Board of Directors

Al began his career with London Life in 1996 and is currently the President of A. Jones Wealth and Estate Planning Inc. in Barrie. Al has maintained a longstanding affiliation with Advocis and is an active member of the Simcoe Muskoka Chapter. Nationally, Al is a Past Chair of the TFAAC Board and a Past Chair of the Institute. He was the first to complete the national trifecta by being the Past Chair of the Chapter Leadership Council, responsible for the 45 Advocis chapters across Canada. Al earned his ICD.D designation in 2018 and was recognized by his peers as class valedictorian of the Director Education Program. The ICD.D designation represents a lifelong commitment to excellence in the boardroom. A Qualifying Life Member of Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), Al shared his thoughts and tips at MDRT’s annual meeting in Boston in 2022.

“Tenacious & Versatile” is the mantra of the Grey & Simcoe Foresters Regiment, Al has been a member of the Grey & Simcoe Forester Honorable Guard for more than 10 years and is committed to the regiment’s mantra to promote, educate, and support our Canadian Armed Services.

In April 2019, Her Majesty officially appointed Al to be the Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the Grey & Simcoe Foresters Regiment for a three-year term. The Jones family has a significant military history dating back to the Empire Loyalists. In December 2022, Mary Simon, the Governor General of Canada, officially appointed Al to be the Honorary Colonel of the Grey & Simcoe Foresters Regiment for a three-year term.

“Non-Solis Nobis” Passionate about giving back to his community and a trail blazer, Al was a two-term President of the Innisfil Chamber of Commerce and a past Chairman of the Board of the People’s Credit Union, the first person of colour to chair all the aforementioned boards. Always enjoying a good dram, he is a Past-Convenor of the Simcoe Scotch Nosing Society, and a long-time supporter of Theatre By The Bay, a local theatre company in Barrie.

He has been married to Sue for more than 35 years and together they have raised their sons Adam and Connor.

Eric started his financial services career with London Life. After an initial period as a representative; he went on to three separate management careers. Since January 2002 he has been an independent producer and principal of Lidemark Financial Group Inc.

Eric is a Past President of the Advocis Greater Vancouver Chapter (2005) and as Treasurer worked on the integration of CAIFA Vancouver and the BC Chapter of the CAFP into Advocis Greater Vancouver. Eric was elected to Chapter Leadership Council in 2006 and served as Chair for 2011/2012. His second stint with the Institute was from 2012-2017. Since 2017, Eric has served on the TFAAC Board. Eric proudly chaired the inaugural Strategies for Success Sales Conference for Insurance and Financial Advisors in Vancouver in 2015.

Eric received his CLU designation in 1983 and was the Dunstall Medal award winner for BC. He was President of the BC Mainland CLU Chapter in 1988 – 1989 and won the DeHaerne Award that year for best chapter.

Eric is a season ticket holder for the BC Lions and watches Blue Jays games as much as possible. Regular year-round activities are pool and golf.

Eric and his wife Jackie enjoy travelling and have thankfully and gratefully been able to get away to many interesting international locales on a regular basis for these past few years. They have one son, Kevin.

In business and in life, Eric has tried to live by his 3 R’s: Reliability, Responsibility and Respect. Resiliency has recently been added as a fourth R.

Stephen has owned and operated Stephen MacEachern Insurance & Financial Services since 1997. His earlier 10 year career in the hospitality industry was an ideal foundation for his work as a financial planner and chartered financial consultant. Attention to detail, compassion, empathy, and a conservative behavior in complex situations are hallmarks of his current popularity with clients in the practice. He is capably supported by a team of administration, technical and underwriting specialists, from various insurers, whose teamwork and follow-through are setting new standards of service excellence in building lifetime relationships with the expanding client base.

Stephen is a past treasurer and Past President of Advocis Nova Scotia and served on the local board for over ten years before joining the Institute Board, and he is a past Chair of the Institute. He received his CLU in 2004 and was the Dunstall Medal winner for Nova Scotia attaining the highest provincial mark. In 2005 Stephen entered the EMBA program at St. Mary’s University and completed his Master’s Degree in 2007.

