The Ridge Canada Team
The people behind our service.
Leadership
GREG MARKELL
Greg Markell is a leading insurance expert on the topic of cyber and privacy liability. He has advised public, private, and non-profit organizations regarding their risk transfer of organizational exposure to cyber-related losses.
Greg began his career underwriting for a large national insurer, starting in property and casualty before quickly moving into executive and professional risk, with a focus on director’s and officer’s (D&O) insurance. He then moved on to join a national brokerage, focusing on specialty insurance products for financial services companies, including D&O and cyber liability. He left this firm as a partner in 2014 and joined a top 10 global broker, where he was a resource for his colleagues for D&O and the practice leader for cyber and privacy liability.
Greg received his Bachelor of Commerce degree with a minor in Economics from Queen’s University. He is a Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional and an accredited Canadian Risk Manager.
MATHEW ALKERTON
Mathew Alkerton joined Ridge Canada Cyber Solutions in 2021 as Senior Vice President focusing on cyber underwriting, broker experience, and education in Western Canada.
Mat has specialized in Cyber, Director and Officers (“D&O”), Errors and Omissions (“E&O”), and Crime insurance as both a broker and an underwriter since 2011.
Mat’s career in the commercial insurance industry began in 2011 as a broker with Marsh Canada Limited in Toronto. Throughout his time with Marsh he specialized in E&O program placement, and was the first broker involved in the ground-up establishment of what is now Marsh’s National Placement Practice. During his time with Marsh he also obtained his Charted Insurance Professional (“CIP”) and Canadian Risk Manager (“CRM”) designations.
In 2015, Mat made the transition from a broker at Marsh to an underwriter at Travelers Canada, fueled by a keen interest to specialize in Cyber, D&O, and E&O insurance coverages. Mat spent his next 6 years with Travelers Canada as a Specialty Insurance Underwriter and relocated to Travelers’ Vancouver office in 2018.
In his personal time Mat enjoys giving back to the younger generation of insurance professionals and has done so with the Young Insurance Professional organizations in both Ontario and British Columbia.
James BEnnett
James Bennett joined Ridge Canada in 2021. James has a specific focus on Director and Officer’s (D&O) Insurance and leads as Chief Operating Officer.
James’ career in the commercial insurance industry began in Toronto in 2007 as an underwriter with Lombard Insurance, now Northbridge Insurance. Throughout his time with Lombard, he specialized in Property & Casualty and Specialty Lines Insurance. During his time with Lombard, he obtained his Charted Insurance Professional (CIP).
In 2011, James made the transition from Lombard to an underwriter at Trisura Guarantee. This was fueled by a keen interest to expand his expertise in D&O, Errors and Omissions, and Crime insurance coverages. James spent most of his next 10 years with Trisura Guarantee as a Specialty Insurance Underwriter focusing on risk assessment in Crime Insurance and Private, Non-Profit, and Public D&O Insurance. In 2018, he moved from underwriting into a head office role where he was responsible for the product development and risk guidance of all D&O and Crime Insurance lines of business. In addition to product development, James was responsible for developing and maintaining broker relationships across Canada, while supporting Trisura’s regional branches.
In his personal time, James enjoys trekking through the outdoors, staying active with Triathlon, and spending time with his wife and two children.
Cindy Manek
Cindy Manek joined Ridge Canada Cyber Solutions in 2021 as a Senior Vice President, focusing on Technology Errors & Omission (E&O) Insurance.
Cindy’ s career in the commercial insurance industry began in Ottawa in 2012 as an underwriter with Encon Group, now Victor Canada. Throughout her time with Encon, she specialized in Technology Errors & Omissions (E&O) and Cyber package underwriting.
In 2015, Cindy made the transition from Encon to an Account Executive at Travelers Canada, continuing her focus on Technology E&O and Cyber underwriting. Through her position at Travelers, she gained experience in the international market, where she continued to underwrite package policies with a focus on Canadian technology companies. In 2019, she moved to Markel Canada as a Senior Underwriter where she oversaw product development for Technology E&O and developed a tailored package policy for the FinTech industry. Throughout her career, Cindy has developed and maintained strong broker relationships across Canada.
Cindy holds her Bachelor of Economics degree from Laval University and is a Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) and an accredited Canadian Risk Manager (CRM). She is fluent in both French and English.
