The Trapeze Team

The following professionals comprise the Trapeze team, which includes members of Trapeze Asset Management Inc. (TAMI) and Trapeze Capital Corp. (TCC), an affiliated investment dealer and portfolio manager. All ideas and strategies are shared between TAMI and TCC in a common forum among both firms’ portfolio managers and research analysts.

Herbert Abramson, B.A., LL.B. Herb is a co-founder, Chairman and a portfolio manager at TAMI. He is also a co-founder, Chairman, CEO and a portfolio manager at TCC. Previously, he was a Vice President and portfolio manager at Connor Clark & Company Ltd. for 17 years. Herb is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada and practiced corporate/securities law as a partner at Goodman and Carr for 12 years before going into the investment business.

Randall Abramson, B.Comm., CFA Randall is a co-founder, CEO and a portfolio manager at TAMI. Randall is also a co-founder, President and a portfolio manager at TCC. Previously, Randall was a portfolio manager and analyst at Connor Clark for 3 years. Prior thereto, he was an analyst and portfolio manager at institutional money manager, Hodgson Roberton Laing Limited for 5 years. Randall began his career in investment banking with The Hathaway Corporation.

Adam Abramson, LL.B., CFA Adam is a Vice President and associate portfolio manager at both TAMI and TCC. He is also responsible for legal, compliance and various administrative functions for both firms. Prior to joining us in 2001, Adam was Director, Acquisitions & Research at one of Canada's leading institutional real estate investment advisors. He is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, having practiced law briefly before entering the investment business.

Donald Carlisle B.A.Sc., S.M., M.B.A. (Chicago), CFA Don is a Vice President and portfolio manager at TAMI. Prior to joining TAMI in 2001, Don was a Vice President, Director, partner and portfolio manager with Connor Clark/RBC Private Counsel for 14 years. Don has significant corporate and consulting experience in corporate finance, real estate finance, international project finance, and treasury..

Lorne Graham, B.Comm., M.B.A. (Harvard) Lorne is a portfolio manager at TCC. Lorne is an experienced investment professional having been in the investment business for 30 years. Prior to joining TCC in 1999, he was the Director of Corporate Finance at Sprott Securities for 16 years.

Richard Hermon B.A., LL.B., B.C.L. Richard is a portfolio manager and branch manager of TCC’s Ottawa office. Richard has been with TCC since its inception in 1998. Prior thereto, he was a portfolio manager and branch manager of Connor Clark's Ottawa office for 10 years and worked for 5 years in the investment business at brokerage operations in Ottawa and Montreal.

Gil Levinson, B.A. Gil performs research and analysis for TCC and TAMI using the SVA™ work and Investt, a comprehensive analytic investment software system which he created and which is licensed to major financial institutions internationally. He joined us in 2005, having spent many years in the investment business in Canada with First Marathon and Midland Doherty, as well as in South Africa with Ivor Jones Roy.

Bryan Rakusin, B.Comm. Bryan is a Vice President and portfolio manager with TCC. Prior to joining TCC in 2000, Bryan was a Vice President, Director, partner and portfolio manager at Connor Clark for 19 years. Bryan and his family immigrated to Canada from South Africa in 1979. In 1972, Bryan founded a stock brokering company, which was a member firm of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. From 1968 to 1972, he was a research analyst with Davis, Borkum, Hare & Partners, South Africa's largest stock brokering company. 

Jeremy Rakusin, B.A., M.B.A., LL.B. Jeremy is a Vice President and associate portfolio manager with TCC. He joined TCC in 2006 after spending 9 years in Merrill Lynch’s Investment Banking Group, most recently as a Director in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group. Previously, Jeremy was an Associate in TD Securities’ Investment Banking Group and practiced securities and corporate law at Goodmans for 2 years before pursuing his career in investment banking.

Mike Vinokur, B.Comm., CFA Mike is Vice President and associate portfolio manager at both TAMI and TCC. He joined us in 2006 to focus on client relationship management and business development at both TAMI and TCC. Mike has been an advisor to high net worth individuals with several financial services organizations since 2001, most recently Mackenzie Financial.

Anthony Visano, B.A., CFA Anthony is an Associate Portfolio Manager with TCC. His main focus is performing research at both TAMI and TCC. He joined us in 2003 from a Toronto-based investment dealer where he was a junior investment advisor, and prior thereto was at CIBC Mellon.

Relationship Management / Business Development

Jack Hayden, B.A., F.C.S.I. Jack is a Vice President and business development/client relationship manager at TAMI. Prior to joining TAMI’s Oakville office in 2003, he was a high net worth investment advisor, after working as an institutional investment advisor for 21 years - 13 of which were with Bunting Warburg/UBS Securities Canada where he was a Director. Prior thereto, Jack was with Richardson Greenshields as Vice President. He started his career as an investment research analyst at a leading insurance company.

Trading

David McCaslin David is Head Trader at TCC. He has been a trader for over 20 years. Prior to joining TCC in 2003, David was Head of Trading at Toronto-based J.C. Clark Ltd. for 2 years and at Connor Clark/RBC Private Counsel for 11 years.

Sam Tosaria, B. Comm. Sam is a Trader at TCC and is involved in research and analysis for both TAMI and TCC, primarily with respect to the firms’ licensed SVATM work. Prior to joining us in 2006, Sam worked for State Street's Alternative Investment Services division as an investment fund accountant.

Operations

Tim Ruuskanen Tim is Manager of Operations at TAMI and TCC. Prior to joining us in 2000, Tim spent 10 years at Connor Clark in various capacities, the last 2 years of which he was Manager of Client Services.

Mohammad Salam, CMA, CA Mohammad is Chief Financial Officer for both TAMI and TCC. He joined us in 2004, having spent the previous 5 years as CFO for a Toronto-based investment dealer. Mohammad previously worked for 10 years in the financial compliance department of the Investment Dealers Association and Toronto Stock Exchange.

Arman Pekel B.A., M.B.A. Arman is a Compliance Manager for both TAMI and TCC. Prior to joining us in 2007, Arman was employed in a similar role at BMO Harris Private Banking. Arman has been in the investment business since 1993, including extensive international experience, having worked as an institutional sales-trader in New York, London, and Istanbul for a U.S. brokerage firm specializing in emerging markets.