Valguard Connect

Kim Crooks

Senior Vice President, Operations

Kim Crooks has rejoined Covalon and was appointed Senior Vice President of Operations effective January 29, 2024. After initially joining the Company in 2008, she retired in 2019 but has been continuing in helping strengthen cross-functional collaborations and external stakeholder relationships on a consultative basis.. She has over 20 years of cross-disciplinary experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries with international and Canadian companies, including Baxter, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Vasogen. She has extensive experience in Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Regulatory, and Clinical Affairs in the US, Canada, and the EU. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Carleton University.

Katie Martinovich

Interim CFO

Katie Martinovich was appointed Interim CFO effective February 7, 2024. Prior to this, she served as Vice President of Finance and as Corporate Controller since joining Covalon in April 2022. She is an accomplished financial leader with over 20 years of experience in driving cost-saving initiatives, enhancing profitability, and improving operational efficiency. Having a strong background in the Consumer Packaged Goods and manufacturing industries, she has a track record of optimizing financial performance and guiding organizations through periods of growth and change. Ms Martinovich is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Commerce from the University of Athabasca.

Ron Hebert

Senior Vice President, Growth

Ron Hebert joined Covalon in 2022 as the Senior Vice President of Marketing. He brings nearly 30 years of healthcare sales, marketing, and clinical laboratory experience to the team. Before joining Covalon, he served as VP of Marketing and Communications at VIVEX Biologics, a regenerative medicine technology company based in Miami, Florida. He also served as Head of Growth and Sales Operations at MEDNAX (NYSE:MD) Health Solutions, a $3.5B Physician Services Organization. He was responsible for developing and executing the organization’s growth strategies, communications, and sales operations for partner hospitals, health systems, and the more than 400 company-owned physician practices under the organizational sub-brands Pediatrix Medical Group, American Anesthesiology, and MEDNAX Radiology. Prior to joining MEDNAX, Mr. Hebert served as the Director of Global Product Management and Strategy for Beckman Coulter, a Danaher Company, where he oversaw all global upstream marketing, R&D, and general management of its $700M+ hematology, hemostasis, and urinalysis business. Mr. Hebert has extensive experience leading national and international marketing operations within two prominent global pharmaceutical and medical device companies: Bayer Diagnostics and Siemens Healthineers. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of the University of South Florida Muma College of Business Executive Education Digital Marketing Program.

Brent Ashton

Chief Executive Officer

Brent Ashton was named the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation on January 4, 2024. Mr. Ashton brings extensive global MedTech leadership with him to Covalon. In his most recent role, Mr. Ashton was the Vice President and General Manager for Becton Dickinson’s global Specimen Management Business Group. Prior to joining BD, Mr. Ashton spent 13 years in leadership positions with 3M Health Care where he led global businesses in the areas of Wound Care, Vascular Access and Infection Prevention. Mr. Ashton has a Bachelor of Arts in Honors Business Administration from the Ivey School of Business at Western University in London, Canada.

Amir Boloor

Executive Chair

Amir Boloor is the President of Caspian Equity Partners, Inc. of Vancouver, British Columbia, a private investment firm he founded in 2012. He has specialized in helping entrepreneurs accelerate growth and optimize performance, while propelling long-term profitability and value. Prior to founding Caspian Equity Partners, Inc., Mr. Boloor held various positions in the Mergers & Acquisitions and Diversified Investment Banking groups of TD Securities, Inc. where he advised Boards and Executive Teams of mid-market and large-cap companies on numerous strategic review mandates, initial public offerings, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, corporate restructures, leveraged buyouts, and takeover defenses. Mr. Boloor has a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance (with Honours) from the University of British Columbia. Mr. Boloor is a Chartered Financial Analyst from the CFA Institute.

Brian Pedlar

Director

Mr. Pedlar has been a member of the Board of Directors since January 14, 2010. Previously, Mr. Pedlar was President of Pedlar Ventures Limited, a private venture investment and consulting firm based in Oakville, Ontario. He has served in senior executive positions with public companies including temporary Chief Financial Officer, Cygnal Technologies Corp., October 2007; President, Cedara Software Corp., 2005 to 2006; Chief Financial Officer, Cedara Software Corp., 2004 to 2005; and Director of Finance, Cedara Software Corp., 2000 to 2004. Mr. Pedlar has also held senior executive positions with Merge Healthcare and IMAX Corporation. Mr. Pedlar holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Mount Allison University, a post-graduate diploma in Accounting from Wilfrid Laurier University and is a Canadian Chartered Accountant.

