People

Northern Trust Corp. has hired David Lester, 41, to lead Canadian institutional sales for asset management at Northern Trust Global Advisors Inc.

Northern Trust Corp. has hired David Lester, 41, to lead Canadian institutional sales for asset management at Northern Trust Global Advisors Inc.

He will focus on manager-of-managers investment products for Canadian pension plans, charitable organizations and other institutions. In addition, Mr. Lester will be responsible for marketing Northern Trust’s investment capabilities such as global-index and alternative-investment products.

Previously, he was director of national accounts for the Canadian unit of SEI Investments Co., where he negotiated all elements of client agreements, managed strategic relationships with consultants and industry intermediaries, and participated in market research and new-product development.

The Newport Group has hired Dennis Sain, 51, as senior vice president of the qualified-retirement-services division.

He will oversee Newport’s qualified-retirement-plan business, including 401(k), 403(b) and 457 defined-contribution plans, as well as defined-benefit plans. Mr. Sain will also be responsible for client/distribution development.

Previously, he was president of Sain Management Solutions Inc., where he consulted with the employee benefits industry on business strategy, organizational design, acquisitions, sales, training and relationship management.

Sandalwood Securities Inc. has hired J. Scott Berniker as director of marketing and investor relations, and Jonathan Clark as a senior analyst.

Mr. Berniker, 40, will lead the firm’s business development efforts for its multistrategy credit funds of funds, which specialize in distressed and long/short credit. In addition, he will manage Sandalwood’s advisory, family office and institutional relationships.

Mr. Berniker will also be a member of the firm’s senior management team.

Previously, he was a vice president of MSCI Inc., where he was responsible for product management in the financial adviser sector.

Mr. Clark, 37, will conduct manager research on credit- and event-driven strategies at Sandalwood Securities. He will also assist in portfolio management.

Previously, Mr. Clark was vice president and head of credit strategy at HSBC Alternative Investments Ltd., where he developed macro viewpoints on the credit market, selecting managers and monitoring the credit strategy funds within the portfolio.

NewOak Capital LLC has hired Amy Levenson, 47, as managing director and chairman of its commercial-real- estate loans and properties capital markets group.

She will create and execute real estate capital market solutions for clients by helping them transfer risk and identify investment opportunities.

Previously, Ms. Levenson was a managing director at Grubb & Ellis Co., where she was responsible for building the commercial-real-estate- brokerage business.

National Life Group has hired Nicholas Mingone, 49, as a general agent at its Philadelphia agency.

He will manage the firm from a profitability standpoint by expanding the key-advisers group and attracting experienced financial advisers.

Previously, Mr. Mingone was a managing director of MetLife Inc. in Philadelphia, where he was responsible for the firm’s insurance sector as well as recruiting advisers.

Citizens Financial Group Inc. has hired Thomas P. Fay and Brian O’Connor at its wealth management business.

Mr. Fay, 48, is chief investment officer and director of the division. He will be responsible for managing the unit’s investment strategy as well as developing business in key markets, including the New England region.

Previously, Mr. Fay oversaw the investment strategy of U.S. Trust/ Bank of America Private Wealth Management as a managing director.

Mr. O’Connor, 49, is senior vice president and head of relationship management for Citizens Financial’s premier-banking business He will provide comprehensive financial strategies to premier-banking customers and expand the premier- banking platform in the company’s key markets.

Previously, Mr. O’Connor served as the Northern New England regional executive of premier banking and investments at Bank of America Corp. He managed the firm’s banking and brokerage units.