Leadership
George Longo
CEO and Chair of Board
George is President & CEO of his family office and GARA Holdings Inc. and was previously President, CEO, and founder of Excess Underwriting, a division of Gallaghers Canada. Before acquiring Excess Underwriting in 2016, George owned and operated a retail insurance brokerage and was also a broker at Lloyd's of London.
A seasoned insurance executive, with extensive experience in all aspects of the insurance industry, George has a strong understanding of the insurance marketplace in Canada, the UK, and abroad, including a focus on new business development strategies to support the constantly evolving landscape. An entrepreneur his entire business career, George has served on numerous boards and is an early-stage investor and advisor to several young companies. George was a graduate of Western University and also previously on the board of the Ontario regulator for insurance brokers.
Rob Salmon
President
High-performance executive with 30+ years of experience driving breakthrough growth in professional services, consulting, hardware/software sales, and cloud services. Track record for providing strategic and tactical leadership that has transformed business cultures, increased revenues by over 700%, and turned struggling businesses into market leaders.
Rob is a visionary leader defining clear business direction and leading tactical execution. Able to build high-performing teams and revitalize employee engagement. Complementary expertise streamlining efficiencies, strengthening customer service, and driving change at the organizational level.
Dave Lyon, MSc.
President ELi Technology US, Inc.
Dave currently leads ELi’s operations in the United States and also serves as an Advisory Board Member. He brings a strong global security and intelligence background to ELi with in-depth experience in risk management, business intelligence, geopolitical advisory, cybersecurity, client and investor relations, and account management.
Before ELi, Dave served as a CIA operative and as an intelligence officer with the US Navy. Dave earned a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice and also briefly worked as an auxiliary police officer with the NYPD. He is a dedicated leader and team manager with unique abilities in people assessment and relationship building/management.
Peter Woodford, BSc
Founder, Board member
With extensive experience in domestic and international operations, in both the technology, and telecommunications sectors, Peter’s ability to strategize the big picture, manage the fine details, and spearhead operational improvements reinforce him as both a visionary and decisive, hands-on leader. With a powerful focus on key partnership development, risk management, business planning, and high-stake negotiations, Peter uses his background in telecommunications, advertising, Fintech, and sales to bring forth change within the technology and public safety industries. Peter understands the granularity of technical development processes, cross-functional management, and long-range forecasting, and his strength and determination to see ELi’s vision become a reality is the driving force of our team. Immersed in the emergency service number industry for over 18 years, Peter previously sat on committees at EENA (European Emergency Number Association) and is still an active member of NENA (North American Emergency Number Association).
Troy Yeo, CPA, CA
Vice President Finance & Corporate Secretary
Troy is a Chartered Professional Accountant whose experience includes the past 17+ years in private business management in Halifax and 9 years with Ernst & Young’s Halifax, Perth (Australia), and Toronto offices. With specialties in Accounting, Finance, Operations Management, Human Resources, and Corporate Restructuring, Troy is a highly creative, entrepreneurial professional with exposure to a wide variety of business challenges and industries.
Emily Valiant, BSc
Director of Marketing & Communications
A Chemistry graduate, Emily is a communications and media professional with over 25 years of experience in Advertising, Sales, Marketing, Communications, and Business Development. Having worked for two renowned media companies, and several start-ups based in the UK, South Africa, and Canada, and across industries including Technology, Broadcasting & Print/ Online Media, Public Safety, Fitness, Healthcare, Education, Conservation, and Aviation. Emily was previously COO of a helicopter leasing company, a paid-on-call firefighter, a personal trainer, and a qualified Game Ranger.
Emily currently provides senior management oversight and leadership to support the successful delivery of ELi’s communications and marketing projects, to establish, enhance, and drive strategic relationships and partnerships. Emily works to generate, build, and maintain corporate visibility, reputation, and credibility through extensive and creative communication channels, branding, and content.
Kimberly Tait
Director of Commercialization & Implementation
Kim is an experienced, results-driven Manager with over 25 years of experience working with large and small organizations. She has provided professional consulting services to both government and private sectors and brings a solid foundation of knowledge to her role. Her specialties include business process improvement and product/service implementations. Throughout her career, Kim has excelled at fostering collaboration and communication among cross-functional teams, building strong relationships with stakeholders, and maintaining a customer-centric approach, encouraging innovation and high performance. With exceptional management skills, dedication to excellence, and an inherent ability to navigate complex environments, Kim is an invaluable asset in delivering projects on time and on budget to help drive organizational success.