Local Ottawa Presence
Global Reach
Providing knowledgeable, unbiased advice
What We Believe
Through our core values of trust, transparency and professionalism, we are committed to enriching the lives of our clients by delivering superior investment services. We put our clients at the heart of our business, developing and maintaining long-standing relationships based on our values. We respect diversity, value generosity and maintain a fiduciary responsibility to all investors.
“The CrossPoint Financial Way”
Professional wealth planning for individuals, families, corporations, institutions and foundations.
We are research-based and cognizant of the risk of human behavior and psychology that can interfere with intelligent investment decisions.
We strive to add significant value to returns after fees and taxes. To that end, we believe in fair and visible costs. Under our Managed program, our fees are independent of product and asset class, therefore creating an unbiased structure for trades to be executed. There are no trade commissions or embedded costs under this program, so trading activity itself doesn’t pay us. We are therefore fully aligned with our client’s objectives – a “go anywhere” model that strives to increase value.
We are value investors at heart, striving to find the reason why we own an investment and what the catalyst will be for growth in value. We look for good companies that are growing and are priced at reasonable valuations. We believe these elements will deliver the best results over time; results we can understand and make sense of. This allows us to stay invested with confidence, despite volatility, over the long run.
We balance this with recognizing that active management can be expensive and introduces greater risk of manager under-performance. As such we use low-cost passive indexing as core holdings. Overall, we believe that long term holdings in quality businesses removes a lot of the risk to investing.
Meet the Team
Brent Vandermeer
Senior Portfolio Manager
Gary Renaud
Portfolio Manager
Erin Gendron
Investment Advisor & Financial Planner
James Gilbert
Associate Investment Advisor
Lindsay Thom
Head of Operations and Client Experience
Associate Investment Advisor
Sandra Perez
Client Service Manager, Licensed Assistant
Zarian Khan
Associate Investment Advisor
Margaret Goddard
Senior Client Administrator & Receptionist
Kira Hillier
Senior Client Administrator
Brent Vandermeer
Senior Portfolio Manager | Managing Partner of CrossPoint Financial
CrossPoint Financial
iA Private Wealth™
[email protected]
Insurance Advisor*, CrossPoint Financial Inc.
*Insurance products and services are offered through CrossPoint Financial Inc., an independent and separate company from iA Private Wealth Inc. Only products and services offered through iA Private Wealth Inc. are covered by the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.
Brent Vandermeer
Senior Portfolio Manager
As the co-founder and managing partner of CrossPoint Financial, Brent is dedicated to helping clients take the first step in a journey that leads to a sound financial future through knowledge, discipline and dedication. He is passionate about helping people discover the purpose, or as he often refers to, the “why” for their money.
With a deeply instilled work ethic from hard-working Dutch immigrant parents, Brent was taught the value of money, how to be careful about spending but also about generosity and giving back to those less fortunate.
Brent got his start in the late 1990’s when he became a licensed advisor while completing his studies at the University of Ottawa business school (B.Comm, Finance). It was there that Brent realized his passion for helping others was deeply rooted within him and he went on to become a licensed discretionary Portfolio Manager. Brent holds a CIM® designation and is a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI®).
Over the years Brent has developed a proprietary “P2A” Plan to Actual report that compares your actual investment balance to your personalized financial plan. Working closely with his clients, Brent builds and monitors long-term strategies along with comprehensive financial plans and processes to help clients build and maintain a comfortable lifestyle. Brent strongly believes that this work and this service is required in order to properly steward the wealth we’ve been given.
Brent loves sharing stories of this progression and in doing so paints a picture of how the financial industry works and how our clients are best served by working with a trusted advisor who is structured in the right way. The net result is a never-wavering focus on the provision of a superior wealth management experience.
Brent and his wife Lisa are kept very busy with their family of four children. In whatever spare time there is, Brent enjoys running/triathlon, swimming, is a connoisseur of great food, and tries to serve the greater good by actively contributing to their local church and charities.
Brent is honored to lead the CrossPoint team. Through hard work and never-wavering commitment to serving our clients, Brent believes we can help you achieve your dreams and in this way, we contribute to making our world a better place even if just in a small way.
Gary Renaud
Portfolio Manager
In 1992, Gary Renaud founded Life Span Financial Strategies and merged practices with Brent Vandermeer on December 1st, 2018 and co-founded the firm that is now known as Crosspoint Financial. As a partner, Gary is a key advocate to the growing success of the firm.
Gary is a licensed Portfolio Manager including options, offering discretionary investment and wealth management strategies through HollisWealth.
