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Professionally, we take pride in being accessible, proactive, and process oriented. Personally, we strive to be humble, compassionate, and engaged. It all adds up to the utmost service excellence, which has been recognized by RBC Dominion Securities through multiple Annual Awards of Excellence, RBC’s highest award of recognition.
Senior Portfolio Manager
Associate Wealth & Investment Advisor
Investment Advisor
Associate Portfolio Manager
Associate Advisor Wealth Management
Associate Advisor
Associate
Financial Planner
Wealth Associate
Administrative Assistant
Team Operations Manager
François spent the first seven years of his career with one of Canada’s leading accounting firms, where he developed a deep background in tax, business succession, and estate planning. He joined RBC Dominion Securities in 1995 and has been advising and servicing individuals, families, and business owners with tailored and comprehensive wealth management plans ever since. François’ business acumen and high standards have been repeatedly recognized within the firm.
François is known for his exceptional client-service approach, which he credits to a critical “aha” moment early in his time with RBC Dominion Securities. The turning point occurred on the property of a client, a dairy farmer, on a tour of his barn: “Walking around in my suit and dress shoes, I was truly uncomfortable with these huge animals all around us,” he recalls. “My client realized this, but he continued on with the tour. On our way out, he looked me in the eyes and told me that my anxiety in his place of work was equivalent to his anxiety dealing with investments. He is still a great client of mine today,” says François, who has prioritized client comfort and confidence ever since.
François, who is fully bilingual, leads our team’s risk management group, helping assess our clients’ insurance needs based on their goals and objectives.
He is also an insurance-licensed advisor, enabling him to find wealth-preservation solutions through our extended RBC network.
When not at work, François enjoys triathlon training and hiking, as well as skiing with his wife and three university-aged children at their cottage in Mont Tremblant.
James grew up on the family farm, learning the core values of hard work and early mornings. It is at home that James got his first lessons in finance from Dad, who was an astute investor. James completed a degree in Finance (Honours) and acquired both business and operations experience during his time in the technology sector, where he founded and co-founded multiple businesses. In 2006, he brought his integrity and business savvy to RBC Dominion Securities, and has since made his mark within the organization.
“My father didn’t believe in brokers,” says James. “That’s why he invested on his own.” James sought to create the kind of investment and wealth management team that someone as discerning as his father would consider worthwhile. It had to be a level above what the industry had on offer at the time. Casting his sights wide for inspiration, James found it when looking at the boutique wealth management model for leading independent firms further afoot. “All the wealth professionals you need under one roof – that’s true value,” says James, who built up Menard Kinkaid Private Wealth alongside François with that comprehensive model in mind.
James specializes in strategic planning, quarterbacking the individual requirements of our clients with the unique resources of our team. Working in partnership with our clients and their professional advisors, he seeks to provide straightforward, actionable direction to achieve each client’s specific objectives.
James spends his down time with his young family and can often be found training for his next mountain climb.
Roger’s passion for investing began on a personal level at age 14, when he received a copy of David Chilton’s The Wealthy Barber as a gift. “The book effectively said all I needed to do was save a dollar a day, invest it in the markets, and I was guaranteed to be a millionaire by the time I was 60,” he recalls. “Who’s going to say no to that? I was in.”
Prior to joining RBC Dominion Securities, Roger started his career on Bay Street in Toronto. He advanced to a senior role, working as the chief economist at the Canadian Dairy Commission. His decade of experience in the agriculture industry, along with his investment management and commodity market experience, provides him with a unique perspective that informs his financial advice.
Roger is our team’s fixed-income subject matter expert, and is often called upon to deliver tailored investment solutions for our institutional and not-for-profit clients.
As a long-standing member of the CFA Society, Roger co-chairs our team’s investment committee.
Roger enjoys his time away from work, hiking and snowboarding with his wife and two children.
With more than 25 years of industry experience, Dawn has a long history in the world of wealth, specializing in investment management. She joined RBC Dominion Securities and Menard Kinkaid Private Wealth in 2021.
Dawn holds the Certified Investment Manager designation. In conjunction with portfolio management, Dawn is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and works closely with people who have lost their spouse, through a divorce or a death. Her role is to help clients navigate the financial confusion of these life-changing events, so they can feel confidence and comfort about their financial futures. Dawn is also a member of our investment committee.
