Michael Treurniet

Senior Financial Advisor

Mike's objective is to help his clients achieve their goals by providing well thought out advice and service.  This has led to long-term relationships and satisfied clients.

Because each client is unique, Mike takes the time to understand each one's needs, concerns and dreams, then carefully tailors advice specifically for them - monitoring each client's progress and circumstances, making adjustments as needed.

Mike offers a thorough understanding of investment products and portfolio design, a seasoned perspective, and the commitment and expertise to serve the most discerning investor.

Mike was born and raised in the Kitchener/Waterloo area, graduating from the University of Waterloo in 1996.  He has been married for over twenty years to his beautiful wife, Cheri.  They have two children, Tyler and Laina.  Mike has a great sense of humor and likes to have fun!  Special interests include cottaging, camping, travelling, reading and cheering on his favorite NFL and NHL teams. Go Bills and Go Leafs!

Paula MacKellar

Associate Financial Advisor, Insurance Advisor

Paula moved from Scotland in 2011 and joined our team shortly thereafter.  After graduating from the University of Edinburgh with her MA in 1992, she worked in the United Kingdom for 11 years as a Financial Advisor.  Since moving to Canada, Paula has obtained diplomas in the Canadian Investment Funds Operation course and the Canadian Investment Funds course, as well as obtaining her Life Insurance License through the LLQP program in 2016.

Both Paula and her husband Calum live in Waterloo and have been married since 1999. They have two children together, Ailidh and Angus. Now that her children are grown up and independent, Paula is now enjoying time for herself - running, cycling, and catching up with a good read.

Sunny Luo

Advisor Assistant

Sunny graduated from the University of Waterloo in 2022 with a Bachelor of Knowledge Integration and a double major in Mathematics. From there, she started her journey in finance at TD Canada Trust, where she supported clients around the KW region before joining our team in 2024.

She takes pride in a job well done and delivering high quality client service. She has completed her Canadian Investment Funds Operations Course and is currently working towards her Canadian Securities course.

Born and raised in Waterloo Region, Sunny was an avid dancer in her adolescence, and spends her free time hiking, rock climbing, or curled up with her cats.

Brock Zinken, CPA, CMA

Financial Advisor

A Unique Wealth advisory experience

Wealth has the ability to make life even more enjoyable, but it can be challenging to manage.

Waterloo financial advisor Brock Zinken and his team work closely with you to understand your unique goals, needs and concerns. Brock is located at the Assante Capital Management Ltd., Waterloo office. With over 10 years of wealth management experience Brock listens to your input and uses your goals and priorities to develop solutions that best fit your financial situation. Based on personal and business interests, Brock coordinates strategies for tax, estate, investment and philanthropy around your personal and business interests.

You will benefit from the personalized wealth management solutions created for you, which walks you through every step of the way to reach your financial goals and aspirations.

Brock helps you get your financial affairs in order - and keep them that way - so that you can be free to enjoy your wealth.

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Manny Kelaidis, CFA

Investment Counsellor

As an Investment Counsellor, Manny provides portfolio management services and brings over 20 years of diverse experience to our high-net-worth clients in the CI Assante
Private Client program. In consultation with our team, he determines an 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 investment plans continue to meet client needs.
Prior to joining our team in 2021, Manny was advising
high-net-worth families at CI Private Wealth (formerly Stonegate Private Counsel). Before that, he held corporate finance roles at CI Financial, Dynamic Funds and Scotiabank.
Manny has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Western University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)® designation.

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Debbie Simkins, CFP®

Regional Wealth Planner

As a Regional Wealth Planner, Debbie Simkins facilitates the delivery of wealth planning reports. Using a needs-based approach, Debbie 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, Debbie delivers a strategy that addresses retirement planning, cash flow management, risk management, business planning and estate planning.

Debbie became part of CI Assante Private Client in 2008. Her experience in wealth planning and financial services spans over 20 years. Before joining us, she was a director in the capital markets group of HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc. Debbie has a Business Administration diploma from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology and holds her Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) designation

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Dilmini Bonas, BSc (Hons), LL.B, TEP

Regional Vice-President, Wealth Planning

As  Regional  Vice-President,  Wealth  Planning,  Dilmini  works  closely  with  our  high  net  worth  clients  to  identify  issues  and provide complex, tactical wealth planning support that complements  their  wealth  plans.  Dilmini  has  a  particular  focus  on  estate  planning  and  wealth  transfer  strategies  for  business owners, professionals, and other affluent individuals and families. 