Ron Smith

Ron Smith (FCPA, FCA, ICD.D) is an experienced independent director with years of Board experience in the private, not-for-profit, and public sectors. He is the Chair of the Board of the Nova Scotia Public Service Superannuation Fund and of the Western Regional Enterprise Network. He also serves on the boards of Alamos Gold Inc., PROREIT, the IWK Health Centre, Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI), and Engage Nova Scotia. Over his remarkable career, Mr. Smith has held numerous high-profile executive positions. He served as Interim CEO of Nova Scotia Business Inc. concurrently with his work as a Director thereof. He was CFO of Nova Scotia Power and Emera prior to his retirement in 2005, and CFO of MT&T prior to the merger that created Bell Aliant. He has also served on the Board of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, was Chair of the Board of Governors of Acadia University from 2004 to 2009, and was the Chair of the National Board of The Arthritis Society from 2016 to 2018. Mr. Smith has the prestigious designation of Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants and holds the ICD.D designation from the Rotman School of Business.

Martin Goldfarb

Martin Goldfarb is well-recognized as a successful entrepreneur and a leading expert in the study of human behavior as it relates to the marketplace and society. As an officer, director, and investor in both public and private companies, Mr. Goldfarb has been instrumental in brand and strategic development, management mentoring and the creation of value, ultimately leading to substantial return on investment. He is Chairman of Almada Inc., President of Goldfarb Ventures, private equity companies and Principal at Goldfarb Intelligence Marketing. In 1966, Mr. Goldfarb established Goldfarb Consultants, a market research consulting firm. Over the next thirty years, he proceeded to grow the company and to establish Goldfarb Consultants as a leader in the field of market research. Starting in Toronto, he built Goldfarb Consultants into an international company with 26 worldwide offices. Mr. Goldfarb sold Goldfarb Consultants in 1998. Mr. Goldfarb has consulted to a number of national and international organizations. He also served as official pollster to the Liberal Party of Canada from 1973 to 1992. He was formerly Co-Chair of Kantar (WPP’s market research division). Mr. Goldfarb is Chairman, President and CEO of The Goldfarb Corporation, a TSX and then a NEX Board of the TSX Venture Exchange company, until it became a private corporation in 2011. He is a director of NoNO Inc., a pharmaceutical research company. He was also Director and Chairman of Dayforce, a workforce performance software company until its sale. He was Chairman and Director of SMK Speedy International Inc (publicly listed) until its sale in 2004. Under Mr. Goldfarb’s guidance, Speedy Muffler King became a strong and successful brand in France, Belgium and Germany. He was Director, investor, and non-executive Chair of Jempak until its sale. Mr. Goldfarb is former Director and Chairman of Workbrain and former Director of Altamira and Noma Industries Limited. He was a founder of Fast Company magazine. Mr. Goldfarb co-authored “Marching to a Different Drummer” in 1988 and “Affinity: Beyond Branding” in 2010. Mr. Goldfarb has a B.A. in Anthropology and an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Toronto. In 2009 Mr. Goldfarb was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from York University. He is an inaugural recipient of the University College, University of Toronto, Distinguished Alumni Award. In 1998, Mr. Goldfarb was designated an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of his pioneering work in the market research industry and philanthropic activities. Mr. Goldfarb sits on the Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation board and is a member of the hospital’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre Innovation Committee.

Joseph Cordiano

Joseph Cordiano joined Cityzen Development Group, a real estate development company, as a principal in 2006, where he is responsible for the sales and marketing as well as new business development of its Greater Toronto Area projects. During his 21 years of public service as a Member of the Ontario Provincial Legislature, Mr. Cordiano served as the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, GTA Regional Minister, and as a member of the Priorities and Planning Committee of Cabinet. A graduate of the University of Toronto and The University of Toledo, Ohio, Mr. Cordiano holds an MBA with a specialty in marketing.

Mark Doolittle

SVP, Commercial Operations

Mark Doolittle brings over 20 years of medical and B2B sales and marketing experience to Covalon. He has substantial leadership experience managing high-performing teams and managing partnerships both domestically and internationally. Prior to joining Covalon, Mr. Doolittle spent 12 years at Cantel Medical, the global leader in infection prevention in GI Endoscopy. In his most recent role, he served as the Vice President of US Commercial. During his tenure, Cantel recorded record profits, growing to a $1B organization and an eventual acquisition of $3.6B. Throughout his career, Mr. Doolittle has held multiple progressive roles including Vice President of Corporate Accounts, where he gained extensive knowledge of the US healthcare GPO and IDN landscape, and Vice President of Innovative Solutions, where he focused on software and technology innovations in healthcare. Mr. Doolittle holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Gonzaga University.

