• Our Board





    		Fergus I.M. Craik, PhD, FRSC — Director
    Fergus Craik, retired professor of psychology, and senior scientist at the Baycrest Rotman Research Institute, is a cognitive psychologist, internationally recognized for his groundbreaking research on human memory processes. Dr. Craik is considered a leader in the areas of memory, attention and cognitive aging. In 2008, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society, the prestigious U.K. national science academy. He received his doctorate from the University of Liverpool.






    		Robert Gignac, M.Sc., CFA, CIM — Director
    Robert Gignac is a senior research analyst with HSBC Investments (Canada), specializing in Canadian equity and fixed-income portfolios. He oversees the manager selection and due diligence processes for HSBC’s multi-manager investment products in Canada. Robert has over nine years’ experience in the financial services industry, both in Canada and internationally. He holds a master’s degree in international finance from the University of Reading and is licensed with the Ontario Securities Commission as an investment counsellor and a portfolio manager. He has extensive expertise in portfolio construction and investment policy, and takes a stringent approach to investment manager selection and evaluation.






    		Allan Macfarlane — Director & President
    Allan Macfarlane is founder of A.I. Macfarlane & Associates Limited, which provided advisory services on underwriting, risk management and loss control issues for the commercial insurance industry from 1964 to 2000. In 1990, Mr. Macfarlane founded Contract Pharmaceuticals Limited, and before retiring his interests therein, laid the foundation on which the company is built today—currently operating three plants in Canada and the U.S. and serving most of the big pharmaceutical companies in North America.






    		AnneMarie Ryan — Director & Secretary/Treasurer
    President of AMR Associates Inc., AnneMarie Ryan has over 25 years’ experience helping financial services firms with business planning. She provides consultation to Canadian investment dealers and regulators about the impact of technology advancements on the investment business and the regulatory impact of changes in the investment process. Some of AnneMarie’s clients include ITG Canada, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and the Canadian Depository for Securities. In 1999, she served as special advisor to the OSC in the development of national policies regarding alternative trading systems in Canada. AnneMarie holds a bachelor’s degree in political science as well as a master’s degree in business administration.






    		John Rothwell — Director
    John Rothwell is Executive Vice President and Head of Private Client Services at Canaccord Capital Inc.. John has over 30 years of financial services experience, with Midland Walwyn Capital, Mackenzie Financial, Fidelity Investments and, most recently, as President of Wellington West Capital Inc. He has served on various IIROC (Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada [formerly the Investment Dealer Association]) committees and chaired the IIROC mutual fund committee. He is presently a member of IIROC’s retail sales council. John received his bachelor’s degree (hons.) from the University of Waterloo.






    		Louise Summerhill — Director
    Louise Summerhill was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1990 when she joined Aird and Berlis LLP, where she has been a partner since 1994. Louise practices tax law, focusing primarily on litigation. She is recognized for both her legal abilities and ethical standards by Martindale-Hubbell, and is creator and former adjunct professor of “The Course of a Transaction,” Osgoode Hall Law School. She was also selected as one of the 550 Women in the Lead, whose professional expertise and experience qualify them for corporate board appointment. Louise holds an LL.B. from the University of Windsor.


    Management





    		Nicola Elkins, M.Sc. — Chief Executive Officer and Founder
    Nicola has worked with large multi-national organizations, bringing broad experience to developing and driving key business strategies and product initiatives within the financial services sector for almost 20 years. In that time, she held a number of senior roles in marketing, product development and strategic planning with Fidelity Investments (U.K. and Canada), First Asset Advisory Services, Russell Investments and BMO Nesbitt Burns. She holds a master’s of science degree in economics from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree from McGill University. She is also a graduate of the Canadian Gift Planning Course offered by the Canadian Association of Gift Planners. Nicola was appointed as CEO of Benefaction Foundation by the Board in June of 2008.


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