Our Team
Our work is guided by a steadfast
commitment to our values
Our Values
We are focused on long-term wins
We do the work. We believe in learning and improving every day. We focus on and prioritize building relationships over decades.
We operate with intellectual honesty
We believe in honesty in all our work. Giving credit where due and acknowledging mistakes where made.
We are all partners
We win together and we learn together. Celebrating the good times and supporting each other through challenges.
We act with integrity
We do what’s right, especially when it’s not easy. We treat others with respect and kindness in all our dealings.
We preserve and build on legacy
We understand how family businesses work. We know the sacrifice that goes into building a great business and the pride in a job well done. We preserve and help build on the legacy of our partners.
We care for our community
We believe business is a force for good. Building stronger communities and giving back in the places we work and live.
Mike Ackland
Managing Partner
Mike is the founder and Managing Partner at Tailwind Partners.
Prior to Tailwind, Mike worked at Clairvest, a $4.5Bn private equity fund partnering with entrepreneur led companies. Mike worked with management teams to grow businesses from $4-30M+ of EBITDA focusing on equipment rental, aviation services, logistics, healthcare, and home services.
Before Clairvest, Mike worked in Infrastructure Private Equity at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) and in the Investment Banking Group at CIBC Capital Markets in Toronto and Calgary.
Mike holds an MBA from the Ivey Business School and an undergraduate degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Guelph.
During his free time Mike enjoys cycling, backcountry snowboarding, playing hockey, and spending time with family and friends.
Mike currently serves on the Board of Directors of Globalfaces Direct. Mike previously served as Co-Chair of the young professionals’ board for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada’s leading mental health hospital, and remains an avid supporter and fundraiser.
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Stephen Arbib
Partner & Operating Advisor
Stephen is a Partner and Operating Advisor at Tailwind Partners.
Stephen is the founder and CEO of Momentum Solutions, one of the world’s leading logistics and life support service providers. Momentum provides services from passenger and cargo air movements, freight forwarding, construction equipment leasing, labour force staffing, and housing around the world.
In addition to Momentum, Stephen founded MedReleaf, an R&D driven and ISO9001 certified medicinal cannabis company which sold to Aurora for $3.2Bn. He was also the co-founder of Cycura Inc., an offensive cyber security firm which sold to Well Health Technologies Corp.
Stephen manages the Arbib Family Office that invests in a variety of sectors including construction, consumer goods, technology, and food services.
Stephen currently serves on the Board of Directors of Momentum Solutions, Black Buffalo 3D Corp, Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, New Wave Toys, and Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University. He is also the Director of the Arbib Foundation, a charitable foundation that allocates personal funds to charities across the globe.
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Chris Luongo
Senior Associate
Chris is a Senior Associate at Tailwind Partners where he is responsible for the sourcing, evaluation and execution of new investment opportunities.
Prior to Tailwind, Chris worked at Banyan Capital Partners, a Toronto based mid-market private equity fund focused on partnering with entrepreneur-led businesses. During his time at Banyan, Chris partnered with management teams in the US and Canada to grow businesses ranging in size from $5M to $15M of EBITDA spanning verticals including specialty retail, distribution and specialty chemicals.
Before Banyan, Chris worked in the Investment Banking Group at BMO Capital Markets in Toronto. During his career Chris has worked on billions of dollars in transaction value through M&A advisory, equity and debt capital raising, principal investing, in house M&A and post-merger integration.
During his free time Chris enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing hockey and golf and staying active.
Chris holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (with Distinction) from Wilfrid Laurier University.
