About Don

Don is a forty-something family guy living in Ottawa west with his wife Johanne and their two daughters. The family is active in karate, with all four members currently working towards the level of Nidan, or second degree black belt. They also enjoy trailer camping in the summer, and cross-country ski outings in the winter.

In his spare time, Don is a school council chairman and annual Junior Achievement volunteer. Here he is delivering the "Economics of Staying in School" program to students at a local public school.

Background

After graduating Carleton University in 1989, Don gained experience in banking, retail sales and small business management. In 1997 he joined BMO Nesbitt Burns as an Investment Advisor, and in 2002 he took the next step and established a private practice of his own. Today he enjoys working from a home office in partnership with Desjardins Financial Security Investments Inc., Manulife, Standard Life and RBC Insurance.

In addition to his degree, Don is also an honours graduate of the Canadian Securities Institute's Canadian Securities Course. Early in his financial career he also successfully completed the Conduct and Practices, Derivatives Fundamentals, Options Licensing and Professional Financial Planning courses. Today, he regularly attends continuing education workshops in the areas of investing, insurance, taxation, financial planning and compliance.