Our Team

Steven Applegate

Mr. Applegate joined Habersham Funding in 2002 and presently serves as Director of the Policy Acquisitions Group, managing all policy acquisition and trading activities. Steve has 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, he understands the needs and expectations of both life isurance producers and their policyholders. Within the secondary life insurance market, he has built and maintained alliances with settlement brokers, insurance producer groups and other business partners and has developed industry-leading experience in the analysis and pricing of life insurance policies. Steve attended the University of Kentucky for his undergraduate studies in Marketing.

Corrie Blazina

Ms. Blazina joined Habersham Funding in 2007 and presently serves 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. She has 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, she has extensive understanding of life insurance policies and medical impairments. She has 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

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

Logan Byers

Mr. Byers joined Habersham Funding in 2006 and presently serves 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. He holds 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. Logan also holds the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation awarded by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Yunfei Chi

Mr. Chi joined Habersham in 2012 as a Financial Analyst, supporting the Valuations & Analytics practice of Habersham Funding, LLC. In January, 2013, he returned to graduate school at Georgia State University to pursue a Master of Science in Math and Statistics and is presently serving as an Intern with Habersham Capital Management, LLC. Yunfei holds 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.

Catherine Dodge

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

M. Bryan Freeman

In 2001 Mr. Freeman founded Habersham Funding LLC and presently serves as its President and Managing Member. He also serves as Chairman of its affiliate, Habersham Capital Management, LLC, a State of Georgia Registered Investment Advisor.

Bryan has invested over 35 years in life insurance related businesses and over 23 years pioneering the development of the insurance-linked investment industry of life settlements. He has been recognized internationally for his longstanding efforts in developing the secondary market for life insurance and has been actively involved in the development of responsible regulation and legislation since the industry’s inception. Bryan frequently speaks about and writes on life settlements and has testified before state legislative committees, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) on related issues. He has 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, Bryan was honored with resolutions from both houses of the Georgia Legislature for his life settlement industry leadership. In 2009, he was named by the Life Settlement Review as one of the 10 most influential people in the settlement industry. In addition to his career activities with insurance related entities, Bryan is a founding investor and member of the Board of Directors of Atlanta-based Private Bancshares, Inc. and The Private Bank of Buckhead. He studied at The Darlington School and The Georgia Institute of Technology and holds various individual licenses in the life insurance industry.

Adam Hicks

Mr. Hicks joined Habersham Funding in 2009 as General Counsel after investing over 11 years in Estate & Life Insurance Planning. Prior to his life insurance related practices, he served as a Georgia State Court Prosecutor and Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy. Adam holds 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.

Brian J. Masters

Mr. Masters is a founding member of the Habersham Funding team and joined a predecessor company in 1998. He currently serves as a Medical Underwriter, performing initial subjective review and analysis of medical records submitted for consideration of a life settlement. He has worked in multiple disciplines of the Habersham practice and have been engaged in knowledge-transfer activities with many of his colleagues. Prior to joining Habersham, his career experience utilized medical and legal knowledge in performing duties for law firms, corporations and the court system. Brian holds 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.

Deneda D. Mosley

Ms. Mosley joined Habersham Funding in 2010 and currently serves as Accountant. Her primary duties include managing all applications of the company’s internal accounting/booking practice affecting all accounts payable and receivable activities. She reconciles all bank accounts; prepares annual budget and monthly financial reports; works 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, she invested 12 years in the Financial Service industry as a Consumer New Accounts Representative in the banking industry and a Mortgage Consultant. She dedicated the last 5 years to Accounting and Taxes. Deneda holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Finance with a minor in Management, Certified from Davenport University. Also, she holds the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation awarded by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Sharon Mosley

Mrs. Mosley joined Habersham Funding in 2006 and currently serves as Receptionist & Administrative Support. Prior to joining Habersham, she 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. Her previous career experience also includes over 10 years as an Executive Secretary at the Consumer Credit Counseling Service. Sharon attended Barber-Scotia College and holds an Associate Degree in Secretarial Science from King’s College.

Charlene Nandlal-Smith

Mrs. Nandlal-Smith joined Habersham Funding in 2005 and currently serves 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, her career experience included over 8 years in the financial services and insurance industries with responsibilities that included regulatory compliance. Charlene holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with a minor in Biology, from Georgia State University.

Christopher Partido

Mr. Partido joined Habersham Funding in 2007 and currently serves as Director of the Valuations & Analytics Group. His 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. He also actively interfaces with our investors on policy valuation related issues. Chris holds 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

Mrs. Prestridge is a founding member of the Habersham Funding team, and has worked with Habersham and its predecessor companies over the past 23 years. She currently serves as Director of Insured Party Tracking and Policy Servicing. In her role as Director of Insured Party Tracking, she oversees 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 her role as Director of Policy Servicing, she serves as the post-closing liaison with all insurance carriers and oversees the payment of policy premiums, collection of updated insured party medical records (within regulatory parameters) and the billing/collection of post-closing service fees. Cindy has also served as the non-IT contributor to the architecture of Habersham’s proprietary Policy Servicing System. During her 23 year career in the life settlements industry, she has worked in most every aspect of a regulated life settlements broker and provider entity’s operations.

Shundreka St. Julien

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

Gregory N. Waters

Mr. Waters joined Habersham in 2010 to construct and manage its capital markets practice that included the formation and management of affiliates Habersham Capital Markets, LLC, a registered Broker-Dealer, and Habersham Capital Management, LLC, a State of Georgia Registered Investment Advisor. He served as President, COO and AML/CCO for Habersham Capital Markets until its sale to a third party investment firm in 2013 and presently serves as President and CCO for Habersham Capital Management.

Greg's prior financial service experience includes over 25 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; legacy Wachovia Bank (presently Wells Fargo), and Regions Financial. He has invested the dominate portion of his career building practices that have raised capital and managed financial assets for financial and industrial entities. Greg's 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 he engineered its capital restructuring and privatization.

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

Max Zimmermann

Mr. Zimmerman joined Habersham Funding in 2005 and presently serves as Director of Client Services. He has 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 he adapted Habersham’s proven “Financial Planning for the Seriously Ill” curriculum for use by social workers, nurses, case managers and related professionals. In 2006, he assisted in implementing Life Settlement University, a web-based training program for insurance and financial professionals. While at Habersham, he has worked as a life settlement case manager, personally handling every phase of the life settlement process. Prior to joining Habersham, Max invested over 15 years in the financial services industry as a stock broker and financial advisor. He attended Rollins College and also holds the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) accreditation by the internationally recognized Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.