About Don
Don is a fifty-something family guy living in Ottawa west with his wife Johanne. The couple has two grown daughters, and are retired martial artists who enjoy weekend getaways on the motorcycle. Don is a Captain's Club "gold" member for the Telus Ride for Dad, which supports prostate cancer research.
Don's community roles have included Westboro Kiwanis member, School Council Chair, and Junior Achievement program instructor. Here he is delivering the JA's "Economics of Staying in School" program to Grade 8 students at a local public school >>>
Professional background
After graduating from Carleton University in 1989, Don worked in banking, retail sales and small business management. In 1997 he became a stock broker with BMO Nesbitt Burns, before starting his own independent practice in 2002. Today he enjoys working from a home office as an Investment Representative with Quadrus Investment Services Ltd.
In terms of professional credentials, Don has completed the Canadian Securities Course (1997), Derivatives Fundamentals Course (1998), Options Licensing Course (1999) and Professional Financial Planning Course (2000). He regularly attends financial workshops, has served on an investment advisory council for a major Canadian mutual fund dealer, and has addressed the financial community on the subject of investor psychology.
Philosophy on investing and retirement
In a world where the deck is stacked in favour of financial insiders, Don serves as an equalizer for average folks. He connects them with trustworthy institutional money managers, and as the years go by he provides sober second opinions about life's common financial decisions.
Regarding retirement, what was once seen as the end of work is increasingly being reimagined as the beginning of doing whatever you want. In that sense Don already considers himself "retired", financially secure and working from a home office doing what he loves.
Nidan Ceremony 2011
Born to be wild(ish)
Niagara wine tour
Teacher for a day