Jeanette Boleantu
Senior Wealth Advisor
Carolyn Johnson
Data Analyst
John Shypitka, CFA®, CIM®, CFP®
Investment Counsellor
As an Investment Counsellor, John Shypitka provides portfolio management services to our high-net-worth clients in the CI Assante Private Client program. In consultation with our team, he determines the appropriate asset allocation to best meet the objectives of every client. He also provides ongoing reviews of client portfolios and works closely with our Wealth Planning team to ensure that our clients’ investment plans continue to meet their needs.
John brings over 25 years of portfolio management, advisory, and client service experience to his role. Prior to joining our team in 2022, John was a Director and Senior Investment Counsellor with the Private Banking division at one of Canada’s Big Six banks. In addition to working with a diverse client base that included high-net-worth, corporate, and institutional clients, John helped establish the Alberta division and many of its main processes and documents. Previously, John was a Director and Investment Counsellor with ATB Investment Management, and both a Senior Financial Advisor and Investment Advisor with two of Canada’s largest banks.
John is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®), a Canadian Investment Manager (CIM), and Certified Financial Planner (CFP®).
Vanito Pobran, CPA, CA, CFP, TEP
Regional Vice-President, Wealth Planning
As Regional Vice-President, Wealth Planning, Vanito Pobran works closely with our high net worth clients to identify issues and provide complex, tactical wealth planning support that complements their wealth plans. Vanito has a particular focus on tax and estate planning strategies for business owners, professionals and other affluent individuals and families.
Vanito joined CI Assante Private Client in 2015 after holding a tax manager position in the Calgary office of KPMG LLP. At KPMG, he worked in their tax group providing tax compliance and planning solutions to individuals and owner-managed businesses. Prior to this he was a Senior Accountant, Assurance and Business Advisory at Grant Thornton LLP in their Independent Business Group. Vanito has delivered his services across numerous sectors including manufacturing and processing, aviation, engineering, hospitality, real estate and construction. His overall professional experience in wealth planning exceeds 15 years.
Vanito is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan. In addition he holds the Certified Financial Planner® and Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designations. He is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta, the Canadian Tax Foundation, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and has completed both the CICA In-depth tax course and the CICA In-depth tax issues for the owner-managed business course.
Pippa Fry, CIM
Investment Counsellor
As an Investment Counsellor, Pippa Fry provides portfolio management services and her experience to our high net worth clients in the CI Assante Private Client program. In this role, in consultation with our team’s knowledge of our clients’ circumstances, she determines an appropriate asset allocation to best meet their objectives. She also provides ongoing review of client portfolios and works closely with our Wealth Planning team to ensure our clients’ investment plans continue to meet their needs.
Pippa comes to CI Assante Private Client with 30 years of experience in financial services working in London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York and Vancouver. Prior to joining Assante Private Client she was a Portfolio Manager at Phillips Hager & North, part of RBC Global Asset Management. She started her career at CIBC in London, followed by roles at Merrill Lynch and Swiss Bank/UBS before joining Citigroup (on the merger of Citibank and Salomon Brothers Inc.) where she was a Managing Director of Fixed Income Capital Markets for 10 years before immigrating to Canada.
Pippa has an MA from Oxford University. She holds the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) designation.
Ian McNeill, CFA, CFP®
Investment Counsellor
As an Investment Counsellor, Ian McNeill provides portfolio management services and his experience to our high net worth clients in the CI Assante Private Client program. In this role, in consultation with our team’s knowledge of our clients’ circumstances, he determines an appropriate asset allocation to best meet their objectives. He also provides ongoing review of client portfolios and works closely with our Wealth Planning team to ensure that our clients’ investments plans continue to meet their needs.
Starting his career in the financial services industry in 2003, Ian has worked in a variety of roles within the investment industry, including as a Financial Planning Specialist with Edward Jones and as an Investment Analyst with a property & casualty insurance company. Prior to joining our team in 2021, Ian was most recently Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income and Chief Compliance Officer for a Toronto-based asset management firm which managed investments for institutional, family office, and individual clients.
Ian received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary’s University in 2003, with a major in Business Administration, Computer Science and Finance. In addition, he is a CFA® (Chartered Financial Analyst) charterholder and holds the CFP® (Certified Financial Planner®) designation.
Lisa Friesen, BA
Regional Wealth Planning
As a Regional Wealth Planner, Lisa Friesen facilitates the delivery of wealth planning reports. Using a needs-based approach, Lisa works with our clients to not only gather pertinent financial information, but more importantly, to identify issues and to help our clients articulate and document their goals in order to build a plan that meets their complex needs. Working with the support of the wealth planning team, Lisa delivers a plan that addresses retirement planning, cash flow management, risk management, business planning and estate planning.
Lisa became part of Assante Private Client in 1996. Her experience in wealth planning and financial services spans over 25 years. Before joining us, she held a position at BMO Nesbitt Burns.
Lisa has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba.
Cheryl Norton , CPA, CA, CFP
Regional Vice President, Wealth Planning
As Regional Vice-President, Wealth Planning, Cheryl Norton works closely with our high net worth clients to identify issues and provide complex, tactical wealth planning support that complements their wealth plans. Cheryl has a particular focus on tax and estate planning strategies for business owners, farmers, professionals and other affluent individuals and families.
Cheryl joined CI Assante Private Client in 2018 after delivering tax planning services primarily in two multi-national public accounting firms, as well as holding senior tax and estate planning positions in the financial services and insurance industry. Cheryl’s expertise includes tax, estate and trust planning, business succession planning, intergenerational wealth transfer strategies, risk management, philanthropy and charitable giving. Her overall professional experience in tax and wealth planning exceeds 17 years.
Cheryl is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Windsor. She has also obtained her Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) designation. In addition, Cheryl is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) and has completed the CICA In-Depth Tax Course and has acted as a group leader for this course.
Dennis Kondratev , MBA, CFP, CLU®, TEP
Regional Wealth Planner
As a Regional Wealth Planner, Dennis Kondratev facilitates the delivery of wealth planning reports. Using a needs based approach, Dennis works with our clients to not only gather pertinent financial information, but more importantly, to identify issues and to help our clients articulate and document their goals in order to build a plan that meets their complex needs. Working with the support of the wealth planning team, Dennis delivers a plan that addresses retirement planning, cash flow management, risk management, business planning and estate planning.
Dennis became part of CI Assante Private Client in 2019. Prior to this he held the role of Specialist, Estate and Financial Planning Services at Sun Life Financial, providing comprehensive financial planning to affluent families, professionals, and business owners.
Dennis has an MBA from Smith School of Business, Queens University. In addition, he holds his Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designations