BHG Financial Leadership

Tyler Crawford is the President of BHG Financial. He is a seasoned executive with over 15 years of experience in financial services, business building, product strategy, and business development.

Beyond guiding BHG's vision and mission, Mr. Crawford oversees all lending functions under a single organization while still maintaining the role of Chief Operating Officer. Those responsibilities include leadership of loan sales and services, loan administration, credit and fraud operations, product & technology and enabling and corporate functions.

Since joining BHG in 2012, Mr. Crawford has held numerous executive roles across the organization, launching BHG's New York City office and leading initiatives focused on enhancing customer value, expanding market reach, and optimizing business efficiencies. 

His deep-rooted understanding of the lending industry has enabled BHG to set records in origination, revenue, and income, forging multiple new product and business development initiatives. These include BHG's credit card program and consumer lending, which have collectively served over 100,000 customers and generated over $1 billion in revenue.

Mr. Crawford participates in the company's strategic partnerships and investments as a board member at ApplePie Capital and Apiture. He also is a contributing member of the Forbes Council. He received his bachelor's degree from Gettysburg College.

Dan McSherry is the Chief Financial Officer for BHG Financial, overseeing the firm’s accounting and finance functions, capital markets activities, and growth and investments strategy.

Joining the company in 2013, he has served in management roles for analytics, reporting, and business intelligence before transitioning to CFO.

Mr. McSherry has been instrumental in BHG’s recent funding success, having closed eight asset-backed securitization transactions over the last three years.

Prior to BHG, he spent four years at Lockheed Martin Corporation and has significant experience in the financial services industry, having spent time with CIBC World Markets Inc., UBS Financial, and Charles Schwab & Co.

Mr. McSherry earned his bachelor’s degree in finance and economics and his MBA from Syracuse University.

Juan Carlos Ortigosa is the Chief Revenue Officer for BHG Financial, defining and maintaining the revenue strategy, conceiving and integrating the revenue system, and designing and launching new revenue programs.

Mr. Ortigosa began as the senior vice president of risk management at BHG Financial in 2012, followed by a tenure as chief credit officer. These experiences paved the way for his current position, where he is crucial in steering the company's revenue trajectory.

His impact on BHG Financial is defined by developing the company's first credit scoring model and introducing a suite of models driving revenue strategies. He is recognized for building one of the country's most agile data and analytics departments and expanding his team from one to 300 employees.

Before his tenure at BHG Financial, Mr. Ortigosa developed and trained the credit and analytics team at Bank Atlantic. In this role, he managed risk for a $5 billion portfolio and developed predictive models for estimating delinquency and loan loss.

Emphasizing the importance of teamwork, Mr. Ortigosa ensures his team works together toward common goals—making BHG Financial a leading financial services company and positively impacting customers' lives. His strategic insights and dedication to innovation and mentorship position him as a driving force behind BHG Financial's ongoing pursuit of excellence in the financial services sector.

Zachariah Raus is President of the Lending Division at BHG Financial.

He is a results-driven leader with over a decade of experience with growth and innovation in lending. Mr. Raus drives the organization's overall sales strategy and is responsible for developing and leading BHG’s high-performing sales teams.

He first joined BHG Financial in 2012, establishing a solid foundation and building BHG's health and wellness department, later transitioning into collections, patient lending, card services, and loan origination. His results led to rapid advancement and recognition, rising from sales manager to national sales manager, culminating in his current executive role.

Mr. Raus has established a highly successful sales organization with proven results – facilitating billions in business and personal loans. Recognized for his visionary leadership, genuine passion for developing top-tier talent, and extensive lending experience, Mr. Raus continues to be a driving force in BHG Financial's innovative strides and is a pivotal figure in propelling the lending industry forward.

Meghan Crawford-Hamlin is President of Institutional Sales at BHG Financial. She oversees bank partnerships and association relationships and is in charge of sales operations, strategy, and communications. 

