Headquarters:
Regina, SK
Year founded:
2009
Number of employees:
367
Phone:
306 546 4441
Email:
casey@creativeoptionsregina.ca
Website:
creativeoptionsregina.ca
LinkedIn:
ca.linkedin.com/company/creative-options-regina
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Michael Lavis
Chief Executive Officer
Jim Temple
Chief Operations Officer
Tiffany Watt
Chief Financial Officer
Leadership
Michael Lavis is the founding CEO of Creative Options Regina (COR), a for-impact, charitable organization that develops personalized support services for people experiencing disability in Regina, SK. Under his leadership, COR has grown to become one of the largest disability support providers in Saskatchewan, serving 20 percent of the province’s most challenging youth and adults in care.
Lavis is passionately committed to nurturing a culture of gentleness within the workplace, with a particular focus on employee experience.
Chief Executive Officer
Michael Lavis
Born and raised in Regina, Jim Temple has completed a Master of Arts in Leadership (specialization in values) from Royal Roads University. Beginning his career in the financial services sector, he quickly realized he found greater personal satisfaction helping others through volunteering with Big Brothers of Regina and sharing how great the Green Bay Packers are.
Temple began working with COR upon its inception in 2009 and has served at all levels of the organization. He has also completed the “Values-based Leadership and Corporate Social Innovation” graduate certificate programs at Royal Roads University.
Chief Operations Officer
Jim Temple
Tiffany Watt holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Regina with a major in accounting and a Chartered Professional Accounting designation. She has over 17 years of experience providing a variety of audit and accounting services. The first 10 years of her career were spent with a Regina-based accounting firm providing audit services to a broad range of industries, including charities, non-profits, government entities, and financial institutions. More recently, she spent several years providing financial leadership and process improvement at an international agricultural company.
Outside of work, Watt enjoys her time with her husband and daughter. Curling is one of her passions and she enjoys volunteering her time as part of the Regina curling community.
Chief Financial Officer
Tiffany Watt
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Leadership
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Leadership
Amanda Clarke
Chief Culture Officer
Family means everything to Amanda Clarke. She and her husband, Paul, live in Regina with their three children. She brings a wealth of HR experience to COR as she completed her Bachelor of Business Administration degree, as well as her Chartered Professional Human Resources (CPHR) designation. She also brings a warm and caring heart to this valuable role.
Chief Culture Officer
Amanda Clarke
Damian Percy
General Manager, Securitisation
Damian Percy is a creative, lateral-thinking and outcomes-driven senior leader with over 20 years of experience in financial services and a deep and broad understanding of the Australian home loan market. He is a highly respected commentator and advisor to the industry, with practical expertise across all facets of the sector, including distribution, operations, product design, technology and regulation.
Percy understands that, ultimately, all business is problem-solving, and he applies his rare blend of industry expertise and innovative thinking to build strong businesses and great customer outcomes.
Percy is a past director and fellow of the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia, holds degrees in arts and law and was a founding member of the nation’s leading Elvis parody act between 1992 and 2004.
General Manager, Securitisation
Damian Percy
In 2009, Creative Options Regina (COR) was established as a small organization to support the diverse needs of one individual who, for years, was disenfranchised from family and community life.
Beaten and bruised through self-injurious actions, and heartbroken from lack of compassion and community, that individual found a home in COR, which upholds the principles and practice of Gentle Teaching. Now, over a decade later, COR has become one of Saskatchewan’s largest service providers of support to youth and adults experiencing intellectual disability and mental health struggles.
In the words of a founding board member, what makes COR stand out is that it intends for its work to leave people feeling more dignified than they did prior to encountering the organization. Everyone, from the support workers to the leadership team to the board of directors, makes a conscious choice to engage with people in a meaningful way.
COR supports people, not clients. It facilitates rather than dictates. It enlists companions, not employees. It focuses on strengths, not deficits. It customizes homes, support, employment, and learning opportunities for numerous people in the community. For COR, it is important that everyone lives a truly meaningful life.
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Tony Bird
Chief Risk Officer
Mark Hewitt
General Manager, Industry and Partnership Development
Brad Wearn
Chief Technology Officer
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Tony Bird has been working in the banking and finance industry for 25 years, predominantly in credit risk, collections and portfolio management. His strength is bringing creative, data-driven solutions to safely grow retail portfolios. He develops strong relationships with internal and external partners to maximise profit after capital charges. Bird’s management style is collaborative and focused on achieving ambitious targets.
Chief Risk Officer
Tony Bird
Mark Hewitt has a wealth of knowledge and industry experience, with 40 years of experience in financial services. He is a member of the executive team at aggregator Australian Finance Group (AFG), which he joined in 2006 as general manager of broker and residential and is currently AFG’s general manager of industry and partnership development.
Prior to joining AFG, Hewitt spent 20 years with ANZ, including four years in ANZ’s third-party distribution area, and later became national manager of key broker relationships. He has also recently been co-chair of the Combined Industry Forum and has played a key role in the industry reform process.
Hewitt’s significant skills encompass operations, communications, relationship management, credit management, asset finance, human resources, contract and sponsorship negotiation, and sales. He was named on the MPA’s Global Mortgage 100 list in both 2020 and 2021. He is also a director of the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA), Think Tank Group and Mortgage Processing Services.
General Manager, Industry and Partnership Development
Mark Hewitt
Brad Wearn, serving as the chief technology officer, brings extensive expertise and forward-thinking approaches to the evolving landscape of IT services procurement and management. With a keen eye on industry trends and organisational needs, he recognises the shift toward purchasing IT capabilities “as a service,” acknowledging both its agility and potential security risks.
In his role, Wearn navigates the challenges posed by “shadow IT” and the impact it can have on organizational spending and security. Embracing an IT delivery model focused on flexibility and efficiency, he champions the adoption of “as a service” platforms. This approach ensures transparency in usage and enables the implementation of necessary controls to safeguard critical data and systems.
By spearheading this transformation, Wearn moves away from defending a large IT budget toward facilitating the adoption of tailored technology solutions aligned with evolving business needs. With an unwavering commitment to driving innovation and maximizing value, he sees himself at the forefront of an exciting journey as a CIO, navigating the ever-changing landscape of technology with enthusiasm and expertise.
Chief Technology Officer
Brad Wearn
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
“Despite the challenging claims environment, QBE’s coverage and risk appetite have remained consistent. Brokers and customers know and understand our risk appetite and the cover we offer, providing them with certainty for the future,” says Erica Kofie, head of cyber proposition. “We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions.”
Kofie adds, “Through 2022, QBE successfully delivered significant growth in the cyber sector, reflecting the depth and strength of our team. We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations.”
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Overall service level
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BDM support
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Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Small business
Medal
Overall service level
Broker communication, training and development
BDM support
Turnaround time – claims
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Small business