Speaker Info and Bios
Edmonton:
David W. Bullock Director, Private Client Programs, Russell Investment Group-Canada
Dave Bullock joined Russell in January, 2003 to lead the private client programs group. In this capacity he is responsible for driving the sales and marketing plans behind new and exciting products and for building assets under management through current distribution channels and selective channel acquisition.
Prior to joining Russell, Dave held several executive positions within the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Group of Companies (CIBC) over a 12-year period. These roles included leading large financial advisory sales forces in Canada's largest market, developing a unique workplace banking model and implementing it in more than 40 corporations in Canada, and leading Retail Banking sales forces in both Canada and the U.S.A.
In the first several years with the company Dave held roles which ranged from sales management consultant to senior line executives to having line management responsibility for a group of branches in Peterborough, Ontario.
Prior to joining CIBC, Dave spent 10 years with the Hudson's Bay Company, a leading Canadian department store retailer where he held a succession of senior line management roles.
Kevin Armstrong, Portfolio Analyst, Russell Investment Group - Canada
As a portfolio analyst with Russell’s Toronto office, Kevin supports portfolio managers in the construction and maintenance of the company’s US equity and International equity multi-manager investment funds in Canada. Kevin’s role includes monitoring and reporting on market developments and utilizing sophisticated software to examine investment managers’ actions and performance. Kevin also provides analytical support to sales and marketing efforts for the funds. He has held this role since 2002.
Kevin joined Russell’s fund operations team in Toronto as a Trading Assistant in 2000. In this capacity, he processed mutual fund trades for Russell’s institutional clients and LifePoints Portfolios. During this time Kevin designed the process and systems by which the LifePoints portfolios are traded and monitored on a daily basis; he was promoted to Trading Analyst in 2001.
Originally from Barbados, Kevin interned with several accounting firms there including PriceWaterhouseCoopers Barbados. He attained Canadian permanent residence status in 2001.
Chris DeSantis, Regional Director, Private Client Programs, Russell Investment Group – Canada
Chris DeSantis holds the position of director of Western Canada with the Toronto office of Russell Investment Group. He works closely with Russell’s alliance partners to implement the launch of new products and facilitate the growth of Russell program assets through multiple distribution channels. Chris also has the corporate relationship responsibility for the RBC Dominion Securities relationship and the financial planning arm of Royal Bank. Prior to this role, he headed up the launch of the LifePoints® Portfolios in August of 2000.
Chris joined Russell in July 1999 after working for TD Asset Management as a regional sales manager for four years. There, he was responsible for sales, promotion and distribution of TD’s investment products through its broker/dealer network and bank retail branch relationship, contributing to the firm’s growth to more than C$14 billion in mutual fund assets. He also headed up the launch of TD’s guaranteed investment funds in the spring of 1999.
Chris began his career at CIBC Wood Gundy in 1993 as a member of the firm’s institutional fixed income trading desk.
He is a Chartered Financial Analyst, and a member of the Toronto Society of Financial Analysts.
Donald M. MacKay, Senior Vice-President, Greystone Managed Investments
Donald is responsible for Canadian equity research and portfolio management, and focuses specifically on Financials, Consumer Staples, Healthcare, Consumer Discretionary. Donald has been with Greystone since 1992. Prior to joining Greystone, Donald worked as a research assistant for Saskatchewan Economic Diversification and Trade.
Mark Schoenhals, Chief Marketing Officer, Greystone Managed Investments
Mark Schoenhals is the Chief Marketing Officer for Greystone Managed Investments. In this capacity, he is responsible for business development. Mark has been with Greystone for 12 years, and has 28 years of experience within the investment industry. Before joining Greystone, Mark worked with Houston Willoughby Limited, Canadian Commercial Bank and RBC Dominion Securities.
Randy Lert, Chief Portfolio Strategist, Russell Investment Group
Randy Lert is the chief portfolio strategist for Russell Investment Group. In this role, he is instrumental to the formation and implementation of investment policy and process. He is also a member of several internal committees engaged in oversight of a number of critical initiatives for the company as a whole. Amonth these groups are Russell’s Corporate Investment, Executive and Operating Committees.
From 1996 to 2003, Randy was the chief investment officer with responsibilities for all investment activities within Russell Investment Group. He first came to work for Russell in 1985 as vice president with Frank Russell Investment Management Company. In 1989 he served as director of investments for both Frank Russell Investment Management Company and Frank Russell Trust Company.
Calgary
David W. Bullock Director, Private Client Programs, Russell Investment Group-Canada
Dave Bullock joined Russell in January, 2003 to lead the private client programs group. In this capacity he is responsible for driving the sales and marketing plans behind new and exciting products and for building assets under management through current distribution channels and selective channel acquisition.
Prior to joining Russell, Dave held several executive positions within the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Group of Companies (CIBC) over a 12-year period. These roles included leading large financial advisory sales forces in Canada's largest market, developing a unique workplace banking model and implementing it in more than 40 corporations in Canada, and leading Retail Banking sales forces in both Canada and the U.S.A.