What makes Dawn effective in her role is her knack for explaining complex concepts in simple terms. “The education component is my favourite part of the job,” says Dawn, a daughter of two teachers. “Being in a position to provide people with the answers they need is hugely rewarding for me. I love empowering clients.” Dawn’s ultimate goal is for clients to “never lose a night’s sleep thinking about financial matters, so they can dream about something else.”
Outside of work, Dawn enjoys travel and has been to 49 countries to date. She has also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, participating in a build in Zambia. She is very much looking forward to her next adventure.
Gisèle joined RBC in 1989. She worked as a tenured private banker, serving high-net-worth individuals and families, prior to transitioning to RBC Dominion Securities in 2000 to join François in his budding, then-new business – “I am one of the originals,” she says.
With a specialty in retirement planning, Gisèle has guided many individuals and families through decisions and options related to defined benefit pension programs and government pension sources.
Gisèle is a Chartered Investment Manager and has been honoured as a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute.
Gisèle is proud to have experienced firsthand how far Menard Kinkaid Private Wealth has come, and how far the clients have progressed along with it. “Anything is possible if you put the work in,” she says. “I am inspired by the depth of our team and what that means for clients.” What it means, in a single word, is trust. “Clients have referred their families and friends to us. You must be doing a really good job if clients want you taking care of their loved ones.”
Gisèle, who is fully bilingual, enjoys travel and great food, especially when creating memories with her family, including her five grown children.
Finance has always interested Danielle. From a young age, she was curious to understand money: “How to earn it, how to grow it, and how to keep it,” she explains. Money is only part of the economic equation, of course, and so a career was born.
Danielle entered the financial services sector in 1998. Her experiences include private client advice, working with one of the world’s largest institutional money managers, as well as operating her own financial planning practice.
With her differentiated background, Danielle is able to advise a diverse client base, including business owners pre- and post-succession, professionals, and those transitioning to and throughout retirement.
Danielle loves seeing the confidence that a structured financial plan gives clients about their future. When a client calls with a challenging situation or an unforeseen event, she remains at ease knowing their plan is dynamic and built for contingencies. “We can assure our clients that they can navigate this time and still meet their goals. Those moments are profoundly rewarding for me.”
Danielle has twice been nominated for the Ottawa Business Woman of the Year award, co-founded a local not-for-profit foundation in support of diversity, and remains active with many local charities.
Away from the office, Danielle has a very active lifestyle and enjoys sharing those activities with her family.
With an accountant father, it’s no surprise Derek was inclined toward numbers from the start. He excelled in mathematics in his youth, and developed an interest in finance, economics, and markets early on.
Derek joined RBC Dominion Securities and the Menard Kinkaid team in 2022, bringing with him nearly a decade of banking experience, including four years as a financial planner. Derek leads discussions with new and potential clients to unearth how our team can best serve their needs. He always puts himself in people’s shoes asking, “Why is this person sitting in front of me? What are they looking for? How can we provide value?” Clarity through education is core to his approach.
Derek holds the Certified Investment Manager designation and is a Certified Financial Planner. He also holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours). Most recently, in October of 2024, Derek completed the CFA program and became a CFA Charterholder.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Derek enjoys time with friends and family, and loves to travel when he’s able. Having played just about every sport in his youth and captained multiple teams, he is passionate about athletics and plays volleyball recreationally.
Prior to joining RBC in 2009, Robert held various senior management positions in both Canada and the U.S. within the service industry, where he led numerous large teams in achieving a diverse set of specific and strategic goals. Robert has worked as a financial planner throughout his tenure with RBC and, since joining the Menard Kinkaid Private Wealth team in 2014, he leads our group’s wealth management division.
As our team’s in-house financial planner, Robert has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of families and businesses, assisting them to achieve their personal and professional goals. “A financial plan is far beyond a document; it is someone’s life story,” says Robert, adding that it encompasses people’s ambitions, desires, passions, goals, and even their worries and concerns. “It brings me a sense of satisfaction to produce strategies that truly put that complex puzzle we call life into focus.” When people tell Robert they feel heard and understood – “seeing the shoulders come down, the smile widen” – it’s his ultimate reward.
Robert has specialized knowledge and training in cash flow planning, and assisting families dealing with disabilities and divorce. He has been awarded the Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute honour.