Gary’s professional designations include:
- CFP®
- CIM (Chartered Investment Manager)
- FCSI (Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute)
- RFP (Registered Financial Planner)
- TEP (Tax and Estate Practitioner)
Gary was born in Truro, Nova Scotia, but spent most of his youth living in the Province of Quebec where his father was stationed at various military bases. After completing his education, Gary was quick to apply the regimented work ethic he carried over from his upbringing to the business world. In 1978, Gary relocated to Ottawa where he bought his first business in 1987. In the following years, he would go on to buy and sell several other successful businesses.
Along the way, he met his wife Nancy and their family began to grow with the additions of Andrew, David, Leanne, and Steve. He is now a proud grandfather to Addy and Charlie.
In 1992, Gary shifted careers, joining the financial services sector, where he was able to apply his “hands-on” practical business knowledge in helping other business owners.
Those who have had the opportunity of working with Gary know that he takes charge and makes things happen. He’s known for creating a vision and developing the necessary steps to achieve the desired objectives. He understands the importance of teamwork, and Crosspoint Financial achieves results through his confidence and leadership as one of Ottawa’s wealth management professionals.
Gary is a strong believer that successful people need to deal with other successful people. As a Member of HollisWealth’s President’s and Chairman’s Club, Gary has become a recognized leader in his field and has become an individual that successful people value as a key advisor.
Erin Gendron
Investment Advisor & Financial Planner
iA Private Wealth™
[email protected]
Erin Gendron
Investment Advisor & Financial Planner
Erin Gendron brings over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry to the team. Prior to joining the CrossPoint Financial Team in 2016, Erin spent 8 years working with two of Canada’s biggest banks in Toronto and Ottawa. In these roles she provided investment and financial planning services, working with a diverse client base to streamline their day to day banking affairs and understand and manage their credit situation. This in-depth banking knowledge allows Erin to offer practical, well-rounded advice to our clients as they navigate the often confusing banking landscape. She is passionate about helping people by providing sound financial guidance that can allow her clients to see their visions come to fruition through efficient and effective planning for their future.
Erin has her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation, which she has held since 2008. Erin’s other industry accreditations include her Financial Management Advisor (FMA) designation, her Certificate in Advanced Retirement Strategies and is an Insurance Advisor with Hollis Insurance. Erin has a strong foundation to provide holistic advice as she runs the financial planning services offered to our clients.
Erin and her husband Daniel try to be outdoors as often as they can with their young kids Callan and Avalyn. The occasional weekend trip to see a new band and search out good food & drink are their joys to live a well-balanced lifestyle.
Lindsay Thom
Head of Operations and Client Experience
Associate Investment Advisor
CrossPoint Financial
iA Private Wealth™
[email protected]
Lindsay Thom
Head of Operations and Client Experience
Associate Investment Advisor
Lindsay joined CrossPoint Financial in 2021 as Head of Operations and Client Experience. Her career in the investment industry began in 2006 at Dundee Wealth Management. She moved into branch management in 2010. Five years later, Lindsay joined the Senior Branch Manager team under National Business Supervision, where she supervised corporate Branch Managers across four provinces for HollisWealth and iAS. As a positive and committed leader, Lindsay’s industry experience has been an invaluable contribution to the team and the field. She’s passionate about coaching, employee development and making a positive impact on her team. She has demonstrated excellence in leadership and streamlining practices and processes.
Lindsay loves hockey, specifically women’s and girls’ hockey — she still plays with many of the same girls she played with growing up. The only thing better than watching hockey is coaching her daughter’s team, the U9 girls hockey with KGHA which happens to be the very same league she played in as a child!
Kira Hillier
Senior Client Administrator
Kira Hillier joined the CrossPoint Financial team in 2021 in a Senior Client Administrator role to support the teams’ administrative efforts. She brings a wealth of administration experience and a keen desire to learn and grow.
Creating an enjoyable customer experience has always been important in her work. Kira’s worked in car dealerships for most of her career, taking on roles as a Service Advisor and in the Warranty Administration department.
Born and raised in Ontario, Kira attended Fleming College, where she studied Fitness and Health Promotion. She also completed the Human Resources Management program at Algonquin College.
Professionally she’s passionate about learning and providing exceptional support to her team. She is a true team player who goes above and beyond to ensure the team has the support they need to provide an excellent client experience.
Kira’s interests include volleyball, her two dogs, travelling and collecting watches. In the warmer months, Kira loves camping with her family.
Maggie Sharkey
Senior Client Administrator
CrossPoint Financial
iA Private Wealth™
[email protected]
Maggie Sharkey
Senior Client Administrator
Maggie Sharkey brings over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry since joining our team in 2021.
After studying Office Administration Procedures at Canadore College in North Bay, she then went on to work at MD Financial for ten years as a Data Entry Clerk, where she was responsible for setting up RIFs and PACs, transfers, and new accounts, as well as purchasing & selling mutual funds.
Maggie is the backbone behind the team, serving our clients in an administrative capacity, including processing paperwork for new clients, updating KYC, setting up PADs, SWPs, client communication, and purchasing GIC’s.
