As founder of Alta Vista, Dana currently serves as our President and CEO. After Waterloo University, he worked for two years in a technical sales position in the construction industry, but soon became interested in the financial services business and joined Mutual Life of Canada (now Sun Life) as an insurance rep. Eventually he joined Great West Life and a corporate role working with over 400 financial advisors in central Ontario as a marketing manager for advanced life insurance tax and estate planning solutions.
Since founding Alta Vista in 2011 Dana’s focus is on leading and mentoring the growing Alta Vista team and on working directly with our many business owner clients. His belief is that every business owner should be equipped to take excellent care of their families and their employees, and that is what keeps him motivated and enthusiastic about his work.
His volunteer activities have involved a number of charitable and not-for-profit boards and he currently serves as chair of Community Builders Inc., a not-for-profit construction organization based in Barrie and Sudbury.
Outside of work his life is fulfilled by time with his life partner Sue, their three daughters and families, and close friends. He also enjoys golf, boating, fishing and time RVing. He is completely nuts about his eight grandchildren but usually needs a nap after small doses.
Email: dana@altavistaplanning.com
Office: (705) 327-0313
Erin joined the firm in September of 2014 and in January of 2020 moved into her current role as VP of Employee Benefits. Prior to embarking on her Insurance career, Erin spent a number of years travelling overseas in the South Pacific islands doing volunteer work, where she met her life partner Daniel Fordham. Erin has always been passionate about volunteer work and currently serves on the Board and COD Committee of the Community Development Corporation in Orillia. In 2022 founded a not-for-profit organization, Oasis Fertility Support Network, whose mission is to assist families who are experiencing infertility in navigating the information and resources that they need in order to realize their dream of having a child.
As a Benefits Specialist, Erin works closely with our clients to ensure that the level of service provided is excellent. She places a high priority on relationships and making sure her clients feel valued. Outside the office Erin enjoys catching up with friends, playing volleyball, snowboarding and travelling – she’s always up for an adventure. Erin and Daniel have a son named Jett and a French Bull Dog named Maui.
Email: erin@altavistaplanning.com
Office: (705) 327-0313
From a young age Rob knew he would become an Employee Benefit Advisor! Growing up on an equestrian farm in Queensville, ON, he was surrounded by insurance advisors including his father and older siblings. Rob’s father was one of the first brokers to offer the Chamber of Commerce Group Insurance Plan in Toronto, and always stressed the importance of taking care of employers and their families. Rob attended Camosun College in Victoria BC to pursue a career in sales. He moved to Collingwood, Ontario and joined the Alta Vista team in February of 2020.
Rob is passionate about living an active outdoor lifestyle. In his spare time, you can find him on the local ski hills, tennis courts, golf course, fishing on the river, playing baseball at central park, or playing hockey at the local arena. He shares his life and home with his partner Amanda and a 14-year-old pup named Jake.
Email: rob@altavistaplanning.com
Office: (705) 327-0313
Greg is the youngest of 10 children and grew up on a farm near Lakefield, Ontario. After high school he attended Bible College and over the years has served on Church and ministry Boards as well as served for 8 years as Associate Pastor of a growing church and private school. He married his high school sweetheart in 1978 and together they started their first business in 1983. His 4 children and 13 grandchildren have helped keep a balance between family, ministry and work. He came into the financial services business in 2008 and joined Alta Vista as a planning associate in 2013. Greg’s primary focus is helping others protect their families as well as guiding them on their way to fulfilling their vision and goals.
Email: greg@altavistaplanning.com
Office: (705) 327-0313
Kelly lives with his wife Joni and their two daughters near Peterborough ON. After 18 years in the marine industry, he realized that many of his skills were transferrable to the insurance business, and he moved into a career in personal insurance planning. For the past 20+ years his work has focused primarily as a specialist in the area of disability and critical illness insurance to guide his clients who are ready to prepare for the storms of life.
Email: kelly@altavistaplanning.com
Office: (705) 327-0313
Charmaine joined the Alta Vista in April 2017. As office and administration manager, she cheerfully supports the leadership and advisor teams as she looks after day-to-day operations and administration. If there’s a form to find or a process to refine, she’ll get it done, so that our advisors can focus on serving and guiding our clients. Charmaine also has extensive experience in the investment industry which has equipped her to play a key role on the financial planning team. Charmaine and her family have called Orillia home since 2011. In her time away from the office she enjoys sitting back and enjoying the beautiful local scenery while spending time with her family, dogs, and friends.
In her role as Client Service Advisor, Vanessa supports the employee benefits team and as a licensed advisor she works directly with our group insurance clients to guide them as they navigate their employee benefit plans. She joined Alta Vista to fill a maternity leave in 2016 and soon became a key part of the team. She has enjoyed 25 years of experience in both non-profit and commercial sectors and is very active in several charitable fundraising activities. As client service advisor Vanessa is our administration expert in all things Chambers Plan and is there to serve and assist in any way she can!
In her spare time, Vanessa enjoys many outdoor activities; from reading a good book on the dock, to kayaking the rivers and lakes in Muskoka, to snowmobiling on the OFSC trails. She is enthusiastic about giving back to the community and teaching healthy habits to our youth. She is also very passionate about organ donation awareness, volunteering her time with SPLIT-Parent & Family Engaged Partners, the Canadian Transplant Association – Ontario Division, and Fundraising Coordinator for the Muskoka United Football Club U16.
Emily was a welcome addition to Alta Vista in March of 2021 for a one-year contract and has grown into a key player in her current role as Service and Marketing Associate. Her primary work is with our benefit plan advisors, providing sales and marketing support to ensure they have everything they need to make our client experience the best it can be! Emily came to us after several years in a sales and marketing role with one of Canada’s premier companies. Her background and post-secondary education are in graphic design and photography. She also facilitates our social media platforms, our company website, and our monthly newsletter to make sure that our clients are staying caught up on the most recent employee benefits news!
Outside of the office she is busy building her photography portfolio and flying her drone – she is always down (or up) to capture new memories!
