. He is also a director of The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, The Second Cup Ltd., Sheena’s Place, Sun Media Corporation, Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid Corporation, Tri-Mark Trust Company and Young People’s Theatre. He is a director and serves on the Board of Governors of Mt. Sinai Hospital. Mr. Lastman is the Chairman of the Board of the York University Alumni Association and is a member of the Board of Governors of York University. He is also a director of the Toronto Community Foundation and is a member of the Patrons Council of the Metropolitan Toronto Association for Community Living. Mr. Lastman is a lecturer in securities law at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Larry Levy – Larry Levy is President and Chief Executive Officer of Protégé Software plc, which he founded in 1996. Protégé has successfully launched 20 U.S. companies in Europe, nine of which are among Red Herring Top 50 Private Companies. In addition, five of these companies have gone public during Protégé’s tenure with them. Prior to Protégé, Mr. Levy founded Delrina Europe in December 1991, growing the company to 20% of worldwide revenues for Delrina in three and a half years and turning Delrina into the leading European PC fax software vendor with, at one time, 80% market share. Mr. Levy began his career at Kessel Feinstein Chartered Accountants in South Africa, spending two years managing the Computer Audit division. He then moved to London where he joined Mercury One to One (a Cable and Wireless and US West PCS venture), the first world-wide PCS initiative, where he was responsible for implementing their billing and accounting systems. Mr. Levy is a regular speaker at global technology conferences and frequently contributes towards industry white papers.
Roger L. Martin – Roger L. Martin is the dean of the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He was appointed to a seven-year term beginning on September 1, 1998. Mr. Martin was a director of Monitor Company, a strategy consulting firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts with a global network of offices and activities. He joined Monitor in 1985 and two years later founded the firm’s Toronto office. He became a member of the firm’s four-member Global Executive Committee in 1991, returning to Monitor’s head office a year later. Mr. Martin also served as co-head of the company in 1995 and 1996, with responsibility for its day-to-day activities and over 700 consultants worldwide. He was the founding chairman of Monitor University, the firm’s educational arm. Most recently he has focused on research and development activities, in addition to his client work on behalf of some of the world’s top corporations. Mr. Martin received his AB from Harvard, with a concentration in economics, in 1979 and his MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1981. Upon graduation, he joined the Canada Consulting Group and was promoted to principal. In addition to publishing in the Harvard Business Review, Mr. Martin has closely worked with colleagues from the Harvard Business School: Michael Porter in areas of competitive strategy and country competitiveness; Chris Argyris in the area of organizational learning; and Michael Jensen in organizational strategy. He is currently working on his first book, The Responsibility Virus, which is to be published by The Free Press in 2000.
Steven Pezim – Steven Pezim is the Chief Executive Officer and founding partner (1979) of The Bedford Consulting Group Inc. The Bedford Consulting Group Inc. is a well-established executive search firm serving a broad range of client organizations ranging from start-ups to multi-nationals. The company has particular expertise in technology, consumer products, retail, pharmaceutical/health care, natural resources, transportation/logistics and manufacturing sectors. Over the past 20 years, Mr. Pezim has managed hundreds of searches with an emphasis on recruiting senior level executives across all functional areas for both Canadian and U.S. assignments. In 1994, Mr. Pezim achieved recognition from the business community as one of North America's top executive recruiters. He is the practice leader for the Canadian technology sector. The Bedford Consulting Group is the Toronto partner to Transearch International (Paris) operating 68 offices globally. Since 1996, Mr. Pezim has been Chairman of the Transearch North America's 13 offices and a board director.
Rubin Osten – Ruby Osten is the founder and former CEO of PC DOCS Group International; a Nasdaq and TSE listed company. PC DOCS is a worldwide leader in document management and was sold in 1999 for over $300 million. Currently Mr. Osten is President and CEO of Raspberry Investments Corporation. Raspberry invests in and consults with Internet and wireless companies. Mr. Osten is also a Director of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Canada and is on the Board of Directors of a number of software companies. Mr. Osten was designated a Chartered Accountant by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario.
Lou Ryan – Lou Ryan is President, CEO and a director of Entercept Security Technologies (formerly ClickNet). Mr. Ryan joined the board of ClickNet in August 1996 and became President and CEO in February 1997. Mr. Ryan has 20 years of computer industry management experience, including his former position as Executive Vice President Worldwide Sales/Cofounder of Delrina Corporation, a leading supplier of communications and forms software. During Mr. Ryan’s tenure, Delrina sales grew to $110 million and the company was sold to Symantec for $430 million. Mr. Ryan also served as President of CKS New Media, a $150 million interactive media services agency, and from 1985 to 1988 he was Senior Director of Worldwide Sales and Channel Marketing for Borland International. Prior to joining Borland, Mr. Ryan cofounded and served as Vice President of Sales of Living Videotext, a company that was sold to Symantec in 1985.