She loves getting to know clients, meeting new people, streamlining processes, and learning new things. She always strives to create an outstanding client experience — she’s happy when the clients are happy!
She loves spending time with family and friends, which often includes hosting a dinner and playing games.
She loves camping, cooking, curling up with a good book, and is a big fan of Hallmark movies!
Sandra Perez
Client Service Manager, Licensed Assistant
CrossPoint Financial
iA Private Wealth™
[email protected]
Sandra Perez
Client Service Manager, Licensed Assistant
Sandra is a dedicated Client Service Manager and Licensed Assistant with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that each client’s experience with CrossPoint Financial is exceptional. Sandra plays an instrumental role in the CrossPoint Financial Team assisting client inquiries related to their account, including account opening, securities trading, account transfers, estate settlements, internal asset transfers, and contributions and withdrawals. Both proactive and professional, Sandra is diligent in ensuring that the needs of our clients are always met.
Sandra is proactive in her approach to client service and takes pride in providing top-tier assistance to every individual she works with.
Sandra has been a member of the CrossPoint Financial team since 2008. She primarily assists our Managing Partner, Brent Vandermeer, with day-to-day operations for his clients. Sandra is a graduate of Algonquin College and the mother of two small children, Mia and Wesley. Outside the office, she enjoys cuddling with her kids, watching movies and crafting.
Zarian Khan
Associate Investment Advisor
CrossPoint Financial
iA Private Wealth™
[email protected]
Zarian Khan
Associate Investment Advisor
Zarian graduated from Carleton University in 2015 with a Bachelor’s in Economics. Zarian spent five years working with major banks in Canada and, in September 2020, joined our CrossPoint Financial team. Zarian brings with him a robust knowledge of retail banking, financial planning, and investment solutions.
He has completed the Canadian Securities Course (CSC), Conducts & Practices Handbook (CPH), Investment Management Techniques (IMT), Derivatives Fundamentals & Options Licensing (DFOL), as well Zarian has completed his Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) designation. His sights are set on completing the Chartered Financial Planner (CFP®) designation in the not too distant future. Zarian is trilingual, dedicated to his career and aspires to become a Portfolio Manager.
Zarian and his fiancée, Ashley, like to exercise and stay fit so they can enjoy dining out on the weekend. At heart, they are foodies. They take part in regular trips with friends and relatives to Ottawa’s surrounding areas. Zarian was born in Pakistan, where his brother, sister and parents reside.
James Gilbert
Associate Investment Advisor
CrossPoint Financial
iA Private Wealth™
[email protected]
James Gilbert
Associate Investment Advisor
James works with clients as a primary relationship manager while also supporting portfolio research and trading activities. He pairs his own knowledge with that of the senior advisors to develop strategic wealth management plans for our clients. He is passionate in his beliefs particularly as they relate to continuous improvement and creating lasting positive impressions.
James works to build a foundation of trust with his clients by focusing on engagement, attention to detail, and a thorough understanding of their needs. Given his background in economics, he strives to find efficiency in all areas of wealth management and is keen to look outside the box to find innovative solutions for our clients.
Outside the office, James is an avid outdoorsman. If he’s not backcountry camping, you’ll either find him on his bike or skis. Given his love of the outdoors, he is a proud supporter of a number of charitable organizations that are directed towards environmental impact. He’s always open to discussing investments that are focused on environmental initiatives or finding ways to build philanthropy into your financial plan.
Margaret Goddard
Senior Client Administrator & Receptionist
CrossPoint Financial
iA Private Wealth™
[email protected]
Margaret Goddard
Senior Client Administrator & Receptionist
Known as our “director of first impressions” Margaret has over 20 years of industry related administrative experience, including a strong background in insurance administration. Margaret is extremely detailed and intuitive. Her friendly personality, attention to detail, and strong communication skills are valuable assets to our clients and our team. She can assist you with any administration-related inquiries, from paperless statements to insurance policies.
Margaret joined the CrossPoint Financial team in 2009 and has been invaluable to our team. She is very well versed in all administration areas and consistently steps in to assist team members on various projects, whether that’s client statements, insurance policies, resetting passwords or pouring you a hot cup of coffee on a cold day.
Born, raised and educated in Ottawa, Margaret lives with her husband and her cat with no tail. She enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with her family. Margaret welcomed her first grandchild in the spring of 2019.
Ben McVey
Portfolio Analytics Associate
CrossPoint Financial
iA Private Wealth™
[email protected]
Ben McVey
Portfolio Analytics Associate
Ben joined Crosspoint Financial in July 2023 as an Investment Analyst. With a background as a Financial Analyst for the Department of Defence Canada, he brings valuable expertise to the team. Ben is pursuing a CFA designation and successfully passed Level 1, aiming to gain practical experience to complement his studies. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Carleton University, with a focus on Finance.