Dilmini   joined   CI   Assante   Private   Client   in   2019   after   practicing  estates  law  in  private  practice.  During  her  time  in  private  practice,  she  worked  both  as  an  estate  planning  lawyer  and  represented  clients  in  estate  litigation  matters.  Dilmini  assisted  clients  with  establishing  and  implementing  individualized   estate   plans   that   prioritized   their   wishes   and views with respect to legacy building. As a litigator, she represented beneficiaries, estate trustees, and guardians for property and personal care. Dilmini has appeared before all levels of Court in Ontario. 

Dilmini is a lawyer with a Bachelor of Law degree  from the University  of  Birmingham  (UK)  and  a  Bachelor  of  Science  degree  from  York  University.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Law  Society of Upper Canada  and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. 

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Salman Khan, CPA, CA

Regional Vice-President, Wealth Planning

As Regional Vice-President, Wealth Planning, Salman works closely with  our  high  net  worth  clients  to  identify  issues  and  provide  complex, tactical wealth planning support that complements their wealth  plans.  Salman  has  a  particular  focus  on  tax  and  financial  planning  strategies  for  business  owners,  professionals,  and  other  affluent individuals and families. 

Salman  joined  CI  Assante  Private  Client  in  2017  after  working  as  a senior tax manager at Crowe Soberman LLP. He was part of the Crowe Soberman’s tax team providing tax planning and compliance services to high net worth individuals, owner-managed businesses, multinational     manufacturers,     construction     and     investment     companies.  Salman  has  experience  advising  clients  on  matters  relating  to  estate  and  succession  planning,  performing  tax  due-diligences with respect to acquisitions of potential targets as well as  tax  implications  resulting  from  cross  border  transactions.  His  overall professional experience in wealth planning exceeds 10 years. 

Salman is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and holds a Master of Taxation (MTax) degree from University of Waterloo. He is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants Association of Ontario (CPA) and the Canadian Tax Foundation. In addition, he has  completed  the  CICA’s  In-Depth  Tax  Courses  in  International  Taxation and the Owner-managed Business. 

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Alfred Lam

Senior Vice-President and Chief Investment Officer, CI GAM | Multi-Asset Management

Alfred Lam joined the Investment Consulting team at CI Global Asset Management (CI GAM) in 2004 and is actively involved in manager selection and oversight, product development, asset allocation and currency management of CI GAM’s managed solutions. He leads a team of investment experts who monitor the portfolio managers and the funds’ portfolios to ensure they are adhering to their mandates and performing within expectations and oversees approximately 32 billion of assets invested in customized managed portfolio solutions* for our clients. Alfred previously held the role of Senior Manager of the Investment Management Team at CIBC Securities. He has an MBA from York University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Alfred is a member of the CFA Institute and the Toronto CFA Society.  

* With access to a wealth of tools and resources, Assante advisors and their clients are supported by the expertise of an investment management team and wealth planning group available through our sister company, CI Global Asset Management, and CI Assante Private Client, a division of CI Private Counsel LP. 

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Richard Wylie

Vice-President, Investment Strategy

Richard is Vice-President, Investment Strategy at CI Assante Wealth Management and oversees our firm’s investment product shelf. He chairs Assante's Investment Committee and performs due diligence on new product offerings, acting as the liaison with product issuers, promoters and underwriters. Richard also co-ordinates the approval of specialty investment transactions with Assante's Compliance team and trading desk. He also represents CI Assante Wealth Management in the media with regular spots on CP24 and ROB TV. Prior to joining Assante in 2000, Richard was the trading floor economist and fixed income analyst at TD Securities. During his six years at TD Securities, he specialized in the areas of economic analysis of the U.S. and Canadian economies, corporate and government debt, and studies of both the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Canada. Prior to his tenure at TD Securities, Richard spent five years trading both Foreign Exchange and Money Market securities for Ontario Hydro. Richard has been a CFA charterholder since 1994. He received both his B.A. and M.A. in economics from the University of Waterloo. 

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