Her national sales team focuses on growing premium revenue and enhancing the B2B experience for all institutions while driving sales strategy and market development.

Joining BHG in 2015, Ms. Crawford-Hamlin immediately supervised the company's most extensive institutional portfolio, managing relationships with hundreds of community banks nationwide, and facilitating the sale of hundreds of millions in financing. 

Prior to joining BHG Financial, Ms. Crawford-Hamlin served as director at The Fitch Group Company, managing growth for their largest portfolio of North American clients. Before that, she worked for IAC, an American holding company that owns brands across 100 countries. 

Ms. Crawford-Hamlin is an active member of the American Bankers Association and the Independent Community Bankers Association. She also sits on the board of Pathfinder Bank and works with Go Red for Women as a Woman of Impact Team Member. 

She holds a bachelor's degree from Bucknell University.

Gale Simons-Poole is the Chief Risk Officer for BHG Financial.

She is in charge of safeguarding BHG Financial’s interests and reputation by effectively managing and mitigating its business risk. Ms. Simons-Poole moved into this position from her role as Chief Regulatory Relations Officer where she oversaw regulatory and compliance matters for the organization.  

Prior to BHG, Ms. Simons-Poole spent 25 years at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). As their deputy regional director for risk management supervision, she oversaw 300 examiners across seven states, leading their risk management exam program for the southeast United States. During her time with the FDIC, she also completed Harvard’s John F Kennedy School of Government Federal Executive Leadership Program and the FDIC’s Women's Executive Leadership Program.

After departing the FDIC, she joined Promontory Financial Group as a director. She worked with many financial service clients, from large money center banks to fintechs, giving her insight into the challenges of managing business risk, evolving technology, and adapting business strategies.

Matt Ondus is the Chief Compliance Officer for BHG Financial.

He oversees the compliance, regulatory, and legal teams that maintain the day-to-day operations, focusing on managing consumer protection, financial service, and federal and state banking laws.

An expert in consumer protection laws and regulations, Mr. Ondus has 38 years of senior-level financial regulatory experience working in the public and private sectors.

Before BHG, Mr. Ondus was a commissioned national bank examiner for the Office of the Comptroller of Currency. He also worked for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as the examiner in charge of overseeing two of the largest banks in the country. He then moved to the private sector as a director for Promontory Financial Group.

He is a member of the Alabama State Bar, holding his Juris Doctor degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law.

Katie Barnes is the Chief Human Resources Officer at BHG Financial. She oversees the strategy and direction of BHG's People Development (PD) department and advocates for employees' personal and professional development.

Her strategic vision and approach to organizational development have played a vital role in building the PD department and creating BHG's dynamic workforce, adding stability through the company's period of accelerated growth.

She helped to create an environment that attracts top talent while ensuring BHG maintains its high standard of core values focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. This positive culture was critical during the company’s shift to a hybrid and remote workforce.

As a result of her efforts, BHG's award-winning culture is recognized regionally and nationally by publications such as Fortune, Inc., American Banker, and the South Florida and Central New York Business Journals every year.

Ms. Barnes graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Science in event management and hospitality management.

Thomas Davis is the Chief Placements Officer for BHG Financial. He oversees all analytics and reporting for placements, placement team operations, and the funding team.

Mr. Davis's team manages the cost of funds (COF) for daily loan sales to more than 1,600 community banks nationwide and is responsible for all collateral regarding Capital Markets transactions – often called upon to administer custom buying and selling events.

He began his career at BHG as a lead analyst, providing insight into loan sale methodology, costs, auction trends, bank industry trends, and institutional marketing. Prior to this, Mr. Davis was a senior analyst at National Grid, providing analysis and contract management for D-Line construction and service contracts under the PM&CC group. He was vice president of Sedgwick Capital Corporation, managing operations related to providing construction and receivables financing for the resort timeshare industry.