TEAM
TREVOR GEORGE
Trevor George joined Ridge Canada in January 2019. He is a Senior Underwriter focusing on Cyber & Privacy Liability. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University. Through the Laurier co-op program, Trevor has held positions as a Credit Analyst at a Schedule I chartered bank, in an Associate role at a consulting firm, and as a Junior Underwriter at a Canadian domiciled insurance company, before starting as a cyber underwriter at Ridge. When he’s not underwriting, you can find Trevor at the rink, or on the golf course.
LAUREN Fotheringham
Lauren Fotheringham joined Ridge Canada full time in February 2024. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Management from the University of British Columbia.
Lauren’s career in the commercial insurance industry began with Ridge Canada where she completed two summer internships. She is now focused mainly on D&O insurance.
Luke Friel
Luke joined the Ridge Canada cyber underwriting team in September 2024. Luke Friel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Toronto.
Luke has demonstrated a strong commitment to the insurance industry through a series of internships on both the brokerage and underwriting side beginning in 2021. Prior to his position as an underwriter, Luke joined the team at Ridge Canada for six months as an analyst in January 2024.
VANESSA ABRAHAM
Vanessa Abraham joined Ridge Canada in November 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Ryerson University. Vanessa’s career in the commercial insurance industry began in 2015, with HUB International HKMB Limited, a leading national brokerage. Throughout her time there, she developed industry relationships and gained experience working within the Professional Liability Unit in Toronto, specializing in healthcare with a focus on mid-market clients.
LAUREN HAWKINS
Lauren Hawkins joined Ridge Canada in June 2023. She began her insurance career in 2012 with ACE INA Insurance (later, Chubb Insurance) on the Professional Liability Team. Here she developed her skills, expertise, as well as a true passion for Cyber and Tech E&O.
Lauren holds a diploma of Music Industry Arts from Fanshawe College. In her personal time, she reads, gardens, and is a freelance session vocalist.
Ben roker
Ben joined the Ridge Canada western team in April 2024. He attended the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) with a specialization in software development. With this expertise and knowledge, he will be focusing in Cyber and Tech E&O.
maria perez
María Pérez is a financial professional who joined Ridge Canada in 2024 as Financial Controller. Her finance career began in 2013 as an assurance associate at PwC, and she advanced to a Senior Auditor specializing in Banking at Deloitte in 2016.
María holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from UASD University as well as a master’s degree in financial administration accredited by the ACBSP and is fluent in both English and Spanish.
Founding Members
TOM RIDGE
Following the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, Tom Ridge became the first Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and, on January 24, 2003, became the first Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. During his DHS tenure, Secretary Ridge worked with more than 180,000 employees from a combined 22 agencies to create an agency that facilitated the flow of people and goods, instituted layered security at air, land and seaports, developed a unified national response and recovery plan, protected critical infrastructure, integrated new technology and improved information sharing worldwide.
Before the events of September 11th, Tom Ridge was twice elected Governor of Pennsylvania, serving as the state's 43rd governor from 1995 to 2001. Governor Ridge's aggressive technology strategy helped fuel the state's advances in economic development, education, health care and the environment.
He currently serves on the boards of the Institute for Defense Analyses, the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress and is chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's National Security Task Force. After graduating from Harvard with honors and his first year at Penn State University's Dickinson School of Law, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served as an infantry staff sergeant in Vietnam, earning the Bronze Star for Valor, the Combat Infantry Badge and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. Upon return, he earned his law degree and, later, became one of the first Vietnam combat veterans elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served six terms.
BRIan Jones (1951-2023)
Brian Jones was a graduate of the University of Western Ontario (Ivey HBA 1974) and the University of British Columbia (MBA 1975).
He entered the insurance brokerage business in 1975 and joined the firm of Johnson & Higgins in 1976 as Executive Assistant to the President. Over the next 21 years, Brian held various positions with J&H, ultimately becoming a member of the Board of Directors and SVP for Central Region Canada.
Following the acquisition of Johnson & Higgins by Marsh & McLennan in 1997, Brian elected to form Jones Brown Inc. with the dream of becoming Canada’s finest privately owned insurance brokerage firm. After ten years, Brian relinquished the title of President in December 2007 to serve as Chairman of Jones Brown Inc. In February 2015, with the unanimous support of the Board of Directors, Brian approved a management buy-out of Jones Brown Inc.
Brian leaves behind an incredible legacy of which many of us working at and invested in Ridge Canada are lucky to have felt the impact. We strive at Ridge Canada to be as honest, joyful, creative, and caring as our co-founder and Chairman Emeritus - Brian Jones.