Our RBC Partners

Connie obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1994.

Prior to joining RBC in 2012, Connie practised law for 18 years. As a partner in a mid-sized full-service law firm, her practice was varied and covered the areas of corporate/commercial law, real estate, and Wills, trusts and estates law. In that role, Connie advised her owner-manager clients on a broad range of business and personal needs, from purchases and sales of businesses, to shareholder agreements and corporate reorganizations, to Will and estate planning.

For many years Connie taught the Business Law section of the Bar Admissions Course and was involved with preparing the licensing exams for Ontario lawyers. Throughout her career, Connie has been involved in her broader community, serving on many non-profit boards as well as providing pro bono legal services.

As a Senior Trust Advisor, Karen Snowdon-Steacy is responsible for managing a complex book of accounts, and services clients throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Karen works with individuals, families and businesses to provide customized estate, trust and incapacity solutions. Whether it is helping someone to settle an estate, establishing a trust to ensure the successful transfer of family assets, or arranging to assist with the administration and responsibilities for a power of attorney, Karen can help. Karen also has specialized and experience in advising on philanthropic and charitable giving strategies for clients who wish to leave a lasting legacy.

A graduate of Victoria University at the University of Toronto specializing in history and political science, Karen has continued to deepen her knowledge and expertise with key industry designations such as Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP). Karen is a full member of STEP.

With 30 years of experience, Karen is well known within the local estate and trust industry and delivers well-balanced advice by staying abreast of product, industry, investment, tax and legislative developments. With a career focused on building client relationships, she is dedicated to providing assistance in the preservation, management and transfer of wealth between generations by providing solutions to implement clients’ estate, trust and philanthropic plans.

Andrew loves the insurance business. It’s not the products, it’s the opportunity to learn about you, your family and your life as a whole and how insurance may help you to reach your most cherished goals. That accounts for Andrew’s core purpose: to focus on people and provide the optimal solution for their unique circumstances.

Fundamentally, Andrew is an educator. He says, “If I hadn’t chosen the insurance business I would probably be a teacher. As an Estate Planning Specialist, my role is to educate clients on which situations these products are for, and how you make them work.” It is not about the sale. It’s about helping people discover an insurance solution that works for them, if any. It’s always about people, not product.

Andrew has been an Estate Planning Specialist since 1993. He lives in Toronto with his wife, daughter and their dog. An amateur boxer until 1992, he was the Ontario middleweight champion. Now he’s an avid squash player and fisherman.

Defining Wealth, Your Way

What does wealth mean to you? The word "wealth" evokes different sentiment for everyone. I work with your advisor to learn what wealth means to you. I take the time to understand your story. My personalized process involves asking the necessary questions, analyzing your situation, and applying my expertise. These steps ensure your personal financial objectives always guide my recommendations. Appreciating how you want to create, preserve, and transfer your wealth allows me to design solutions that define wealth – your way.

My commitment to ongoing education ensures my skills and expertise are among the most regarded in the industry. I hold the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations. In addition, I am currently pursuing the Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation.

Coming from one of the major global accounting firms, Chris brings a broad range of experience to his role as a Financial Planning Specialist. In his previous role as a senior tax manager, he spent many years working with private companies, high net worth individuals, trusts and partnerships. His work focused on tax minimization strategies and corporate reorganizations.

Chris is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional (CFP) and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from Ontario Tech University. He has completed CPA Canada’s In-Depth

Tax Course and In-Depth Tax Issues for the Owner-Managed Business Course. Chris now shares his knowledge and experiences as Group Study Leader and Tutorial Facilitator for the In-Depth Tax Course. He is also a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation.

Chris’ role is to work with and support your advisor in preparing and presenting your Compass Financial Plan and to identify and assess any related financial planning concerns you may have.