Mr. Davis is a New York Air National Guard veteran and received a bachelor's in psychology from Le Moyne College.

Ed Durant is the Chief Credit Officer at BHG Financial, leading the Credit Risk Management and Risk Modeling teams. He oversees credit decisions on all BHG personal and commercial loan products.

A vital member of BHG Financial since 2003, Mr. Durant was the chief financial officer for over 13 years, where he helped grow BHG from under $5 million in revenue in 2003 to nearly $216 million in revenue in 2018. He was also the main contributor in developing BHG’s credit risk and pricing framework.

In 2018, Mr. Durant was named to Central New York’s 40 Under Forty list, recognizing leadership in the workplace and community. He also received an award from the Business Journal News Network recognizing private company CFOs.

Mr. Durant has a bachelor’s in economics from Colgate University.

Christopher Cali, ESQ, is the Chief Legal Officer for BHG Financial.

Mr. Cali brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role. He oversees all legal affairs within the organization. This includes everything from compliance, collections, litigation, and customer service. Under his leadership, he ensures that BHG Financial remains compliant with all laws and regulations governing lending and financial operations.

Before joining the firm, he owned and operated a legal practice in New York, concentrating on commercial transactions and corporate representation. He is licensed to practice law in the state of New York and is a member of both the New York State and Onondaga County Bar Associations.

Chris earned his Juris Doctor cum laude from Suffolk University Law School, where he was a member of the Moot Court Board. He also earned a master’s degree from Regent University, as well as a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Oswego.

John Henrie is the Chief Regulatory Relations Officer for BHG Financial.

He plays a central role in navigating all regulatory matters, including reviews from various federal and state authorities. He also supports enterprise risk management programs and reporting.

Mr. Henrie joined BHG Financial in 2022 as senior vice president, regulatory relations officer, overseeing all business practices and ensuring regulations are properly understood and satisfactorily met.

Before BHG Financial, he spent more than 34 years with the FDIC, most recently serving as regional director of FDIC’s Atlanta Region, handling every aspect of the FDIC’s supervisory activities. This role included managing risk management and compliance programs, overseeing regulatory applications and notices, and coordinating informal and formal corrective programs for financial institutions with assets of up to 500 billion dollars. He also led bank regulators and banking industry efforts to identify and respond to emerging, complex banking matters, including challenges arising during the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.

John Antonczak is an Executive Vice President at BHG Financial and an advisory member of the BHG Board of Directors. 

Mr. Antonczak oversees various financial and strategic initiatives throughout the organization. He joined BHG Financial in 2019 with extensive experience in finance, capital markets, and corporate strategy. His background includes asset securitization, leveraged lending, and corporate banking, and he has closed over $5 billion in commercial financings over his career.

He has held various senior leadership roles at large regional banks, including Flagstar Bank and Fifth Third Bank after having spent time with Royal Bank of Canada and Comerica Bank.

He received his MBA from the University of Michigan and holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 licenses.

Hugh Queener is an Executive Vice President at BHG Financial.

Before his role as EVP, Mr. Queener was chief administrative officer of Pinnacle Bank and Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. in Nashville, TN, a position he had held since the company was formed in 2000.

Prior to joining Pinnacle, he spent 13 years at First American National Bank/AmSouth in a variety of positions, including senior vice president of operations support, executive vice president of general banking, executive vice president of operations and technology, and executive vice president of retail lending programs. Prior to rejoining First American, Hugh held executive-level positions at software providers the Kirchman Corporation and Systeme Corporation.

Hugh Queener is an Executive Vice President at BHG Financial.

Before his role as EVP, Mr. Queener was chief administrative officer of Pinnacle Bank and Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. in Nashville, TN, a position he had held since the company was formed in 2000.

Prior to joining Pinnacle, he spent 13 years at First American National Bank/AmSouth in a variety of positions, including senior vice president of operations support, executive vice president of general banking, executive vice president of operations and technology, and executive vice president of retail lending programs. Prior to rejoining First American, Hugh held executive-level positions at software providers the Kirchman Corporation and Systeme Corporation.

