ACG Atlantic Network Conference 2025

Erin O’Toole is the President and Managing Director of ADIT North America and serves on the executive committee of ADIT Group. ADIT Group is a Paris-based business intelligence firm that provides global investment due diligence, operational support and economic diplomacy services around the world. He assumed this role after having served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and a Member of Parliament for a decade. In 2021, Erin ran to be the Prime Minister of Canada in the general election held amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenging circumstances of the election, Mr. O’Toole won the popular vote and advanced a series of policies that continue to resonate in Canadian politics today.

Melanie Nadeau is the Chief Executive Officer of COVE where she is responsible for leading the strategic direction and managing overall operations. She brings over 20 years of experience in business development initiatives that drive high-tech innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment. Melanie has been a noted expert for the International Energy Agency, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Electrotechnical Commission. She has earned multiple awards, including Canada’s Clean16 Award for her outstanding contribution towards clean capitalism, has been named Atlantic Canada’s 25 most powerful women, was an invited speaker to TEDGlobal, and is a strong supporter for Canada’s tech ecosystem as a mentor for the Creative Destruction Lab.

Michael Young specializes in Private Equity with a particular focus on identifying and creating technology informed value creation opportunities at all stages of the Private Equity lifecycle. Previously as VP of Products at Private AI, he drove innovation in AI and privacy technologies, led GTM strategy (including pricing, packaging, and distribution strategy) and Marketing. His background includes leadership roles in private equity and technology at Birch Hill, Salesforce, and SAP, where he has excelled in guiding teams and fostering growth across various sectors. Michael’s expertise spans across product management, technology strategy, corporate development, and leadership, enabling organizations to develop and implement cutting-edge solutions

David previously worked for the Department of Health Wellness as the Senior Executive Director of Strategic Investment and Infrastructure Planning for the healthcare facilities across the province.  While in the Department, he co-led the provincial COVID 19 Vaccine and Immunization program.  Prior to his joining the Province, he served 30 years with the Canadian Armed Forces as an engineering officer in the Royal Canadian Navy retiring as a Captain (N). He served on the east and west coasts and in Ottawa, with his last appointment in Command of the Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Scott in Halifax.

Tim Houtsma is the CEO and co-owner of Marid Industries Limited. 

Marid is a steel fabrication and erection company focused primarily on the Atlantic Canadian market. Marid prides itself on providing both innovative and unique design and construction solutions for their clients. Projects range from warehouses, schools, long- term care facilities and bridge repair.

Loren Rafeson is Partner, Growth Equity Partners, at BDC Capital where he helps leading Canadian companies scale nationally and internationally. Since joining BDC in 2018, Loren has been involved in the execution of BDC’s investments in BCES Global, Firmex, Groupe Tecnic, Monarch House, Preciseley Microtechnology, and Resolute Health. He currently serves on the boards of BCES Global, Groupe Tecnic, Monarch House, and Resolute Health and previously served on the boards of Firmex, InvestorCOM, and Neighbourly Pharmacy (formerly Rx Drug Mart).

Christine practices in business law with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and infrastructure projects. She has an ICD designation, was the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, and has received national recognition for her work by Best Lawyers, Lexpert, and Chambers and Partners in various areas. 

Cory Bell is a transformative leader, investor, developer, and mentor whose vision has reshaped both Atlantic Canada’s construction industry and its broader business community. As CEO, President, and co-owner of Lindsay Construction, he has guided the company’s evolution into the premier general contracting firm in Atlantic Canada, delivering growth and innovation with a blend of strategic business acumen, technical expertise, and an unwavering focus on people.

Jack Dallaire is a Principal at SeaFort Capital, a Halifax-based private equity firm. In his role, he focuses on investment origination, transaction execution, and supporting portfolio company growth. Prior to SeaFort, Jack worked in RBC’s Mid-Market Mergers & Acquisitions group and in corporate development for a publicly traded media company. He holds a BBA from the University of New Brunswick, an MBA from Dalhousie University, and is a CFA Charterholder.

A Director in the Transactions group based in Halifax, Sean provides advisory services to our clients, specializing in financial modelling and analysis, due diligence, debt financing, M&A, and business valuation. 

Michael Maracle-Polak (Mohawk, Bear Clan—Six Nations of the Grand River) is President & CEO of Akwekon Enterprise, Chief Administrative Officer of Glooscap First Nation, and a Harvard alumnus in First Nation Leadership. Over the past decade, he’s guided Chiefs and Councils through governance reform, operational turnarounds, band management and the creation of community‑owned economic development corporations.