Robert was the recipient of the Senate of Canada’s 150th anniversary medal for his community involvement working with families that are dealing with disabilities and coaching youth in financial literacy. He also won the RBC Global Citizen award for 2020.
Robert’s high energy is channeled through his personal pursuits in volunteer work, mentorship, personal training, and spending time with his wife and two young sons.
Kathy joined RBC Dominion Securities in 1998. As an options-licensed associate advisor, she assists clients with trading in derivative securities as well as complex trading needs. In addition to overseeing trading for the team, Kathy also has direct access to RBC Dominion Securities’ trading desk and facilitates high volumes of trades and non-traditional transactions for our clients.
Kathy has achieved her Wealth Management Essentials (WME) certification and has been recognized for service excellence as a multiple-time quarterly award winner within RBC.
Kathy gains great satisfaction from helping people each and every day. “Whether their best day, worst day, or somewhere in between,” she says, “it is an honour to know that our clients trust that we will be there to help them when they need it most.”
When Kathy isn’t supporting our clients, she likes to spend time with her dogs, cook and eat great food, and enjoying her backyard pond with her partner.
Associate Wealth Advisor
Richard ended up in the world of wealth by chance (an opportunity at another major financial institution came his way in 2006). Once in it, “I was hooked,” he recalls. “As soon as I walked into the office, I felt the energy and passion that everyone had for serving clients. I knew this was the career path for me.”
Richard joined RBC Dominion Securities at the start of 2010, and Menard Kinkaid Private Wealth later that year. He leads our administration team with a mandate of ensuring our clients have timely and accurate information, something that he is well poised to do, being fully bilingual.
Richard has achieved his Wealth Management Essentials (WME) certification and assists our wealth management division in ensuring streamlined information and execution in both wealth preservation and risk management strategies. He is also the recipient of the prestigious RBC Leo Award.
An avid golfer, Richard enjoys spending time with family and friends.
The inspiration for Amy’s two decade career in financial services came at a young age. Her mom once worked at RBC, and childhood visits to her workplace sparked Amy’s interest. She’s always been passionate about client service, getting to work with clients and helping them reach their financial goals. Over the years, Amy has gained in-depth experience in a range of management and advisor roles, including Assistant Branch Manager, Banking Advisor and Financial Planning Associate.
In her current role, Amy supports the Financial Planning division in day-to-day management and wealth planning activities. “I nurture and grow relationships with our personal and business clients to ensure they receive a memorable, tailor-made client experience,” she says. By actively listening, Amy gets to know our clients while providing professional personalized advice and solutions modeled in our client’s Financial Plans.
Away from work, Amy enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, as well as camping and gardening. A tireless community supporter, Amy has volunteered with several organizations, including Kanata Food Cupboard, Junior Achievers Economics for Success and RIDE for Diabetes Research.
Growing up in Ottawa in a family of entrepreneurs, Samuel saw the value of hard work – and its potential rewards – from an early age. Samuel completed a Bachelor of Commerce with a specialization in accounting (Honours) from the University of Ottawa. He joined RBC Dominion Securities in 2018. He has since earned his Chartered Financial Analyst charter, and takes on increasingly complex tasks as part of our investment committee.
Samuel is fully bilingual, and when he is not working or studying the markets, he likes to keep active. He enjoys running, cycling, and slalom waterskiing, and he is currently training for his first triathlon.
Ravi joined RBC Dominion Securities in January of 2021 as a trading associate for our team. He is responsible for equities and fixed income trading within our discretionary portfolios. He assists with portfolio modeling and trade execution. He is also a member of our investment committee.
A graduate of the Bachelor of Commerce program at the University of Ottawa, Ravi has completed the Canadian Securities Course (CSC) and Conduct and Practices Handbook (CPH) Course. In 2024, Ravi completed the CFA program and became a CFA Charterholder.
Ravi is inspired by working on such an accomplished team. “Everyone is knowledgeable and takes pride in doing great work. It motivates me to work hard and continue improving myself,” he says.
In his off hours, Ravi can be found out jogging or playing soccer or hockey. When he can, he also likes to get away, be it to spend time with his family in Muskoka, where he grew up, or to travel to Europe to immerse himself in a different culture.