In the first several years with the company Dave held roles which ranged from sales management consultant to senior line executives to having line management responsibility for a group of branches in Peterborough, Ontario.
Prior to joining CIBC, Dave spent 10 years with the Hudson's Bay Company, a leading Canadian department store retailer where he held a succession of senior line management roles.
Kevin Armstrong, Portfolio Analyst, Russell Investment Group - Canada
As a portfolio analyst with Russell’s Toronto office, Kevin supports portfolio managers in the construction and maintenance of the company’s US equity and International equity multi-manager investment funds in Canada. Kevin’s role includes monitoring and reporting on market developments and utilizing sophisticated software to examine investment managers’ actions and performance. Kevin also provides analytical support to sales and marketing efforts for the funds. He has held this role since 2002.
Kevin joined Russell’s fund operations team in Toronto as a Trading Assistant in 2000. In this capacity, he processed mutual fund trades for Russell’s institutional clients and LifePoints Portfolios. During this time Kevin designed the process and systems by which the LifePoints portfolios are traded and monitored on a daily basis; he was promoted to Trading Analyst in 2001.
Originally from Barbados, Kevin interned with several accounting firms there including PriceWaterhouseCoopers Barbados. He attained Canadian permanent residence status in 2001.
Chris DeSantis, Regional Director, Private Client Programs, Russell Investment Group – Canada
Chris DeSantis holds the position of director of Western Canada with the Toronto office of Russell Investment Group. He works closely with Russell’s alliance partners to implement the launch of new products and facilitate the growth of Russell program assets through multiple distribution channels. Chris also has the corporate relationship responsibility for the RBC Dominion Securities relationship and the financial planning arm of Royal Bank. Prior to this role, he headed up the launch of the LifePoints® Portfolios in August of 2000.
Chris joined Russell in July 1999 after working for TD Asset Management as a regional sales manager for four years. There, he was responsible for sales, promotion and distribution of TD’s investment products through its broker/dealer network and bank retail branch relationship, contributing to the firm’s growth to more than C$14 billion in mutual fund assets. He also headed up the launch of TD’s guaranteed investment funds in the spring of 1999.
Chris began his career at CIBC Wood Gundy in 1993 as a member of the firm’s institutional fixed income trading desk.
He is a Chartered Financial Analyst, and a member of the Toronto Society of Financial Analysts.
Scott Linner, Portfolio Manager, Canadian Equities, Greystone Managed Investments
Scott is responsible for Canadian equity research & portfolio management, and focuses mainly on the materials and energy sectors. Scott has been with Greystone since 2000, and has previous experience as a Senior Treasury Analyst for the SaskPower Corporation, and as a Treasury Analyst, for Farm Credit Canada.
Randy Lert, Chief Portfolio Strategist, Russell Investment Group
Randy Lert is the chief portfolio strategist for Russell Investment Group. In this role, he is instrumental to the formation and implementation of investment policy and process. He is also a member of several internal committees engaged in oversight of a number of critical initiatives for the company as a whole. Amonth these groups are Russell’s Corporate Investment, Executive and Operating Committees.
From 1996 to 2003, Randy was the chief investment officer with responsibilities for all investment activities within Russell Investment Group. He first came to work for Russell in 1985 as vice president with Frank Russell Investment Management Company. In 1989 he served as director of investments for both Frank Russell Investment Management Company and Frank Russell Trust Company.
Mark Schoenhals, Chief Marketing Officer, Greystone Managed Investments
Mark Schoenhals is the Chief Marketing Officer for Greystone Managed Investments. In this capacity, he is responsible for business development. Mark has been with Greystone for 12 years, and has 28 years of experience within the investment industry. Before joining Greystone, Mark worked with Houston Willoughby Limited, Canadian Commercial Bank and RBC Dominion Securities.
Toronto/Burlington
Joe Perrin, President and Managing Director, Russell Investment Group – Canada
Joe Perrin joined Russell in 2000 as president of the company’s Canadian operations and managing director of its Toronto office. Joe oversees the strategic direction of all of Russell’s business activities in Canada, including retail and institutional investment management, consulting and implementation. He is also involved with a small number of key client relationships and serves on Russell’s corporate operating committee. Joe also serves on Russell’s global committees for institutional business strategy and individual business strategy.
Prior to joining Russell, Joe held several executive positions within the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce group of companies (CIBC) over a 10-year period. These roles included establishing and heading up the CIBC Financial Planning Inc. subsidiary, which represented a highly successful model in sales force architecture and financial planning-based investment sales. As president, Joe’s role included membership on CIBC Securities Inc.’s investment management committee and the executive leadership team for the firm’s 1,400 Canadian bank branches, as well as significant involvement in wealth management product development and strategic initiatives.
Earlier, from 1993 to 1997, Joe had line management responsibility for the CIBC branch network in Edmonton, Alberta. Joe joined CIBC as a marketing and sales management strategist and consultant to senior line executives in 1990.
