Our Team

Steven Applegate

I joined Habersham Funding in 2002 and presently serve as Director of the Policy Acquisitions Group, managing all policy acquisition and trading activities. I have over 15 years experience in the insurance-linked industry of life settlements and over 30 years experience in sales and marketing. As a former life insurance agent, I understand the needs and expectations of both life isurance producers and their policyholders. Within the secondary life insurance market, I have built and maintained alliances with settlement brokers, insurance producer groups and other business partners and have developed industry-leading experience in the analysis and pricing of life insurance policies. I attended the University of Kentucky for my undergraduate studies in Marketing.

Corrie Blazina

I joined Habersham Funding in 2007 and presently serve as a Client Relations Manager in the Policy Acquisitions Group, procuring the requisite information for due diligence in potential life settlement transactions, negotiating terms and conditions for a policy acquisition, facilitating the closing process, and maintaining quality relationships with related producers, brokers and agents. I have over 12 years experience in the insurance industry, 7 of which are in the insurance-linked industry of life settlements. As a former life insurance underwriter, I have extensive understanding of life insurance policies and medical impairments. I have held insurance licenses in 3 states and also hold the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation awarded by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Herbert Buffington

I am a founding member of the Habersham Funding team and have been a principal in predecessor entities related to life insurance and the insurance-linked industry of life settlements. I presently serve as Director of Accounting & Human Resources, managing all human resources and accounting activities for the company, including external financial reporting to state regulatory agencies. I completed my undergraduate curriculum at Duke University and graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University.

Logan Byers

I joined Habersham Funding in 2006 and presently serve as a Client Relations Manager in the Policy Acquisitions Group, procuring the requisite information for due diligence in potential life settlement transactions, negotiating terms and conditions for a policy acquisition, facilitating the closing process, and maintaining quality relationships with related producers, brokers and agents. I hold a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a concentration in Economics, from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business and studied at the University of Innsbruck in Austria. I also hold the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation awarded by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Yunfei Chi

I joined Habersham in 2012 as a Financial Analyst, supporting the Valuations & Analytics practice of Habersham Funding, LLC. In January, 2013, I returned to graduate school at Georgia State University to pursue a Master of Science in Math and Statistics and I am presently serving as an Intern with Habersham Capital Management, LLC. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Shanghai University and a Master of Science in Finance, with a minor in Statistics, from the College of Business at Auburn University.

Robert Cloninger

I joined Habersham Funding in 2008 as Director of Information Technology & Applications Development after serving as an IT consultant for Habersham with Intellinet since 2006. I presently manage Habersham’s server infrastructure and systems, database and information management, and am the architecture of its proprietary origination, servicing, portfolio management, and policy valuations platforms. My prior technology services experience includes affiliations with Xcentric, Avanade, and CareerBuilder. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Furman University. I am a Microsoft Certified Professional a member of the Upsilon Pi Epsilon Honor Society for the Computing and Information Disciplines.

Denise Delph

I joined Habersham Funding in 2007 and currently serve as Closing Coordinator in the Closing & Post-Closing Services Group, facilitating the policy closing process by reviewing settlement contracts, identifying discrepancies, and obtaining require documentations to complete due diligence in accordance with internal compliance and state insurance requirements. Prior to joining Habersham, my career experience included over 12 years in the financial services and insurance industries. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a minor in Marketing from Strayer University. I also hold the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation awarded by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Catherine Dodge

I joined Habersham Funding in 2006 and currently work with the Legal Department as Projects and Contracts Coordinator, preparing contracts and managing licensing, among many other responsibilities. By serving various administrative roles before my current position, I have acquired experience and an understanding of life settlements in many different areas of operations. I attended the Georgia Institute of Technology for undergraduate studies in Biology and Business Management.

M. Bryan Freeman

In 2001 I founded Habersham Funding LLC and presently serve as its President and Managing Member. I also serve as Chairman of its affiliates, Habersham Capital Markets, LLC, a registered Broker-Dealer, and Habersham Capital Management, LLC, a State of Georgia Registered Investment Advisor.

