Born in 1963, Patrick is the youngest of 5 children. Patrick graduated with distinction from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) in 1987. Of his scholarships, he is most proud of the Citizenship Award given to a veterinary student on the recommendation of his/her peers. He is a member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Associations.
Before settling in the Comox Valley in 1992, Patrick worked in a variety of mixed practices in Nova Scotia, Alberta, and parts of British Columbia. He built a business from the ground up called "Tsolum Mobile Veterinary Health Ltd" which he sold it in 2003 to join his fiancée in the Fraser Valley.
Patrick also has a strong background as a businessman in the public market arena. He developed a start up technology company from a set of electrochemical patents to the pre-public company stage on the US market.
Over the years, Patrick has backpacked extensively in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. He maintains a strong interest in world environmental, political, economic and social developments. Patrick uses these personal experiences extensively in his disciplined style of investing. He is a committed Rotarian with the Meadow Ridge Rotary club and was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship in 2007 for his work on the Shelterbox program.
Some people wonder why Patrick would leave veterinary practice. Family is very important to him and the mix of home and the profession is difficult even if one has a stay-at-home partner. After a serendipitous meeting with his future wife Stefanie at a veterinary conference in 2001, they decided that their children would be their number one priority. He and Stefanie realized that they could not both be involved in 24/7 active large animal practice and devote the required time to their children. Stefanie already had a thriving practice, so Patrick decided to pursue his love of preventative medicine on a new species – personal finance. This decision has allowed Patrick to have a family and continue his career in finance.
