Our Team
Paul Howard Johnson
Chief Executive Officer
From 1996 to December 2004, Paul was employed at several Fortune 500 companies including Telus and WestJet in Technical Sales, Operations and Customer Excellence Support, and Leadership roles. He also built and sold Johnson and Stewart Construction in 2000. Paul entered the Oil and Gas Industry through various positions with Kudu Industries and Zedi Inc. from 2005 to 2008. In mid 2008, Paul joined Petrotranz and led the company as President to a successful exit and sale with the Daily Mail (U.K) in December of 2016.
Paul remained with Petrotranz as President and CEO until the end of 2018 and after his departure, he co-founded Cevello Management Corporation in early 2020. Cevello is a private Midstream Supply Chain Service investment company currently developing, investing in, and operationally supporting several companies which provide a range of cold chain storage, clean energy, logistics, trade finance and agrifood products and services.
Mr. Johnson received a post graduate Applied Information Technology Diploma from the Information Technology Institute in Calgary in 2001.
Specialties: Corporate Development, Business and Product Development, Operations, Strategic Planning and Execution.
Darcy Dando
Chief Investment Officer
As the Chief Investment Officer at Cevello, Darcy is an accomplished executive finance professional with a distinguished background. Over a thirty-year career, he has amassed extensive experience within the investment and private banking divisions of private boutiques and renowned international financial institutions, including Citigroup, Barclays, Credit Suisse, and Standard Chartered. Darcy's professional journey has taken him across prominent financial hubs, where he has been based in Toronto, New York, London, and Dubai. His expertise is finely honed by having provided investment advice and crafting wealth management solutions for clients spanning the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
In his strategic role, Darcy plays a pivotal part in shaping the overall investment strategy at Cevello. He possesses a profound understanding of global financial markets and employs a disciplined approach to the investment research, analysis, and decision- making process at Cevello. His expertise extends across all aspects of company financial matters, where he excels in optimizing capital structures, financial modelling, and company valuations.
Mr. Dando holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta. Demonstrating a steadfast commitment to continuous growth, he has earned several investment certifications and furthered his professional development having attained the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Financial Modelling & Valuations Analyst (FMVA) designations.
Specialties: Investment Analysis, Asset Management, Investment Banking, Private Wealth Management, Financial Modelling and Valuations.
Ryan Maarschalk
Corporate Financial Officer
Ryan Maarschalk has served as CFO and director for various companies across Canada. In 2015, he was CFO and lead on the sale of IMPACT Radio Accessories to Founders Advantage Capital. In 2019, Ryan was CFO and Director with E Sports Entertainment Inc.(ESE) which listed on the TSXV by way of a reverse takeover transaction. The organization acquired 5 global companies and raised $13M for the acquisitions during 2019 - 2021. Since 2018, Ryan has been involved in raising $85M for various private and public companies for growth in real estate, investment funds, family offices, cannabis, and E Sports.
Ryan has worked with Cevello Management Corporation since its inception in early 2020 and works closely with management in raising capital, selecting assets for investment, and overseeing the finance department.
Education: Ryan completed a Bachelor of Science degree in 2003 from Western Michigan University where he captained the tennis team as a NCAA Division 1 College Athlete. In 2016, he received the chartered professional accountant (CPA) designation.
Specialties: CFO, Corporate finance and M&A.
Co-Founder, Executive Vice President
John Millikin
With a master’s degree in International Conflict Resolution from Trinity College Dublin, additional degrees in Political Science, Philosophy, Mediation/Negotiation, and extensive travels for work and education purposes, John provides a variety of skill sets to the Cevello team.
Raised in a politically active and entrepreneurial household, John has had a lifelong interest in socio-economics. In 1994 at age 17, John suffered a spinal cord injury during a Junior Hockey game which altered the course of his life. After his injury and an extensive rehabilitation process, John went on to study international politics and travel the world. In his travels, John actively met with leaders of nations, movements, and industry, giving him a broad view of what impacts society and enabling him to develop a keen sense to recognize opportunities. While studying and practicing mediation in Belfast, N.Ireland, John shadowed the Canadian Representative for the Ireland Fund and Backroom Negotiator for the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement. During this endeavour, John actively learned about the value of collaboration and negotiation in tense environments.
Having acquired experience in Advertising, Conflict Resolution, Think Tank analysis, and Film, John moved to Kelowna in 2011 where he started a family and ventured into entrepreneurialism. In early 2020, he co-founded Cevello Management Corporation where he proudly resides as Executive Vice President and Co-Chairman.
Specialties: Opportunity Analysis, Team Building, Writing, Marketing, Mediation/Negotiation