Our Partners

Our Partners

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Christopher Short, CFP

Senior Private Banker

As a Senior Private Banker, Christopher creates and implements bespoke banking and lending solutions for ultra-high-net-worth families, business owners and entrepreneurs, ensuring dedicated, results-oriented service. Acting as a trusted partner, his sole focus is to meet the unique needs of every client to deliver a boutique experience that fosters meaningful, long-term relationships. Importantly, Christopher understands – and can effectively addresses – the inherent challenges of wealth – from the unified management of personal, business and holding company accounts, to offshore income and complex credit structuring.

Christopher developed knowledge and experience in the financial service industry as a Commercial Account Manager with BMO Bank of Montreal based out of First Canadian Place in Toronto. Christopher’s depth of experience in both Personal and Commercial banking positions him well to service his client base of successful business owners and professionals.

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Adam Kerlinger, CFP, TEP

Director, Wealth Planning

Adam Kerlinger has ten years of experience in financial services, where he has worked closely with clients in planning for and achieving their financial goals for themselves and their families. As a Wealth Planning Consultant with BMO Private Wealth, Adam follows a structured process to deliver holistic and bespoke financial planning advice that gives clients certainty around their retirement, business succession, and helping their loved ones.

Adam is accredited as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) with FP Canada, a Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) with STEP Canada, and a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) with Advocis. His designations reflect his financial expertise and enable him to provide straightforward, objective recommendations that help clients be better off. In his spare time, Adam and his partner like to enjoy cycling, traveling, and participating in local community initiatives.

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Sandy Bell, MTI

Director, Trust Services

Sandy works very closely with senior clients to ensure they are well supported through times of transition. She administers a diverse portfolio of Estate, Trusts, encircle and Continuity accounts. On the personal side, Sandy enjoys spending time with her husband, watching their two young children play hockey. She also loves to travel and spend long days at the beach. Sandy is a member of the Waterloo Wellington Estate Planning Council and also the Treasurer of her local public school parent council.

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Adam E. Carter, CPA, CA, CBV, FEA

Vice President, Business Advisory & Transition Planning

Prior to joining BMO Private Wealth in 2018, Adam worked for KPMG Corporate Finance Group, advising private company owners across multiple industries, with business enterprise values ranging from $3 million to +$100 million, on divestitures, acquisitions, due diligence, projections/financial modeling, and business valuations for multiple purposes. Other areas of experience include corporate restructuring and insolvency, financing, financial modeling & projections and corporate audits. Adam’s goal is to develop rapport with clients through open communication, trust and exceptional service. Leaning on his diverse background and experience, Adam provides guidance to private business owners and families throughout Ontario in the areas of business succession, transition, growth through acquisitions, sell-side M&A, and valuations for the purposes of wealth planning and exit planning.

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Linda Leung, CPA, TEP

Director of U.S. Tax Planning at BMO Wealth Management – Cross-Border Professional

Linda advises high net worth business owners and professionals on how to efficiently structure their U.S. and Canadian assets, providing specialized tax solutions as part of an integrated wealth planning team. Drawing on 25 years of leadership within the cross-border field, Linda’s clients benefit from in-depth technical expertise, facilitating high-level planning discussions, while addressing a wide range of situations across U.S. income and estate tax, and Canadian income tax considerations.

Linda joined BMO Wealth Management in 2010, following 10 years of leading a global tax team at a large consulting firm, where she specialized in individual tax considerations with regards to employees relocating permanently or temporarily from/to U.S. and Canada. Previously, she was a Tax Manager in the Small Business and International Assignment Services groups at PricewaterhouseCoopers, a large international accounting firm.

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John Kimpton, CFP, TEP

Estate and Insurance Advisor, Vice-President

We believe that wealth should remain in the control of those who created it. As the team of choice for successful Canadians, John's team brings to each engagement over 50 years of experience and the all resources of BMO Financial Group. The Kimpton Team is fortunate to work with a select group of affluent families, professionals, entrepreneurs and business owners to promote wealth and protect what is most valuable in life:

Goal identification and finding a unique tax-based solution to your objectives

Tax-efficient accumulation and income strategies

Intergenerational wealth transition planning for tax mitigation, legacy maximization and philanthropy

Corporate and personal risk management

Since joining the firm, John has drawn upon his years of experience working with BMO Partners and third-party client advisors to customize insurance-based solutions. Collaborating with a group of experts results in unique solutions for unique families. The Kimpton Team has the knowledge, expertise and the toolbox to help you achieve your financial objectives.
 
In addition to his multiple industry designations, in 2015 John was nominated as a member of the Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting (CALU), a national advocacy group working on advanced planning issues in cooperation with the three levels of government. John has a special interest in corporate and personal tax, focusing on ways to reduce or eliminate it from the client’s plan. Away from work, John enjoys golfing and spending time with his wife and two boys.

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Leigh Vyn, CPA, CA, CFP, FEA

Director, Tax Planning

Leigh is a Director of Tax Planning at BMO Private Wealth. With over twenty years of experience, Leigh understands the broad issues that wealthy families face. By taking the time to understand client’s specific goals and objectives, she brings her extensive subject matter expertise to help guide families through the unique opportunities and challenges that they may be facing in the areas of tax and estate planning, corporate structuring, business succession planning, and family governance.
Leigh can skillfully take complex tax and estate issues, and speak to clients about these in a way that they can easily understand.  In addition to her accounting background, she has extensive experience in the investment industry, including working at a multi-family office where she led a diverse team. For four years, Leigh co-authored the book “Tax Tips for Canadians for Dummies”.
When not at work, Leigh and husband, Dave manage a busy house with two teenagers. She enjoys running and hiking the many trails Ancaster offers.

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Chris Markou, LL.B, BA (Hons)

Director, Estate Planning

Chris advises high net worth individuals and families on specialized Estate & Trust solutions as part of an integrated wealth planning team.

Chris draws on his prior experience as an estates lawyer in private practice to assist BMO clients with complex estate and trust planning solutions in a variety of contexts. He provides support and direction on matters related to estate, gift and tax planning, succession planning for business owners, charitable giving and planning for family members with special needs.

Prior to joining BMO Wealth Management, Chris operated his own law firm, worked as in-house counsel with an insurance company, and worked in the estates and real estate groups in one of the largest and oldest law firms in Brampton, Ontario. Chris has been actively involved in the community as a member of numerous boards and committees, and has chaired and presented at several programs for the Ontario Bar Association.

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Kevin Shuman

Private Banker

As a Private Banker at BMO Private Wealth, Kevin advises Canadian families, professionals, business owners and executives on banking, lending and cash flow management to help them reach their business and personal financial objectives and dedicate more time to the activities they value most. He takes time to listen and understand each client’s circumstances, financial needs and goals – for today and the future. Then, he brings in a customized team of BMO Private Banking specialists to look at their entire financial picture. From day-to-day banking to specialized lending, we take a holistic approach to design a customized, integrated financial plan. Kevin regularly revisits this plan and adapts it as the client transitions throughout life.