Board of Directors

Rob is Executive Financial Consultant at Rob Eby & Associates Private Wealth Management with Investors Group. Previously he was Manager of Sales Technology Research, Development, and Training with Investors Group. He has also been VP of Strategic Business Development for Emerging Information Systems Inc. (EISI). Rob served on the Advocis Chapter Leadership Council from 2012 – 2015 and was the 2010 – 2011 President and 2007 – 2009 Treasurer of the Advocis Winnipeg Chapter.

Abe is a Chartered Financial Consultant with Beyond Wealth Management in Regina specializing in business transition planning.  He has been associated with Beyond Wealth since January 2012. Before that he was the President of his own firm, StoneCreek Financial Group started in 1999 after a 15-year career in agency management with Mutual Life of Canada and Great-West Life. He ended his management career as the Regional Director for South Saskatchewan with Great-West Life. He holds the CFP, CLU, CH.F.C., CHS and ICD.D  designations. He is an active member of CALU, Kingdom Advisors, Canadian Association of Farm Advisors and the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Abe is the Past Chair of the Board for The Caring Place, Past President of the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce, the Wascana Country Club and the Life Insurance Managers Association of Canada now known as GAMA Canada. He has served as the President of the South Sask & Brandon Advocis chapters.

Abe has been a proud member of Advocis since 1981 and strongly believes in the value of the organization.

Catherine Wood MBA, MISt., ICD.D, is the Chief of Strategy, Product & Marketing at Coast Capital Savings. She oversees the company-wide strategy and brand for Coast Capital Savings with a focus on improving the financial well-being for members and supporting its national expansion as one of the first federally incorporated credit unions.

Catherine has a full and far-reaching executive experience in the financial services, including leading strategy, wealth management and award-winning digital platforms. Most recently, she served as Senior VP, Head Online and Digital Wealth and Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer for Aviso Wealth, one of Canada’s largest independent wealth management providers. Prior to that, she held executive and senior management roles at Qtrade, TD Bank and Assante.

Catherine was named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women in 2017 and 2016 as well as one of the Top 50 Wealth Professionals in Canada and one of the Top 50 Women in Life Insurance in years prior. She currently serves as a Board Member of Advocis and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Catherine earned an MBA as well as a Masters of Information Studies from the University of Toronto. She holds an Honours BA from York University and a BA from Western University. Beyond her academic credentials, her professional designations include Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Tax and Estate Practitioner (TEP) and Certified Health Specialist (CHS).

Stephen has owned and operated Stephen MacEachern Insurance & Financial Services since 1997. Previously he worked in the hospitality industry for 10 years. Stephen is a past treasurer and Past President of Advocis Nova Scotia and served on the local board for over ten years before joining the Institute Board. He received his CLU in 2004 and was the Dunstall Medal winner for Nova Scotia, attaining the highest provincial mark. He completed the EMBA program at St. Mary’s University in 2007.

Eric has been an independent producer and principal of Lidemark Financial Group Inc. since 2002. He has served Advocis in many capacities over the years at both the local and national levels. He is Past President of the Advocis Greater Vancouver Chapter and as Treasurer worked on the integration of CAIFA/CAFP BC into Advocis Vancouver. Elected to the Advocis Chapter Leadership Council in 2006, Eric has chaired the Program/Sponsorship committee, the Chapter Board Governance committee, and the Chapter Leadership Council itself, as well as sitting on the TFAAC board. He has also contributed to three Advocis national committees – Communications, Sales and Marketing, Centennial Committees. Eric has his CFP, CHFC, RHU, CHS, and CLU designations and is a recipient of the Dunstall Medal Award.

John is President of RBC Wealth Management Financial Services, and is responsible for managing the existing agency Business, including the insurance support distribution team (Estate Planning Specialists) that supports Canadian Wealth Management‘s client facing professionals. His team works closely with the Wealth Management Services Business in providing Wealth Preservation and Wealth Transformation solutions using tax effective Life Insurance products. John has been with RBC Financial group member companies since 1987, in various business development, operational and distribution sales. He began his financial services career with London Life in 1980.

John has bachelor’s degrees from the University of Western Ontario and Laurentian University and has also completed the executive program at the University of Western Ontario Business School. He has a Chartered Life Underwriter designation, and passed the Canadian Securities Course in 1987. He is a 2011 graduate of the Family Business Centre at the UBC Sauder School of Business, and holds the Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) designation.

John has been a board member at the Institute of Advanced Financial Education (IAFE) since 2011, and is an associate member of CALU (Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting). He has chaired the IIROC Insurance sub-committee of the Retail Sales Committee.

