Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 74
74
( 2025 )
SPONSOR CONTENT
Purpose prevails for HomeEquity Bank employees
A
t HomeEquity
Bank (HEB), “know
your client” is not
only a maxim or a
regulatory requirement. Inspired by the distinct
demographic the bank serves, it’s
the motivating spirit throughout
the organization.
HEB is the only Schedule 1 bank
in Canada that focuses solely on
the needs of homeowners aged
55 and over. To that end, it offers
a range of reverse mortgage solutions that enable them to access
the equity they’ve built up in their
homes.
“Our purpose is to help every
aging Canadian live a life with dignity, independence, and empowerment in the home they love, for
as long as they can,” says Sherry
Dondo, senior vice president and
chief human resources officer.
“That means such things as not
having to worry about outliving
their retirement savings, whether
they can handle major unexpected
expenses, or finding joy in doing
the things they love, like travelling
or spending time with family.
“All of our employees believe in
that purpose and are aligned with
that purpose.”
It starts with the hiring process.
Dondo says the bank’s values and
variety of career opportunities
attract individuals of all ages.
She notes that those working
with aging Canadians are often
motivated by a desire to make a
positive impact in people’s lives,
going above and beyond in their
roles.
That would be a fair description of Clive Coke, regional vice
president, broker channel, who
joined HEB in 2015 as a mid-career
professional with extensive knowledge of the Canadian mortgage
market.
His responsibilities include
working with independent mortgage brokers and agents throughout Canada to ensure they’re
knowledgeable about the bank’s
products and serving clients with
the respect they deserve.
“We value our brokers, so we
help them with their businesses
and make it easier for them to
offer their services at a very high
level,” Coke says. “They trust us.”
Founded in 1986 using the direct-to-consumer model, the bank
connected with its early customers
using the only technology then
widely available – the telephone.
HEB has since expanded its product line and distribution channels
and kept pace with trends in
banking and technology.
“Human interaction is so
important. It fosters caring
and empathy and helps us
build connections and a
better understanding of the
needs of our employees
and clients.”
— Sherry Dondo
Senior Vice President &
Chief Human Resources Officer
Photo goes here
The new HomeEquity Bank office opened in 2023 and was designed with the comfort and productivity of its
employees in mind.
Still, Dondo says that while the
bank will continue to enhance its
digitization processes for customers, telephone conversations will
always be an option.
“Human interaction is so
important,” she says. “It fosters
caring and empathy and helps us
build connections and a better
understanding of the needs of our
employees and clients.”
The value the company places
on interpersonal connections is
also reflected in its downtown
Toronto head office. HEB took
advantage of the disruptions of the
pandemic to rethink its workplace
and moved to a new location in
2023.
The result is a large, open office
space designed to encourage
collaboration by being both