I have invested over 30 years in life insurance related businesses and over 21 years pioneering the development of the insurance-linked investment industry of life settlements. I have been recognized internationally for my longstanding efforts in developing the secondary market for life insurance and have been actively involved in the development of responsible regulation and legislation since the industry’s inception. I frequently speak about and write on life settlements and have testified before state legislative committees, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) on related issues. I have also lobbied aggressively for the rights of federal employees and veterans to transact life settlements, and for preferred tax-free treatment of life settlements for the terminally ill.

In 2006, upon completion of 4 terms as President of The Life Insurance Settlements Association, I was honored with resolutions from both houses of the Georgia Legislature for my life settlement industry leadership. In 2009, I was named by the Life Settlement Review as one of the 10 most influential people in the settlement industry. In addition to my career activities with insurance related entities, I am a founding investor and member of the Board of Directors of Atlanta-based Private Bancshares, Inc. and The Private Bank of Buckhead. I studied at The Darlington School and The Georgia Institute of Technology and hold various individual licenses in the life insurance industry.

Adam Hicks

I joined Habersham Funding in 2009 as General Counsel after investing over 11 years in Estate & Life Insurance Planning. Prior to my life insurance related practices, I served as a Georgia State Court Prosecutor and Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy. I hold a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and a Juris Doctorate from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University.

Jonathan Jarrell

I joined Habersham in 2009 as Associate General Counsel with my primary responsibilities directed to regulatory compliance and regulatory relationships. I hold a Juris Doctor from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University, magna cum laude, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Wake Forest University. Prior to law school, I invested over 7 years in internal auditing with Aaron Rents.

Brian J. Masters

I am a founding member of the Habersham Funding team and joined a predecessor company in 1998. I currently serve as a Medical Underwriter, performing initial subjective review and analysis of medical records submitted for consideration of a life settlement. I have worked in multiple disciplines of the Habersham practice and have been engaged in knowledge-transfer activities with many of our colleagues. Prior to joining Habersham, my career experience utilized medical and legal knowledge in performing duties for law firms, corporations and the court system. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Northern Iowa and the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation awarded by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Cynthia McBurnett

I am a founding member of the Habersham Funding team, and have worked with its predecessor companies over the past 16 years. I currently serve as Director of Closing & Post-Closing Services, managing its policy closing processes, post-closing services, and annual reporting to state regulators to satisfy licensure requirements. My life settlement experience is uniquely diverse, having previously worked in most areas of operations, including case development, valuations, and distribution. I attended The Darlington School and Mercer University.

Deneda D. Mosley

I joined Habersham Funding in 2010 and currently serve as Accountant. My primary duties include managing all applications of the company’s internal accounting/booking practice affecting all accounts payable and receivable activities. I reconcile all bank accounts; prepare annual budget and monthly financial reports; work with our public accounting firm on the annual audit and other financial related duties as tasked by Habersham’s executive management. Prior to joining Habersham, I invested 12 years in the Financial Service industry as a Consumer New Accounts Representative in the banking industry and a Mortgage Consultant. I’ve dedicated the last 5 years to Accounting and Taxes. I hold a Bachelor of Applied Science in Finance with a minor in Management, Certified from Davenport University. Also, I hold the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation awarded by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Sharon Mosley

I joined Habersham Funding in 2006 and currently serve as Receptionist & Administrative Support. Prior to joining Habersham, I invested over 14 years as an Executive Secretary in the Macy’s organization and as a Claims Control Group Leader in its Corporate Bankruptcy Division. My previous career experience also includes over 10 years as an Executive Secretary at the Consumer Credit Counseling Service. I attended Barber-Scotia College and hold an Associate Degree in Secretarial Science from King’s College.

Charlene Nandlal-Smith

I joined Habersham Funding in 2005 and currently serve as Director of the Medical Forensics and Mortality Underwriting Group and the Client Data Analysis Group, overseeing its insured party underwriting practice. Prior to joining Habersham, my career experience included over 8 years in the financial services and insurance industries with responsibilities that included regulatory compliance. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with a minor in Biology, from Georgia State University.