Following in the footsteps of his role model – “my mom has worked for RBC since I was born” – Connor began his career at RBC in 2017 as a client advisor in the Ottawa West region. In August of 2018, he made the switch to RBC Dominion Securities to pursue his passion for wealth management.
In his current role, Connor is directly responsible for assisting our financial planner, Rob Meredith, to develop custom financial plans for our clients. “I love that we take tough questions and difficult scenarios and simplify them for people using data and analysis,” he says.
Connor, who is bilingual, is currently expanding his industry knowledge through coursework. Connor enjoys spending his time outside the office with friends and family, running, and cycling.
As an Administrative Assistant with RBC Dominion Securities, Chloe Doherty supports the Financial Planning team to develop custom financial plans for our clients. She enjoys this role as it gives her the opportunity to learn about our clients, their businesses, and their visions for the future. This ultimately provides clarity and hope for clients to achieve their financial goals.
Chloe began her university journey studying Business at Jacksonville State University in Alabama and playing division 1 soccer. After a year and a half, Chloe transferred to Carleton University where she obtained a Bachelor of Commerce Degree with a concentration in Marketing and Management. While pursuing her education at Carleton University, Chloe was the captain of the varsity soccer team.
Chloe started at RBC Dominion Securities as a summer student in May 2022 where she joined the financial industry eager to learn and grow.
Outside of work, Chloe enjoys spending time with friends and family, coaching soccer, going to the gym, and running.
Alex joined our team in November 2023 as our newest trading associate. He is responsible for equity and fixed income trading within our discretionary portfolios, assists with portfolio modeling and research, and is a member of our investment committee.
From a young age, Alex had a passion for entrepreneurship, having started multiple ventures during high school. Inspired by Warren Buffet’s timeless wisdom, Alex learned the value of money, the power of compounding, and the importance of continuous learning early in his life. Fully bilingual in French and English, and a finance graduate from the University of Ottawa, Alex is working toward the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Throughout his time in school, Alex sought many practical experiences to complement his classes, participating in as many case competitions, internships, and clubs as he could. It was his role as an analyst at his university’s investment club that ignited his passion for financial markets, eventually leading him to become a Portfolio Manager. Now, he aims to leverage his passion to assist our team in helping clients achieve their financial goals.
Outside of work, Alex enjoys spending time at the cottage, boating, wakeboarding, and staying active outdoors.
Catherine joined RBC in 1987 and worked in various roles including Credit Specialist, Client Services, Investment Specialist and Management. In 1999 she was approached to become one of RBC’s first Financial Planners in the area and she has been working in Financial Planning ever since. The common theme throughout her 37-year career has been Catherine’s dedication to her clients.
In 2023 Catherine retired from RBC bank and joined Menard Kinkaid Private Wealth at Dominion Securities as an addition to the financial planning division. Her new role has her focused exclusively on this teams’ clients and she can assist in the often-complex planning for them.
Outside of work Catherine enjoys spending time with family and friends, loves to travel and is passionate about volunteering and community involvement. She has been active through the years with many worthy organizations such as her community association, Junior Achievers, the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Christie Lake Kids, the Olde Forge and many more. She was the recipient of the 2019 Global Citizen Award and was fortunate to have the opportunity to volunteer in Kenya.
Associate Investment Advisor
Matt began his career with RBC in 2011 after graduating from Trent University with a business degree. During that time, Matt progressed through several roles within the bank including advisory, management and most recently, as a Financial Planner.
Matt holds his Personal Financial Planning designation and continues to pursue his education within the field. He is a firm believer in planning for your future and prides himself on his ability to connect with clients. Matt believes his role as a Relationship Manager provides the opportunity to assist clients and provide insightful advice.
Prior to working with RBC, Matt focused his career path as an entrepreneur and operated a small business within Ottawa with a focus on donating a portion of proceeds to local charities.
Matt was born and raised in Ottawa and has an active family life with his wife and son. They enjoy spending time at their family cottages in Georgian Bay and Norway Bay. Matt enjoys skiing, golfing, hockey, camping, and most recently triathlon training and the completion of a half ironman.
– C. Pullen, client since May 2019
– Ravi & Carol, clients since August 2015
– Glen & Ludmila, clients since May 2015
– Michael & Benedetta, clients since January 2015