As a Financial Analyst for the Vice Chief of Defence Staff at the Department of Defence, Ben was responsible for budgeting, forecasting, and analysis to support VCDS comptroller decision-making. He also played a key role in preparing documentation for budget allocations and out-year task submissions.
Known for his ability to streamline processes, Ben is highly skilled in building efficiencies in Excel, creating macros, and implementing functions to improve work productivity.
Outside of work, Ben’s interests lie in his rural Northern Ontario roots, where he enjoys waterfowl hunting and fishing. He fully embraces outdoor activities such as snowmobiling and ice fishing during winter. Hockey is another sport close to his heart.
Larry Burns – PPI
Insurance & Estate Planning Specialist
[email protected]
Larry has been helping families and small businesses build and protect their wealth for over 25 years. During this time he has worked in accounting, taxation, investments and insurance but concentrated exclusively on insurance and estate planning since 2005.
Larry attained his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation in 2004 and became a Chartered Life Underwriter in 2009. He is a HollisWealth Endorsed Insurance Specialist, one of a small group of insurance advisors across Canada who has been entrusted by HollisWealth to provide insurance support to advisers and their clients.
Insurance has unique wealth management applications including tax free benefits and tax sheltered growth. It can help you preserve such things as your income, your estate and your business. Larry’s professional knowledge and experience make him perfectly positioned to understand how creative, cost and tax effective insurance strategies can provide solutions to these challenges.
Specialties include life insurance, disability insurance, critical illness insurance and Long Term Care Insurance as well as annuities.
Larry was born and raised on a farm in Peterborough, Ontario, and remains a country boy, living in rural Ottawa with his wife and four daughters.
Insurance products are provided through PPI. Only products and services offered through iA Private Wealth Inc. are covered by the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.
Erin McNamara
McNamara Law Services
[email protected]
A graduate of Queen’s Law, Erin McNamara is the Principal of McNamara Law, a legal practice with a focus on estate law, including the preparation of wills, powers of attorney, testamentary and inter-vivos trusts, and probate applications. All of her services are 100% mobile.
Erin is also a sessional professor at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, where she teaches Wills and the Law of Succession. In recent years, Erin has co-authored legal papers and has been a speaker at the annual East Region Solicitors Conference, As well, Erin regularly provides estate planning seminars to a variety of groups including clients, non-profit groups, lawyers and other professionsals.
Erin has served on the Board of Directors for REACH Canada, a non-profit organization that benefits persons with disabilities in Ottawa and continues to be involved with their community initiatives.
In her spare time, Erin enjoys performing in interactive mystery theatre with Murder Mystery Ottawa.
Legal services are provided through McNamara Law Services. McNamara Law Services is an independent company unrelated to Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. Only those services offered through Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. are covered by the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Please contact our office if you require further clarification.
Steve Ernst
President Ernst & Company – Chartered Accountant
[email protected]
Stephen founded Ernst & Company in 2006, providing tax and advisory services to both individuals and businesses. As a result of careful attention to client’s goals, his practice has grown substantially since inception. Stephen leads an experienced professional team that provides diverse financial and business services.
Stephen first entered public accounting in 1990. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Highest Honours) from Carleton University and attained the Chartered Accountant designation in 1992. He completed the CICA In-Depth Income tax course and obtained the US CPA designation (registered in Illinois).
With over 25 years of experience, Stephen has expertise in taxation for individuals and businesses, such as compensation strategies, corporate restructuring, estate planning, optimization of SRED development claims and cross border planning. Stephen’s leadership ensures that all aspects of a client’s tax situation are addressed. This includes a review of past and current compliance, identification of issues and communication of recommendations.
Over the years, he has completed various part-time CFO mandates, along with managing all aspects of a client’s accounting requirements. This experience provides him with valuable insight related to financing, growth strategies and succession planning.
Accounting services are provided through Ernst & Company. Ernst & Company is an independent company unrelated to Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. Only those services offered through Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. are covered by the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.
Our External Professionals
Larry Burns – PPI
Insurance & Estate Planning Specialist
Erin McNamara
McNamara Law Services
Steve Ernst
President Ernst & Company – Chartered Accountant
The above referenced external professionals are independent and unrelated to iA Private Wealth, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. Only securities related products and services are offered through Industrial Alliance Securities Inc., and are covered by the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Please contact our office if you require further clarification.
Our Investment Dealer
As independent business owners, our advisors are fully invested in you. We know what it takes to be an entrepreneur and will work with you to create a plan that fits your unique business needs and goals. A member of iA Financial Group’s wealth management division, iA Private Wealth is one of Canada’s premier financial advisory networks with over 700 advisors across the country. With a focus on providing investment and financial strategies, iA Private Wealth offers individuals, families, and businesses fully integrated wealth solutions.