April Brissette is BHG Financial's EVP of Administrative and Operational Risk. 

Ms. Brissette is responsible for the daily administrative risk operations within the organization. She acts as a liaison between various stakeholders to streamline government affairs, compliance, and legal processes. Under her leadership, her team also supports the BHG Financial Institutional Network Sales and Placements teams while also handling loan modifications.

Additionally, Ms. Brissette oversees the Project Apple team, a pivotal initiative aimed at identifying and capitalizing on opportunities throughout BHG's production funnel. 

Before her current role, Ms. Brissette held various leadership roles throughout her 17+ year tenure with the company, including BHG's chief of staff to the CEO, president of Fund-Ex Solutions Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of BHG, and chief credit officer of BHG.

Ms. Brissette currently serves as treasurer on the board of directors for David's Refuge, a non-profit organization that supports parents and guardians of children with special needs or life-threatening medical conditions. She is a member of the 2020 class of Leadership Greater Syracuse, won a Central New York 40 Under Forty Award, and was named "Outstanding Mentor" at the Central New York Business Journal's Successful Business Women Awards.

Danielle Walker is Executive Vice President of Strategy & Operations at BHG Financial. She oversees revenue operations, data platform management, vendor and third-party relationships, strategic partnerships, and reporting.

Each year, Mrs. Walker is responsible for delivering the company's revenue roadmap. She works closely with product and technology to implement strategic organizational changes.  From data acquisition through visualization, she navigates business intelligence to ensure quality data is delivered to the company while conceptualizing new ways to expand BHG's marketable universe.

Since joining the company in 2012, she's been an integral figurehead within BHG, gaining experience in all divisions, including reporting, analytics, data, marketing, and sales operations.

Mrs. Walker completed Stanford University's Executive Education Program and graduated from The University of Florida's Warrington College of Business with a bachelor's degree in finance and business administration. In 2023, the South Florida Business Journal named her to their Most Influential Business Women list. She is actively involved in various charities in her community including the Boys and Girls Club, Salvation Army Angel Tree, and Make-A-Wish.

Christopher Capecelatro is the Senior Vice President of Credit Operations for BHG Financial.

Mr. Capecelatro leads the credit team in executing the broader strategic vision of the organization. Building out the company’s small business underwriting capabilities, he focuses on developing application pathways that are low hassle for borrowers, powered by technology, and scalable. Utilizing bank transaction data, he developed a process that has pushed the boundaries of the previously established medical professional borrower archetype to a more dynamic approach that includes more accurate decisions based on timelier financial information encompassing risks applicable to all businesses.

Before joining BHG, he was a founding employee at Funding Circle U.S. He spent eight and a half years as director of U.S. underwriting, building the underwriting function from the ground up and developing, launching, and managing the transition to proprietary web-based underwriting software. He also previously worked as manager of credit at AIG Global Risk Management, owning and executing strategies to collect outstanding collateral, legal documents, and other receivables while overhauling the underwriting processes to optimize risk-adjusted profitability.

Mr. Capecelatro holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of New Hampshire.

Jenny Mechali is the Senior Vice President of Shared Services at BHG Financial.

She oversees business operations and is a central figure focusing on leading transformational initiatives and process excellence, ensuring BHG is in the best position to meet its financial goals. Her role includes handling operational strategy and program management, helping to streamline BHG’s processes, and improving customer experiences. She is also responsible for the enterprise sourcing and vendor management function, which is comprised of vendor negotiations, contracts, sourcing, and RFPs. 

An experienced leader with a demonstrated history in strategy, operations, and financial and vendor management, she previously held roles at Ultimate Software and Citrix. 

Ms. Mechali has a Bachelor of Business (B.B.A.) from Florida Atlantic University and is certified in Six Sigma methodologies and agile delivery frameworks.