The 2002 winners of the fourth annual Advisor of the Year Awards are:
British Columbia/Territories Winner
Malcolm Ross, CFP
Invest-A-Flex Financial Strategies, IPC
Vancouver, BC
Malcolm graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in South Africa, and returned in 1980 to his native Zimbabwe. His early work experience included articles in accounting, financial management, tax planning and computer systems consulting. After consulting to Hewlett Packard, he became general manager of their regional distributor. Malcolm moved to South Africa in 1988 and then to Canada in 1990 with three dimensional mine modeling software specialists, Lynx Geosystems Inc. where he led sales, marketing and consulted internationally on systems implementations.
In 1992, he moved into the financial services industry where he has become a financial and tax planning advisor specializing in corporate tax structuring and family business succession. Malcolm founded Invest-A-Flex in 1995 and has been instrumental in the development of the firm's proprietary financial modeling software tools and integrated approach to tax structured wealth management.
Malcolm has made a strong commitment to both consumer and advisor education and is the founder of the Financial Advisor Network FAN Program, which provides professional development and education and consulting services to accountants and their clients. Over 200 accountants in British Columbia have been through the FAN Program, many of whom use the other services offered by the program and its resource group.
Prairies Winner
David Christianson, CFP, R.F.P.,TEP
Wellington West Total Wealth Management
Winnipeg, MB
Registered as Investment Counsel with Manitoba Securities Commission
Personal financial advisor since 1982
Trust & Estate Practitioner - 2000
Certified Financial Planner (1996) (first year of existence in Canada)
Canadian Association of Financial Planners Multi-Media Award (1996)
Level One - Chartered Financial Analyst (1999)
Registered Financial Planner (1988)
Canadian Securities Course (Honours), Canadian Securities Institute (1984)
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology & Economics), University of Manitoba
Positions/Activities
Writes the weekly column, Dollars and Sense, for the Winnipeg Free Press
Lecturer on Ethics to CAFP National Convention from 1992 to 2001
Member of the United Way of Winnipeg Investment Committee
Received Governor General's Commemorative Medal for "Contribution to Community and to Canada" on 125th Anniversary of Confederation (1992)
Received 2001 Canadian Association of Financial Planners Manitoba Member of Distinction Award
Past Ethics Director of the CAFP National Association, 1992 - 1997
Past President of the Manitoba Chapter of the CAFP
Board member - Alzheimer's Society of Manitoba
Past Vice Chairman of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce
Past Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Board Member
Past Manitoba Theatre Centre Board Member
Contributing Editor of the inaugural Family Farm Business Advisor
Frequent commentator on TV, in newspapers such as The Globe and Mail and in magazines such as The Financial Post Magazine and the Globe and Mail, Report On Business Magazine
Hosted the weekly radio program, the CJOB MoneyShow
Ontario Winner
Lance Howard, CFP, CLU and Patrick Keyes, BA Hons.
The Lance Howard Group, Cartier Partners
London, ON
Lance joined the financial services industry in 1989. He is the creator of The Wealth Multiplier Program™, The Income Positioning Program™ and The Business Owners Exit Solution™. Lance is also the President of his own financial product distribution company known as The Lance Howard Group Inc. As well, he runs a fee only financial planning company called Davis Martindale Wealth Services.
Lance is on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement of London. Lance is also actively involved with the school boards of London as a participant in entrepreneurial initiatives such as, "The Student Venture Program," a program designed specifically for grade 12 and 13 students.
Lance is also a Life and Qualifying member of The Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), the premier association for the world's best sales professionals in the life insurance-based financial services business. Round Table membership is an exclusive honour that is achieved only by a small percentage of all life insurance and financial services advisors worldwide. In addition, Lance has further qualified for Top of the Table status, an honour reserved for the top 1,000 MDRT members in the world. Lance's most recent achievement involves being chosen as Advisor of the Year for the Ontario region by a jury of industry leaders. The award honours Canada's most outstanding financial advisors for professionalism and dedication in serving the needs of their clients.
Patrick has been involved in the financial services industry, helping people make smart choices with their money, for over 27 years. After graduating from the University of Guelph in 1974 with an Honours degree in Social Sciences, Pat joined CIBC. He provided his clients with sound financial advice and solutions in his capacity as a Branch Manager in London for 18 years.
Pat's ultimate goal was to build his own financial services business and, in 1999, this dream became a reality. Pat's strengths are in his ability to listen, understand, and with a caring touch, build a personalized plan that will provide long-term financial security for his clients. This wisdom coupled with the expertise provided by The Lance Howard Group is the key to Pat's success. Pat and his colleague, Lance Howard, were recently named Advisors of the Year for the Ontario region.
Pat has been married to his wife, Mary Lou, for 28 years. They have two sons and two beautiful grandchildren. Pat's hobbies include golf, hockey and curling as well as being active in his church and community.