Christopher Partido

I joined Habersham Funding in 2007 and currently serve as Director of the Valuations & Analytics Group. My primary responsibilities include the analysis of policy data that includes policy illustrations and life expectancy reports; decomposing the anatomy of each policy to identify unique policy characteristics that may create value for the policy seller and investor; and modeling multiple valuations scenarios utilizing the proprietary Habersham Analytics system that includes deterministic, probabilistic, stochastic and weighted averaging methodologies. I also actively interface with our investors on policy valuation related issues. I hold a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance, from Georgia State University and the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation awarded by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Cindy Prestridge

I am a founding member of the Habersham Funding team, and have worked with Habersham and its predecessor companies over the past 21 years. I currently serve as Director of Insured Party Tracking and Policy Servicing. In my role as Director of Insured Party Tracking, I oversee the monitoring of insured parties’ location and the tracking of insured parties’ death status (within regulatory allowed parameters) and the filing and collection of death claims with the respective insurance companies. In my role as Director of Policy Servicing, I serve as the post-closing liaison with all insurance carriers and oversee the payment of policy premiums, collection of updated insured party medical records (with regulatory parameters) and the billing/collection of post-closing service fees. I have also served as the non-IT contributor to the architecture of Habersham’s proprietary Policy Servicing System. During my 21 year career in the life settlements industry, I have worked in most every aspect of a regulated life settlements broker and provider entity’s operations.

Shundreka St. Julien

I joined Habersham Funding in 2007 and currently serve as a Senior Client Data Analyst. My primary responsibilities include reviewing, vetting and entering new policy data into Habersham’s proprietary policy management system. I also work on post closing services that include ordering updated medical records, insurance documents and life expectancy reports. Prior to joining Habersham Funding my experience included over 7 years of medical office administration including insurance billing, medical coding and receptionist duties. I attended Mississippi Delta Community College and have a Certificate in Medical Assistance from Medical Training College in Louisiana.

Stephen W. Turner

I joined Habersham Funding in 2008 and currently serve as a Client Relations Manager in the Policy Acquisitions Group, procuring the requisite information for due diligence in potential life settlement transactions, negotiating terms and conditions for a policy acquisition, facilitating the closing process, and maintaining quality relationships with related producers, brokers and agents. Prior to joining Habersham, my career experience included over 32 years in the life insurance industry. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Mass Communication from the Henry Grady College of Journalism at The University of Georgia and studied at the Goethe Institut in Blaubeuren, Germany. I also hold the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation awarded by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and a Life and Health Insurance License for the State of Georgia.

Gregory N. Waters

I joined Habersham in 2010 to construct and manage its capital markets practice and currently serve as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer of affiliates, Habersham Capital Markets, LLC, a registered Broker-Dealer, and Habersham Capital Management, LLC, a State of Georgia Registered Investment Advisor.

My prior financial service experience includes over 30 years in executive positions, constructing and managing capital markets, investment banking, and corporate finance practices for tier-one, super-regional and money-center, banking and financial institutions in the U.S., including SunTrust Robinson Humphrey; legacy Bankers Trust Company-New York and BT Securities Corporation (presently Deutsche Bank); GE Capital Corporation; The Bank of New York; legacy Wachovia Bank (presently Wells Fargo), and Regions Financial. I have invested the dominate portion of my career building practices that have raised capital and managed financial assets for financial and industrial entities. My career experience also includes serving as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of a publicly traded, multinational company where I engineered its capital restructuring and privatization.

I hold a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance, from Auburn University and a Master of Business Administration from Samford University. I have satisfied FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, 65,79 and 99 examinations and other related FINRA requirements. I am designated as a Certified Treasury Professional by the Association for Financial Professionals and also hold the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation awarded by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Max Zimmermann

I joined Habersham Funding in 2005 and presently serve Director of Client Services. I have developed training and educational programs for insurance agents, accountants, attorneys, and consumers related to the secondary market for life insurance and the value of life settlements. Most recently I adapted Habersham’s proven “Financial Planning for the Seriously Ill” curriculum for use by social workers, nurses, case managers and related professionals. In 2006, I assisted in implementing Life Settlement University, a web-based training program for insurance and financial professionals. While at Habersham, I have worked as a life settlement case manager, personally handling every phase of the life settlement process. Prior to joining Habersham, I invested over 15 years in the financial services industry as a stock broker and financial advisor. I attended Rollins College and also hold the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.