Chief Jenny Brake has served as Chief of Qalipu First Nation (QFN) since October 2024, following 10 months as Interim Chief. She brings a diverse background as a welder, artist, and community advocate, always striving to build meaningful relationships and advance the well-being of the people she represents.

As Chief, she has led significant initiatives for the Nation, including the acquisition of New Dock on behalf of QFN, strengthening the Nation’s economic foundation and future opportunities.

Cooke, headquartered in Saint John, New Brunswick, is a multi-national seafood leader and one of the largest integrated seafood businesses in the world with operations in 15 countries.  He is responsible for Cooke’s legal affairs globally with a focus on leading M&A teams to successfully execute complex cross-border transactions – acquisitions since joining Cooke include the largest salmon farming business in Australia and the largest holder of anchovy quota in Peru.

Zac has more than 15 years of experience in private equity investing, M&A, and corporate finance and strategy. He leads McCain Capital Partners (MCP), a long-term investor in great businesses, on behalf of the McCain family in Toronto. Prior to leading MCP, Zac was an investment professional at a mid-market private equity firm, where he was responsible for acquiring and creating value in market-leading businesses. He previously made and managed investments on behalf of another ultra-high net worth family. Zac has a Bachelor of Commerce from Mount Allison University, where he now serves on the Board of Regents; he received his MBA from Queen’s School of Business, and he is a CFA charterholder.

Don Mills is currently the President of Crane Cove Holdings Limited, his family investment firm, a partner and Director with CABCO Communications, an IT infrastructure company and Total Marketing & Communications, a Bermuda based company he co-founded. He is the co-founder and former owner and CEO of Corporate Research Associates (now Narrative Research). He continued to be associated with Narrative Research as Chair of the Board and Senior Counsel until recently. He is a regular columnist with both the Saltwire Network and Brunswick News, as well as being a frequent media commentator on public affair issues. He is also the Co-host of the Insights Podcast on the Acadia Broadcasting Network.

With a Ph.D. in Geology and Environmental Microbiology, Dr. Wanger is an experienced research scientist 
whose career milestones include five years at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, culminating in their optical 
organics’ mapper, SHERLOC, landing on Mars in February 2021 with the Perseverance rover. Jumping 
back to 2016, Greg and his family relocated to Halifax, Nova Scotia in Atlantic Canada. Shortly after, Dr. 
Wanger founded Oberland Agriscience Inc. out of his desire to address the escalating global protein 
shortage

Michelle has more than 25 years of public relations, education and business management experience. She has led research projects and community engagement initiatives in various sectors for government, industry and non-profits.  In her role as President of the Atlantica Centre for Energy, Michelle proactively advocates for the evolution and growth of Atlantic Canada’s energy sector.

Cathy Bennett is a seasoned investor, entrepreneur, and former public servant whose career spans finance, entrepreneurship, and venture capital. She served as Minister of Finance and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women in Newfoundland and Labrador, sat on the board of the BDC, and is a founding and managing partner of Sandpiper Ventures—one of Canada’s first venture capital funds dedicated to women-led innovation.

Leveraging on a diverse 30-year career in business, Bennett Brown is a boutique advisory firm that connects some of Canada’s most enterprising and affluent families with private investments, M&A services and philanthropic planning opportunities. 

Having built much of his practice while living in Western Canada, Geoff found great value in being an ACG member in Vancouver and attending events in Calgary and Edmonton. Bennett Brown’s greatest asset is its coast-to-coast network of investors and business professionals, and ACG has once again been instrumental in helping to grow his network in Toronto, and Atlantic Canada, upon Geoff’s return to Halifax in 2020.

Sean is a Vice-President at BFL CANADA, one of the largest risk management, insurance brokerage and benefits consulting firms in Canada. The BFL M&A team is a leading Canadian broker of transactional risk insurance and insurance due diligence. Commitment to customer excellence has allowed the BFL M&A team to grow to the largest in Canada servicing the entire Canadian M&A market, including pensions, strategic acquirers, private equity funds, family offices, search funds and independent sponsors

Jennifer LaPlante joined the Government of Nova Scotia as Deputy Minister of the Department of Cyber Security and Digital Solutions in July 2025 after more than two decades in digital transformation, data governance and artificial intelligence. Much of her work has focused on the intersection of technology, innovation, and data analytics.