Abe Schwartz

Abe Schwartz is the president of Schwartz Technologies Corporation and has been an advisor to Covalon Technologies Ltd. since March 7, 2008. Mr. Schwartz has been actively building and managing companies, from start-up to maturity since his first start-up, Polaris Technology Corporation, a computer software firm which he founded in 1975. In 1993, Mr. Schwartz co-founded The Workflow Automation Corporation. He was involved with Inter-Citic Minerals Inc. in 2001 as an advisor on a mining-related computer project in China. Mr. Schwartz serves as a Member of the Advisory Board at RedHill Biopharma Ltd. Mr. Schwartz has also held executive positions in various public and private companies including, among others, President, CEO and Director of Cedara Software Corp. Mr. Schwartz has over 45 years of experience in launching products, R&D, international distribution agreements, re-organization in large-scale corporations, venture capital financing, and negotiating mergers and acquisitions

Dr. Samantha Nutt

Dr. Samantha Nutt (MD, MSc, CCFP, FCPC, C.M.) is a medical doctor, best-selling author, and award-winning humanitarian. As Founder and President of War Child Canada and War Child USA, Dr. Nutt has worked with children and their families at the frontline of many of the world’s major crises. With a career that has spanned more than two decades and dozens of conflict zones, her international work has benefited millions of war-affected children globally. Dr. Nutt has been appointed to the Order of Canada and is a recipient of the Order of Ontario. She graduated summa cum laude from McMaster University, earned an M.Sc. in Public Health with distinction from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and holds a Fellowship in Community Medicine/Public Health (FRCPC) from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She is further certified by the College of Family Practice (CCFP) and completed a sub-specialization in women’s health through the University of Toronto as a Women’s Health Scholar. Dr. Nutt is the recipient of numerous honorary doctorates from universities in Canada and the U.S.A. She is a staff physician at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Greg Leszczynski

VP, Human Resources

Joining Covalon in 2018, Mr. Leszczynski brings with him over 20 years of experience in Human Resources within the technology, healthcare, and financial industries. He has broad experience in all key HR areas, has experience managing global Human Resources and practices, and has a passion for developing leadership within organizations. Throughout his career, Mr. Leszczynski has held various progressive HR positions, including Vice President of Human Resources at Merge Healthcare. Mr. Leszczynski holds an Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto and is a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL).

Elaine Zhang

Vice President, Operations

Elaine Zhang has more than 20 years of cross-disciplinary experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. She joined Covalon in 2008, where she has assumed multiple roles with increasing responsibility in various departments, including quality assurance and control, sales, and business development. Ms. Zhang has extensive experience in technology transfer, quality assurance, quality control, and regulatory affairs in Canada, the US, and the EU. She has managed complex regulatory initiatives and established and managed contract manufacturer relationships for Covalon. Ms. Zhang has also been deeply involved in the establishment and operations of Covalon’s Mississauga manufacturing facility and holds a Master of Science from N.U.S.T. in China.

Jason F. Gorel

Chief Financial Officer (Interim)

Jason Gorel has more than 20 years of senior financial leadership experience in both the private and public sectors. Mr. Gorel has been Chief Financial Officer of several companies, including Toronto Community Housing Corporation and BCS Global Networks Inc. Mr. Gorel has held senior finance positions with SmartCentres REIT and Canadian Apartment Properties REIT. Mr. Gorel also serves on the Board of Directors of Fairplay Ventures Inc., a publicly listed capital pool corporation on the TSX Venture Exchange, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Hearing Foundation of Canada. Mr. Gorel carries the designations of Chartered Financial Analyst, Chartered Professional Accountant (Chartered Accountant), and Certified Public Accountant (Illinois). He has also completed the Director Education Program at the Institute of Corporate Directors through the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

Val DiTizio

Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. DiTizio is a co‐inventor of Covalon technologies and a co‐founder of the company. He has degrees in science from the University of Toronto as a Biochemistry Specialist. Dr. DiTizio completed his Master’s degree in liposome drug delivery. His graduate research involved the application of polymer chemistry and drug delivery in pursuit of novel materials and processes that currently comprise the core of Covalon’s intellectual property. Dr. DiTizio holds several US and European patents.