Headquarters:
High River, AB
Year founded:
1905
Number of employees:
2225
Phone:
866-245-2779
Email:
info@westernfg.ca
Website:
westernfinancialgroup.ca
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/westernfinancialgroup
Grant Ostir
Chief Executive Officer
Nancy Green-Bolton
Chief Operating Officer
Craig Kozlowski
Chief Information and Technology Officer
Leadership
Grant Ostir leads Western Financial Group with a purpose-driven approach, blending strategic vision with a strong focus on people and performance. With nearly 30 years in the industry, his leadership journey spans roles from HED insurance and risk services to president and CEO of Western Life and chief growth officer. He is known for building high-performing teams and fostering a culture of trust, accountability, and clear communication. Ostir holds a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Manitoba and is dedicated to empowering teams for future success.
Chief Executive Officer
Grant Ostir
Nancy Green-Bolton, COO of Western Financial Group, brings two decades of progressive experience to her role. Previously CFO and chief risk officer, she has driven operational excellence, financial strategy, and risk management. Green-Bolton is passionate about employee growth and well-being, believing company success is rooted in its people. As chair of the Western Communities Foundation Board, she champions volunteerism and community impact, furthering Western’s mission to foster safer, thriving communities across Canada.
Chief Operating Officer
Nancy Green-Bolton
Craig Kozlowski leads Western’s national technology team, overseeing AI innovation, cybersecurity, IT service delivery, and more. With over 30 years of technology leadership in both private and public sectors, he joined Western in 2018. Kozlowski is dedicated to advancing Western’s strategic plan and delivering a modern customer and user experience, consistently guiding teams to operational success across diverse industries.
Chief Information and Technology Officer
Craig Kozlowski
Jonathan Hoey
Chief Underwriting Officer
Jonathan Hoey, chief underwriting officer, brings over 20 years of insurance leadership to Western Financial Group. He leads underwriting and claims strategy, optimizing carrier partnerships and empowering high-performing teams. Hoey is recognized for his collaborative, integrity-driven leadership and has expanded Western’s delegated authority and specialty program capabilities, driving strategic growth and strengthening the company’s competitive edge across Canada.
Chief Underwriting Officer
Jonathan Hoey
Nicky Skinner
Business Development Manager
Nicky Skinner, based in Christchurch, was honoured as NZ Adviser’s BDM of the Year. With over 20 years of banking experience – including roles as bank manager, private banker and senior lender – she brings deep expertise to her work. Skinner supports mortgage advisers with product knowledge and deal presentation skills, focusing on building strong, trusted relationships. Her collaborative approach and dedication make her a valued resource, consistently praised for her guidance and support in helping advisers achieve outstanding client outcomes.
Business Development Manager
Nicky Skinner
Sarah Radonich
Third Party Support Manager
Steph Leeson
Business Development Manager
Margaret Leau-Sulusi
Business Development Manager
Pam Chhabra
Manager – Residential Strata
Sarah Radonich is a third party support manager (relief BDM) at Westpac, building strong relationships with mortgage advisers across New Zealand. With 15 years of banking experience, she supports a wide range of regions and communities, working alongside a team of experienced BDMs. Radonich is known for her responsiveness, collaboration and focus on delivering efficient, results-driven experiences for advisers and their clients, always striving for the best possible outcomes.
Third Party Support Manager
Sarah Radonich
Steph Leeson immigrated from the UK 14 years ago and began her Westpac career as a specialist lender. Now a business development manager, she supports mortgage advisers across Auckland and Northland, offering expert guidance and support. Leeson is highly regarded for her lending knowledge, responsiveness and collaborative approach. Her dedication was recognised nationally as a finalist for the 2025 NZ Adviser BDM of the Year award, reflecting her impact within the third party channel.
Business Development Manager
Steph Leeson
Margaret Leau-Sulusi brings over 20 years of banking experience to her role as business development manager, having started with Westpac in 2005. Her background includes lending support, senior lending roles and branch management. Leau-Sulusi partners closely with mortgage advisers, providing product expertise and strategic guidance to drive strong client outcomes. Known for her collaborative style and responsiveness, she is passionate about building trusted relationships and delivering customer-focused results.
Business Development Manager
Margaret Leau-Sulusi
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Commercial Manager
Stephen McMillan
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Adam Basaldella
Manager – Claims
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Product Manager
Claire Watson
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Commercial Manager
Stephen McMillan
“We also maintain open lines of communication with advisers so they know what to expect and can plan accordingly”
Hayley Burgess, ANZ Bank New Zealand
“We’ve invested heavily in resourcing and process improvements to reduce friction and speed up approvals”
Hayley Burgess, ANZ Bank New Zealand
Headquartered in High River, Alberta, Western Financial Group is a diversified insurance services company that has been protecting Canadians for over a century. Serving more than one million customers, it is proudly Canadian and deeply committed to community service, customer care, innovation, and growth. With a dedicated team of over 2,000 professionals operating in more than 200 communities across the country, the company delivers both personal and business insurance solutions through a network of local offices, affiliates, and digital channels.
Community involvement has been at the heart of Western Financial Group since its inception. In 2001, the company established the Western Financial Group Communities Foundation, a non-profit charity designed to empower employees to give back and make a meaningful difference in the places where they live and work. To date, the Foundation has granted over $9 million to support local initiatives and strengthen communities nationwide.
Western Financial Group is a subsidiary of Trimont Financial, which is wholly owned by The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company. To learn more, visit westernfinancialgroup.ca.
IQumulate invests in education and people, which are vital to attracting new business and talent to the company.
“We have long tenures for several of our key staff, including some in leadership positions, and this sound working knowledge of our business, practices and industry provides great insights and a wealth of experience to offer our clients,” says Bastow. “Our new head of sales, Graeme Gordon, formerly manager for New Zealand, joins us in Australia to drive our sales strategy and lead our team to successful outcomes for our clients and our business. We look forward to great things ahead with Graeme as he continues to be active and present in the New Zealand market as well as building sound working relationships and new connections in Australia.”
Clients can also expect a lot from working with IQumulate.
“Through active engagement with our trusted broker network, IQumulate provides relevant information, education and training content,” says Graeme Gordon, head of sales. “Our clients can expect IQumulate to support their business in several ways, providing an understanding of what premium funding solutions are available and how IQumulate can spread the cost of insurance and help borrowers get the right level of insurance cover to free up their cash flow for other expenses or business growth opportunities. Premium funding is often considered a tool for those who simply cannot afford to pay their premiums in full. While this is certainly a significant driver for many, it is also successfully used by profitable companies who use premium funding to manage their cash flows more wisely or better manage their liquidity.”
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