Meet The Team

Johann de Villiers - President

Johann de Villiers is experienced in the financial world having been a member of the American Stock Exchange, National Association of Securities Dealers and having served as a Registered Investment Advisor of a mutual fund. In these capacities he participated in structuring international financing transactions that included mergers and acquisitions and raising both debt and equity capital in a number of different industries. In addition to holding senior management positions in a number of international public and private companies he gained valuable construction and engineering experience with 15 years in the mining industry. Johann earned a degree in Accounting from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and is registered as a Chartered Accountant (CPA).

Mark J. Usselman has worked in the mortgage industry since 1992.  His experience consists of underwriting, origination of mortgage pools for Wall Street firms, appraisal reviews, income analysis, title reviews, and predatory lending reviews for clients such as Univest, National Mortgage Services, IMPAC, Koller Consulting, Pacific Realty Alliance, GE Capital, Kidder Peabody, Goldman Sachs and Arthur Anderson.

 From October 2004 to April 2007, Mr. Usselman worked as CCO at a national sub prime lender based in Orange County, CA.  In this capacity, Mr. Usselman managed and oversaw the underwriting and sale of over 3.5 billion in residential mortgage loans.  As CCO, his responsibilities included the management of underwriting and quality control to enforce the company’s guidelines, policies and procedures and to oversee the company’s Investor Relations Department in managing the sale of recent mortgage production.

Susan C. Lakosil - Chief Financial Officer

Sue is the controller for LJL Funding, LLC as well as LJL Secured High Yield Income Fund I, LLC. Before joining LJL, she worked in a variety of industries including venture capital, technology, internet sales and mining. She has over 25 years of financial accounting experience and is responsible for reporting to both the executive team and the limited partners, accounting, taxes and audits of both LJL Funding, LLC and LJL Secured High Yield Income Fund I, LLC. Sue graduated from San Diego State University with a BS degree in Business Administration/Accounting and completed her certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Sheila Bartley graduated from Villanova University with a BA in Communication Arts. Sheila is experienced in the financial world as she has been in financial sales for 14 years beginning her career in high yield bond sales at Gleacher Natwest. Sheila has also worked for Merrill Lynch where she was a mutual fund wholesaler for Citigroup Asset Mgmt and FDN Capital. In this capacity she sold mutual funds and separately managed accounts through many distribution channels such as brokers, dealers, wire houses, and independent financial planners.  She has series 7 & 63 licenses and is a general securities registered representative.