Prior to joining CIBC Joe spent 11 years at Dylex, a leading Canadian soft goods retailer, where he held a number of senior line management positions.
Irshaad Ahmad, Director, Institutional Services, Russell Investment Group-Canada
Irshaad Ahmad joined Russell Investment Group in 2004 as Director, Institutional Services. Irshaad oversees all of Russell’s institutional businesses in Canada, including consulting and sales and client service of institutional funds, alternative investments and implementation services.
Prior to joining Russell Irshaad held a senior leadership role in the investment consulting business of a large multi-national consulting firm. Irshaad has worked with clients on all aspects of pension and institutional investments including development of investment policy, investment manager selection and implementation issues ranging from currency hedging to rebalancing. He has written articles on the fixed income market and hedge funds and is a frequent speaker at conferences on current pension investment issues.
Tim Hicks, Chief Investment Officer, Russell Investment Group-Canada
Timothy Hicks was named Chief Investment Officer (CIO) for the Canadian fund complex in August 2002. Tim manages a group of analysts and portfolio managers in Toronto that contributes to Russell’s global investment management and research effort. Tim is also responsible for the overall investment integrity of all investment products sold in Canada by Russell and is the Portfolio Manager for Russell’s two Canadian equity funds.
Tim joined Russell in 1993 as a Canadian equity analyst in Russell's Canadian consulting practice. Initially, his responsibilities involved manager evaluation and client strategy formulation. Tim was named Director of manager research for Canada in 1994. In this role, he was involved with qualitative research, development of clients’ equity strategies and overseeing Russell’s Canadian manager research area.
Immediately prior to joining Russell, from 1989 to 1993, Tim worked as a consultant in the asset consulting group of Towers Perrin, assisting clients with investment policy, manager selection and performance evaluation. He also was extensively involved in investment manager research while with Towers Perrin.
Before that time, Tim was an account executive with SEI Financial Services in Toronto, where he provided comparative fund performance measurement services to pension fund clients. Tim began his career as a facultative underwriter at General Reinsurance Corporation, where he worked from 1982 to 1987.
David Picton, President and Chief Investment Officer, Picton Mahoney Asset Management
David Picton is PMAM’s President and Chief Investment Officer. He is the portfolio manager responsible for North American equities. David has over 15 years of investment industry experience. In 1997 he became a founding partner of the original Synergy Asset Management and managed several portfolios for Synergy, most notably their momentum funds. Synergy was taken over by CI Funds Inc. in October of 2003 and David became the Chief Investment Officer of the CI Synergy Mutual funds group.
Prior to becoming a portfolio manager with Synergy, David spent eight years as head of quantitative research at RBC Dominion Securities where he was one of the top ranked analysts in his sector. David holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia. He also received a Leslie Wong Fellowship from UBC's prestigious Portfolio Management Foundation.
Kim Shannon, President & Chief Investment Officer, Sionna
Kim founded Sionna in the summer of 2002 and has 21 years of experience in investment management. She was previously Chief Investment Officer and Senior Vice President at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, Canada, and led large capitalization equities at AMI Partners. Kim earned her BA in Economics and Commerce at University of Toronto with distinction. Kim is a past President of the Toronto Society of Financial Analysts and is currently on the board of CFA Institute's Canadian Advisory Committee, Canadian Coalition for Good Governance's Accounting and Audit Policy Committee, as well as several charity financial and investment committees.
Robert W. Scheetz, Senior Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager
Mr. Scheetz is a senior portfolio manager. Previously he served as the firm's Growth Equity Product Specialist with responsibility for consultant relations, client service, product management and business development. Prior to joining Alliance in 1996, Mr. Scheetz worked at BARRA RogersCasey, an investment consulting firm, where he was responsible for advising clients on the issues of asset allocation and investment manager searches. Previously, he spent four years at Hewitt Associates assisting clients on design and implementation of their defined contribution investment programs. Mr. Scheetz is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics/Political Science. Location: New York. Industry experience: 15 years, years at Alliance 9.
Ernest M Ankrim, Chief Investment Strategist, Russell Investment Group
Ernie Ankrim, as Russell’s chief investment strategist, serves as Russell’s leading voice on markets, portfolio strategies, and institutional and individual investor behavior.
Ernie joined Russell in 1990 as a member of the research group. Here he helped direct the redesign of Russell’s investment management business in 1995, for which he received the Russell Leadership Award in 1996. From 1995 to 2002 Ernie served as director of portfolio strategy for Russell’s investment group.
Following his graduate work at the University of Oregon, just prior to joining Russell, Ernie taught economics at Pacific Lutheran University from 1976 to 1990, the last six years as department Chair.
A popular speaker at industry and Russell conferences, Ernie has authored over 20 Russell’s research commentaries on topics as diverse as performance attribution, commodities, asset allocation and investor behavior. Nearly half of these articles have been subsequently published in investment journals such as The Journal of Investing, The Journal of Portfolio Management, and the Financial Analysts Journal.