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Michael Kanovsky
Founder & CEO of Sky Energy Corp
In addition to being CEO of Sky Energy, Michael is a Founding Partner of Creative Destruction Lab (Rockies) and board member of several companies. Michael has made significant contributions in the oil, gas, renewable, power, real estate, marinas, and seniors healthcare industries. He has held founding roles as director and shareholder in numerous companies, including Northstar Energy Corporation which he co-founded and sold to Devon Energy. Michael was a founding director and shareholder of ARC Resources Ltd., North American Oilsands Ltd., Bonavista Petroleum Ltd. (Lead Director), and Seven Generations Energy Ltd. Michael has also served on the boards of Devon Energy Corporation, Pure Technologies Ltd. (Lead Director), TransAlta Corporation, and Precision Drilling Inc. (Vice Chair).
Michael is a Director Emeritus of the Advisory Board of the Ivey School of Business and the Founder and Director of the Kanovsky Family Foundation, established in 2004. His community service includes currently serving as Patron’s Council Member for the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and past roles as Vice Chair of the Alberta Children's Hospital Board and Alberta Chair of the Young Presidents Organization.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) degree in Mechanical Engineering from Queen's University and a Masters of Business Administration from the Ivey School of Business. He is also a Professional Engineer.
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Rick Watkin
President & CEO of KUBRA
Rick has been President and CEO of KUBRA since 1999. He has successfully led the company through remarkable organic growth, a management buyout with private equity, and a number of acquisitions which led to a private sale of 80% of the company to the Hearst Corporation.
Rick sets the companies long-term vision, fosters tenacity, and heads up KUBRA's day-to-day operations. He also develops strategies focused on profitable growth, expansion into new markets, and the use of transformative technologies.
Rick received the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2010 in Ontario. During his tenure as CEO, KUBRA was Great Place to Work Certified in the U.S. and Canada for five consecutive years, from 2019 to 2024. From 2021 to 2023, it was named one of Arizona's Most Admired Companies. In 2018 and from 2021 to 2023, it was recognized as one of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ by Waterstone Human Capital.
Rick has participated as a judge for Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, sits on various advisory boards including the board of Kids’ Health Links Foundation, and is a member of NACHA, Vistage, the Young Presidents’ Organization, and the MacKay CEO Forums. Rick previously served on the board of AlsoEnergy and Clairvest Group Inc.
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Lee Berger
CEO of Octacom Limited
Lee is the CEO of Octacom Limited, an intelligent process automation and digital transformation company with offices in Canada and the US. During Lee’s tenure, Octacom has grown the business meaningfully organically and through acquisitions, rebuilt its software platform and entered new markets. Additionally, Lee is an active investor in lower midmarket private companies, and advisor to a number of search funds.
Prior to Octacom, Lee served as Vice President with Vendian Capital, a globally focused private investment company headquartered in London, UK. At Vendian, Lee was responsible for managing a private equity portfolio in the agriculture and energy sectors, as well as sourcing and evaluating new opportunities. Prior to joining Langara, Lee worked in the Global Capital Markets division of Scotia Capital in Toronto and New York.
Lee has founded several businesses, including True North Sports Camps, Care Chairs Home Health (acquired in 2015), and WinJunkie (acquired in 2013).
Lee holds an Honours of Business Administration from the Ivey Business School.
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Michael Scheeringa
Managing Director of SAR Trilogy
Michael is a co-founder and managing director of SAR Trilogy Management, an aviation investment and management company. Before he founded SAR Trilogy in 2015, he was the President and CEO of BBA Aviation Flight Support, which comprised Signature Flight Support, the world’s leading FBO network, and ASIG, a leading operator of commercial aviation fueling services. Under his leadership, Signature grew from 85 to 124 global locations, almost doubled in revenue and tripled profit resulting in the company outperforming the market in 65 out of the last 72 months of his tenure.
From 2004-2008, Michael served as CEO of Flight Options LLC, one of the world’s largest operators of business jets. He was responsible for the turnaround of the business taking it from a negative 20% margin to a positive 5% margin. Prior to that he spent 13 years at US Airways in various leadership positions.
Michael received his BS in Transportation and Logistics Management from Arizona State University. Michael was a board member of the Central Florida Expressway Authority. He is a Past Chairman of the National Air Transportation Association and a private pilot.
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