Stephen is also a Past President of the Armdale Kiwanis Club, and past treasurer of the Metro Executive Group and the Spryfield Lions Rink Society. He is currently involved on the board for the Advocis Atlantic School.

John is President and Chair of RBC Wealth Management Financial Services Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of RBC Dominion Securities Inc., which is an Insurance Agency operating under the Canadian Insurance regulatory environment. John is responsible for managing the existing Agency Business, including the insurance support distribution team (Estate Planning Specialists) that supports Canadian Wealth Management’s client facing professionals. His team works closely with the Family Office Services Business in providing Wealth Preservation and Wealth Transformation solutions using tax effective Life Insurance products. John has been with RBC Financial Group member companies since 1987, in various business development, operational and distribution roles.

He began his financial services career with London Life in 1980.

John has bachelor’s degrees from the University of Western Ontario and Laurentian University and has also completed the executive program at the University of Western Ontario Ivey Business School. He earned the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation in 1987 and also passed the Canadian Securities Course in 1987. He is a 2011 graduate of the Family Business Centre at the UBC Sauder School of Business and holds the Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) designation.

John has been a board member at the Institute of Advanced Financial Education (IAFE) since 2011 and has been an associate member of CALU (Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting) since 2000. He has chaired the IIROC Insurance sub committee of the I.A.A.C. Retail Sales Committee

Sara is an accomplished governance, ESG, legal and risk management professional known for her ability to drive transformational change, lead high-performing teams, and forge strategic relationships. In addition to serving on the TFAAC Board Sara is the Chair of the City of Toronto Compliance Audit Committee as well as the Social Responsibility Advisory Council, University of St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto, is a former director at Toronto Hydro and the University of Toronto Governing Council Business Board, among other organizations, and has been named to the Diversity 50 by the Canadian Board Diversity Council. She successfully completed the Rotman Directors Education Program and holds the ICD.D designation, as well as her global governance designation, GCB.D. Sara is a member of Governance Professionals Canada and is a faculty member of the GPC.D program, having collaborated in the design and launch of the designation program.

With a rich career spanning several high-profile financial institutions and a strong commitment to community service, Sara has established herself as a leader in corporate and not-for-profit sectors. At RBC, Sara leads the bank’s global human rights program, bringing focus to a broad range of human rights impacts. In a prior role Sara was Chief Compliance Officer for an insurer, and she has helped shape public policy through material contributions as a committee member at the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, the Canadian Association of Financial Institutions in Insurance, and the Canadian Bankers Association.

Sara is no stranger to Advocis. From 2003 to 2008 she held the staff position of Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and earned a strong reputation for her critical thinking and her ability to build strategic relationships, successfully leading a number of key initiatives, including Advocis’ intervention and favourable court decision in a landmark Supreme Court of Canada constitutional law challenge.

Sara’s expertise is backed by solid academic credentials. She is a lawyer, earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto), Master’s degree in International Law (LL.M.) from Cambridge University, and her LL.B. from Queen’s University in Kingston.

Sara shares her home with her spouse and their two children, as well their Leonberger, Golden Retriever, and two cats. Her passions include travel and skiing.

With over 32 years’ experience in the Wealth Management Industry, Ejaz has a passion for helping individuals realize their dreams of financial success and independence. He specializes in developing successful sales people, leading sales teams to outperform, managing distribution channels and developing strategic relationships.

Ejaz entered the financial services industry in 1990 through London Life’s University Training Program in Edmonton, Alberta. In 1993, he joined Prudential of America as a Sales Manager in the Edmonton office. He also served on the board of directors of Edmonton Life Underwriters Association from 1991-1994 where he was the Editor of ELUA magazine.