Atlantic Winner
David Morgan FMA
CIBC Wood Gundy
Saint John/Moncton, NB
Quebec Winner
Christian Boucher, Fin. Pl.
inExtenso, Cartier Partners
Quebec City, QC
Mary wrote her Canadian Securities Course in 1980 and has worked for many of the major brokerages, including Merrill Lynch in Australia. She realized that financial planning was the cornerstone of independence for individuals and decided to go back to school. She received her CFP certification and insurance license and recently she earned her Fellow of the Canadian Securities Industry. Mary has a well-rounded view of the industry having achieved all three licenses.
Mary lives on a working farm with her husband and three girls. She enjoys gardening, hiking with her dogs and skiing.
Mary and her team build partnerships with their clients to develop personalized financial solutions in an interactive relationship so clients meet their unique goals and dreams.
Mary and her team believe financial planning is not a transactional business but a relationship business. Financial planning is the cornerstone to building financial independence. She believes financial planning should be an interactive process between clients, their families and their advisor.
Ralph Zielsdorf, CFP, CLU
Zielsdorf Financial Group Ltd.
Calgary, AB
Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Ralph Zielsdorf began a career in accounting and gained much of his financial savvy working in a few oil patch and automotive companies. His romance with retail financial services started in 1969 in general insurance, blossomed in life insurance with the founding of The Zielsdorf Group in 1974, and evolved to include group insurance, employee and corporate benefit planning, investments and advisory services throughout the nineties.
Ralph's personal expertise focuses on the needs of owners and high net worth individuals in estate planning and succession, investments and retirement planning. The culmination of Ralph's experience is Wealth Navigator™, a dynamic, expert model of comprehensive resource strategizing.
Ralph leads by example: A Life Qualifying Member of Million Dollar Round Table for 25 years and 10 time achiever of Top of the Table status, both honored achievements. His professional involvement includes The Calgary Estate Planning Council, The Society of Trusts and Estate Planning Practitioners, The Chartered Life Underwriters Association and Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.
Devotion to others is seen in Ralph's association with International Students Ministry, Wycliffe Bible Translators and continuous support of the arts through the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra's Amadeus program highlight Ralph's civic interests/contributions.
Sandra Mews, CFP
Cartier Partners
Sudbury, ON
Currently Sudbury's Branch Manager at Cartier Partners, Sandra has been providing investment and retirement planning advice since 1987. Her specialty is tax-assisted financial planning for business owners and professionals. She believes that every tax-payer has the right to have the best rate of return on investment, after-tax, after-fee, at a risk level that allows both her and the client to sleep. She continues to promote full service planning on TV and local newspapers with CAFP.
In 2001, she received Premier Mike Harris' Ontario Volunteer Service Award distinction. Last year, she also received an Award for her volunteer efforts towards Multi-Culturalism, and was recognized by the City, and the Provincial and Federal MPPs.
Professionally, she has served on the board of: The Small Business Association, Women's World Bank, Memorial Societies of Ontario, Canadian Federation of University Women, Arthritis Society and India Canada Association.
For 2002, she has been registered internationally in Dunn and Bradstreet's Who's Who, of Executives and Professionals.
Testimonial: "I have been given sound, fair and balanced advice and Sandra has taken the time and trouble to explain her recommendations. I have referred several acquaintances to her, all of whom have been fully satisfied." Dr.Rachael Haliburton, Professor of Philosophy, Laurentian University.
Sheila Munch, CFP
Page and Associates
Oshawa, ON
Sheila has over 20 years experience in the financial services industry. She joined Page and Associates after a successful career in various management positions in the retail, trust and pension divisions at some of Canada's largest banks and trust companies. She was most recently the Branch Manager in the Oshawa office of a large national trust company. She has also had her own financial planning practice.
Money is a means to achieving one's goals, and as such, advice in the area of tax, estate planning, and investment management can often be critical to the fulfillment of those goals. Together with her team, Sheila creates full comprehensive financial plans that encompass all these areas and more.
Sheila has a keen ability to relate with her clients, getting to know their personalities, lifestyles and life goals. She then provides financial strategies and tactics that will enable them to get where they want to - whether it is early retirement, passing on a large estate to their heirs or perhaps, enhancing their current lifestyle.
A graduate of the Canadian Securities Course, Sheila has also achieved the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) credential.
Well know for her upbeat, down to earth and often humorous teaching style, Sheila helps her clients learn about financial planning without the use of industry "jargon". She draws on her extensive banking background to provide tips on how clients can put more money in their pocket when dealing with their financial institution. Sheila has successfully taught the "Fundamentals of Financial Planning" through a major public school board in addition to conducting numerous private seminars to corporations, groups and associations.
Sheila was awarded the Advisor of the Year Award in 2000 in addition to receiving one of 5 national Honorable Mentions in 2002. These awards are conferred by the prestigious professional journal Advisor's Edge.
Sheila has also been invited as a professional expert on such financial television programs as ROBtv (Money Wise) and CP24 (The Closing Bell), and Rogers (Money Line).
Timothy R. Paziuk, CFP, CLU, CH.F.C.
TPC Financial
Victoria, BC
CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and are certification marks owned outside the U.S. by Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB). Financial Planners Standards Council is the marks licensing authority for the CFP marks in Canada, through agreement with FPSB.
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