PANELISTS
Derek Polson, CFP, CEA, Principal, Investment & Insurance Advisor, Polson Bourbonniere Derby Wealth Management
Derek Polson earned his Bachelor's degree from Brock University in 2005. Upon graduation, he joined Polson Bourbonniere Financial to mentor under his father, Kirk Polson. Derek recently purchased his father’s book of business as part of a succession plan.
In addition to being a licensed insurance agent, Derek also holds the Certified Financial Planner and Certified Executor Advisor designations.
Derek is currently a partner in Polson Bourbonniere Derby Wealth Management, a Markham-based firm specializing in retirement and estate planning. ThePolson Bourbonniere Derby team currently manages in excess of $425 million in assets for their clients.
Mia Karmelic, CFA, CFP, Division Director & Senior Financial Consultant, Investors Group
Mia Karmelic, CFP, CFA, is a Division Director and a Certified Financial Planner professional with Investors Group. She works closely with individual and corporate clients to help develop and implement comprehensive financial plans.
Mia ensures that specific client needs, goals and concerns are thoroughly understood and analyzed, and subsequently develops strategic solutions to address each aspect of a financial plan. She also manages a team of financial advisors and serves as a coach and mentor to help them build successful financial planning practices.
Mia has over 10 years of experience within the finance industry. Prior to joining Investors Group, she worked at a leading investment firm managing high net worth client relationships.
Mia holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Economics and Finance, is a CFA charter holder and a CFP designation holder.
Matthew Rodier, CIM, VP, Portfolio Manager, Certified Retirement Specialist, Rodier Asset Management - TD Wealth Private Investment Advice
Matthew was recently named the 2017 recipient of the IIAC Top Under 40 Award which recognizes and celebrates Canada's new generation of highly motivated and talented young professionals whose drive, dedication, qualities and accomplishments have brought distinction to the investment/financial industry. Matthew states "Our team believes that our unwavering belief that nothing matters unless we are putting our clients' interests first is certainly paying dividends".
Matthew is a proud member of Rodier Asset Management - a team providing strategic wealth management advice to families, business owners, private corporations, trusts, estates and foundations. They believe their reputation is derived from their relentless pursuit of excellence in helping to protect and growing our clients' wealth. They establish long term relationships with their clients to gain a deep understanding of their goals. They collaborate with an industry-leading team of professionals specializing in investment management, business succession, tax, and estate planning to craft investment strategies aimed at achieving our clients' long-term objectives.
MODERATOR
John Cucchiella, Canadian Wealth Industry Veteran
With almost 25 years in the industry, John Cucchiella has a strong background in business development, sales management, governance and operations. He is an advocate of professional investment advice and is a strong believer that the Wealth Management business, at its core, is a people business.
John began his career as an Advisor in 1993 at Midland Walwyn. Equipped with a phone and a desk John began building his practice through cold calling and seminars. In 1997 John decided to move to TD Waterhouse. While maintaining and growing his practice, John entered into branch management as a producing manager and ultimately a Professional Manager managing one of the flagship branches in Toronto. In 2010, John joined Dundee Goodman Private Wealth as Senior Vice-President and Head of Retail. John was responsible for the vision, strategy, sales management and was directly involved in operational and technological initiatives. In the five years he was at Dundee Wealth, he grew the advisory channel from approximately 26 Advisors to 100 and grew the asset base from $2b to $6b.
In May 2016, John joined National Bank Financial Wealth Management as Senior Vice-President and National Sales Manager for Central, Western & Atlantic Canada, with a focus on growth. At National Bank, he grew the assets by $2b and recruited 13 new teams. John believes the wealth/asset management business is, at its core, about building strong relationships that deliver on financial objectives.
