The Santamaura Investment Management Group
of RBC Dominion Securities

My name is Carol Santamaura. And I'm a portfolio manager with RBC Dominion Securities. I live in Downtown Toronto with my two dogs, Daisy and Nemo. They bring so much joy to my life.

I'm actually a third-generation investment advisor and proud to continue a legacy that started with my grandfather almost 100 years ago. My grandfather, as a young soldier returning from the Great War in 1918 with only a grade eight education, joined a prominent Bay Street firm, where he proceeded to have a most illustrious career. And probably the highlight of that career was his participation in the underwriting and bringing to market the Canada Savings Bond. In fact, my mother remembers cutting the ribbon at the celebration to inaugurate the first series.

My mother subsequently also went into the investment business, first working for The Financial Post and then with another investment firm on Bay Street. As a real trailblazer, she was one of the first women advisors in the industry. And she found success and satisfaction in the business. And over 50 years later, so have I. My family's legacy is a deep responsibility to the well-being of our clients.

I remember asking my mother what she liked best about working in financial services. And her answer was really simple. She said she just liked helping people. So it's in times like these where, perhaps more than ever, people are feeling concerned and anxious about the future that I can provide them peace of mind. And that's what I really like to do.

People generally have the same concerns and I hear the same types of questions. Are they paying too much in taxes? Do they have enough money to retire? Or how to best ensure that their legacy is passed on to the next generation? And this is where my 25 years of experience really sets me apart.

I wrote a book called Choosing the Right Investment Advisor because I realized that there's a lot of confusion in our industry. It's seen explosive growth over the last 25 or 30 years. And it's really difficult for investors to understand the industry and ultimately to help them find the right advisor and the person who is best suited to help them reach their goals.

We offer our clients a unique experience because we have all the benefits of a small boutique investment management firm-- namely customized plans, personal service-- with all of the tools and resources of Canada's leading investment management firm. And because we only deal with a small number of clients, it generally results in superior returns. And so it ends up being a win-win for our clients.

Throughout my career, I've actually experienced a number of serious market corrections, from the technology bubble in 2000, the financial crisis of 2009, and most recently COVID. And what those experiences have taught me is how to navigate clients through the storm and return them to safe harbor.

At the end of the day, it really just boils down to trust. One day I got a phone call from a client's wife telling me that her husband had recently passed away after a short illness. And he'd written his wife a letter. And in the letter, he said to trust no one except for their accountant who was a family friend and me, Carol Santamaura.

It's about helping people, giving them peace of mind and confidence in their financial future. Helping clients was important to my grandfather and my mother after him, and now to me as well.