Will successfully launched his career in the financial services industry in early 2007, joining Advocis the very same day. He served on the Kingston Chapter board for ten years, including multiple terms as Program, Sponsorship, and Advocacy Chairs, as well as Chapter President. He has also sat on the national Best Practices Committee. He originally joined the Chapter Leadership Council as Sponsorship Chair, and then enjoyed supporting the Chapters of Ontario Central as their Regional Leader for five years before accepting the role of Chair of the CLC.

In January of 2017, Will established his own full-service financial planning firm, Tidal Financial Management Inc. He is also proud to be a member in good standing of FP Canada, Rotary (Kingston Waterfront Club, Charter Secretary), and the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce. Will enjoys taking on several speaking engagements for various companies and organizations each year. As well, he is an active member, patron, and sponsor of the arts community – having served in the past on the Board of Directors of Theatre Kingston, Domino Theatre and the Kingston Arts Council.

Arun is a management consultant with Canada Life.  He works with Canada Life’s top producing firms developing and executing their strategy, marketing and operations plans.  He is the President of the Simcoe-Muskoka Chapter and the Advocacy Liaison for Ontario Central Region.

Currently, Arun also sits on the University of Toronto’s College of Electors who recruit and select Board Governors for Governing Council.  He is also active with the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering raising funds for the re-construction of Survey Camp.  Arun is also a volunteer fire fighter for the Toronto Indy. He is a Past Chair of the Richmond Hill Board of Trade, and Past Chair of Habitat for Humanity York Region.

He has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro and completed the Disney Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge.

Wendy began her career as a financial planner in 1996 after 6 years as an Elementary School Teacher. She is now a partner in the firm Carol A. Chambers & Associates out of Mississauga through Freedom 55 Financial.

Since starting in the financial services industry Wendy has been an active member with the Greater Hamilton Chapter of Advocis holding many Committee and Board positions including President. Wendy is a strong supporter of the enhanced education programs offered by Advocis and has completed her CFP, CLU and CHS.  Most recently she has been a member of the CLC – Chapter Leadership Council – supporting Membership and Program portfolios. Within the community, Wendy is a 30year active member of the Order of the Eastern Star. When not working she enjoys spending time with her two daughters, playing a round of golf, and boating on the West Coast.

Geoff is Chief Executive Officer of In-House Counsel Worldwide (ICW), the international network of in-house bar associations. A Chartered Director (C.Dir.) and Certified In-House Counsel (CIC.C), he is a member of the Independent Review Committee of BlackRock Canada. Geoff was formerly SVP, General Counsel of IGM Financial Inc, a public financial institution in the Power Corporation group of companies. Prior to joining IGM, Geoff was a partner with Torys LLP, focused on M&A, complex corporate finance and corporate governance. He is also the Chair of the judging panel for the GPC’s Excellence in Governance Awards and a frequent speaker on governance and legal matters.

Sara is an experienced board director and financial services executive.  Sara has served as a board member of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, including Toronto Hydro and the University of Toronto Governing Council Business Board, and has been named to the Diversity 50 by the Canadian Board Diversity Council.  She successfully completed the Rotman Directors Education Program and holds the ICD.D designation. Sara is a member of Governance Professionals Canada and is a faculty member of the GPC.D program, having collaborated in the design and launch of the designation program.

Sara has held senior leadership roles in the financial services sector and is currently the Chief Compliance Officer at Concentra Bank. She previously oversaw regulatory compliance risk for wealth management and retail banking at HSBC Bank and has been Chief Compliance Officer for a Canadian insurer. Sara has helped shape public policy through material contributions as a committee member at the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, the Canadian Association of Financial Institutions in Insurance, and the Canadian Bankers Association.

Sara is no stranger to Advocis. From 2003 to 2008 she held the staff position of Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and earned a strong reputation for her critical thinking and her ability to build strategic relationships, successfully leading a number of key initiatives, including Advocis’ intervention in a landmark Supreme Court of Canada constitutional law challenge.

Sara obtained her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto and attended Queen’s University for Law School. She is a lawyer, and also holds a Master’s degree in International Law from Cambridge University, and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.  She completed the Osgoode Hall Law School Certificate in Legal & Regulatory Risk Management for Financial Institutions, and has been a faculty member of the certificate program since 2013. She is a frequent speaker at conferences, including the Northwind Financial Services Invitational Forum, and is a past lecturer at the Rotman School of Management and Queen’s Law School.

Sara shares her home with her spouse and their two children, as well their Leonberger, Golden Retriever, and Bengal Leopard cat.  Her passions include travel and skiing, and she is a long-standing member of the Toronto International Film Festival and a volunteer at Toronto’s Out of the Cold Program.