In 1995, Ejaz moved to Saskatchewan to help credit unions establish their wealth management distribution system, including life insurance, mutual funds and securities, through Credential Financial Inc., a credit union system owned wealth management dealer. Ejaz’ success in Saskatchewan resulted in his appointment and move to Ontario in 2001 as Regional Vice President, Sales and Distribution for Ontario and Eastern Canada. He left Credential in 2009 to join FirstOntario Credit Union as Vice President and Managing Director of the Wealth Management division. After 12 years at FirstOntario, Ejaz started his own consultancy firm to help credit unions in the areas of wealth management strategy, Advisor development and sales management.

Ejaz is an Advocis member since 1990. He has been an Institute Trustee since 2014. Previously, he has served on the boards of directors of GAMA International Canada, Advocis Greater Hamilton Chapter and Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP) Golden Horseshoe. Ejaz was also a member of Hamilton-Burlington United Way Campaign Cabinet.

Besides a Master’s degree in Economics from University of Alberta, Ejaz has completed Levels I and II of the CFA program, and holds CFP and CLU designations.

Arun is a management consultant with Canada Life.  He works with Canada Life’s top producing firms developing and executing their strategy, marketing and operations plans.  He is the past President of the Simcoe-Muskoka Chapter and the Advocacy Liaison for Ontario Central Region.

Currently, Arun also sits on the University of Toronto’s College of Electors who recruit and select Board Governors for Governing Council.  He is also active with the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering raising funds for the re-construction of Survey Camp.  Arun is also a volunteer fire fighter for the Toronto Indy. He is a Past Chair of the Richmond Hill Board of Trade, and Past Chair of Habitat for Humanity York Region.

He has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro and completed the Disney Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge.

Curtis Kimpton is a Senior Wealth Advisor, Senior Financial Planner and co-founder of the Family Legacy Advisory Group at Wellington-Altus Private Wealth.

For the past 26 years, Curtis has worked closely with pre-retirees and business owners to plan for the future and build comprehensive plans. Curtis uses his knowledge as a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Life underwriter to benefit his clients.

Curtis grew up in Saskatoon with his family, homesteading on the pike lake highway. He is married to Candace, and they have two amazing young children, Sierra and Kelan, who are involved in many sports and community activities. Curtis spends his free time with his family and actively participates in his community.

Leslie has been in the financial services industry many years and has recently retired from Empire Life after 20 years of working with insurance advisors, covering the province of BC. Leslie has completed her CFP, CLU and CIM designations.

Leslie spent 10 years as part of the Greater Vancouver Advocis Chapter, first as Treasurer and then as President. Leslie was voted onto the Chapter Leadership Council as the BC Regional Leader in 2019 and accepted the CLC Chair position for 2023.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Leslie was a very busy hockey mom to 3 boys and is now enjoying being a Grandmother to 4 boys under the age 4. Leslie and her husband, Brian enjoy spending time on their boat, being involved in their yacht club and travelling.

Sara La Gamba has led an impressive career as a financial advisor since 2009. She joined the industry with Freedom 55 Financial and then became President of King Financial and Benefits Inc in 2012. At SPM, Sara works as a Senior Advisor to help her clients achieve their financial goals with personalized, professional service. Learning has been a life-long passion for Sara and education continues to play an integral role in her professional journey and development.

Sara is a proud and enthusiastic member of Advocis. It’s a membership she holds with great pride since the time she joined the association in the early days of her career. During that time, she began volunteering with The Institute of Advanced Financial Education. She currently chairs the Standards and Accreditation Committee, sits on the Awards committee and is a member of the Advocis Legal Regulatory Policy committee. Sara also allocates her time as Chair for The Institute. She played a key role in her local Advocis chapter, joining the board in 2012 and serving as Toronto Chapter President from 2015-2017. Sara is also a proud member of CALU.

Sara graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and lives in London Ontario with her husband Nathan and her two sons, Jackson and Owen. She enjoys golfing, skiing, volleyball, and cycling in her free time.