Client Experience

Rosemarie Ruccella, BA

Portfolio Assistant

Rosemarie is a key member of our Investment Management service team and represents our clients’ first point of contact.  She provides friendly and seamless administrative and transactional support for private wealth clients, responding directly to client requests and inquires.
 
Rosemarie has been a member of the team since 2017, prior to which, she worked in the Barrie community for 10 years in various BMO branches.

Private Banking and Customized Lending

Gillian Vincent

Senior Private Banker

As a Private Banker at BMO Private Wealth, Gillian advises professionals, business owners and executives on navigating intricate financial situations, and to structure complex borrowing transactions. Gillian is an expert in guiding her clients to achieve their financial objectives, and to allow them to dedicate more time to the activities they value most.
 
Gillian joined BMO Private Wealth in 2016 and has 13 years of banking and borrowing experience. She earned an undergraduate degree from University of Guelph and a diploma from Georgian College.

Jennifer Hiltz

Private Banker

Jennifer is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University’s Bachelor of Business Administration Program. After working three years as a Commercial Account Manager at BDC, Jennifer joined BMO in 2015 as a Relationship Manager. Jennifer has  experience managing a portfolio of mid and upper mid market business clients from a wide variety of industries.In May 2021, Jennifer joined BMO Private Wealth as a Private Banker servicing the Central Ontario region.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys boating, camping, travelling and spending as much time  as she can outdoors with her spouse and Golden Retriever.

Comprehensive Financial Planning

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Tea Pupica

Senior Wealth Planning Consultant, BMO Private Wealth

Tea is a member of BMO high wealth planning team and works with our in-house Tax and Estate professionals to develop effective wealth management plans.

Prior to joining BMO Private Wealth in 2022, Tea spent close to 15 years in public practice, many of which were in senior tax roles in national accounting firms. As a result of this experience, Tea brings extensive knowledge in personal, corporate and trust areas of taxation. She has also executed innumerable corporate reorganizations, purchase and sale transactions, business exit strategies and compliance filings. Tea’s other experience also includes lecturing undergraduate courses at Wilfrid Laurier University and donating her time to various organizations and Boards of Directors, including Lisaard and Innisfree House and Waterloo United Soccer Club.

Tax Optimization and Risk Management

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Louis-Philippe de Sève-Bergeron, LL.B, TEP

Director, Tax Planning

As a tax specialist, Louis-Philippe provides information and guidance to individuals and businesses relevant to today’s complex tax environment. In order to coordinate the best client solutions, Louis-Philippe often works directly with our clients’ lawyers and accountants. The goal is to always ensure that a well-rounded team of professionals is working to improve our clients’ situation.

Louis-Philippe is also fluent in both English and French. Louis-Philippe, holds both a Master of Taxation and the Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation, has worked extensively on corporate reorganizations and restructuring, estate planning, and establishment of trusts. He has consulted on intergenerational transfers, estate planning and transfers to key employees. With over 12 years of experience in an accounting environment, 6 being at BMO, he has developed the ability to provide clear and concise advice to a variety of clients during their most stressful life events.

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Stuart Clark, M.Tax, TEP

Estate & Insurance Advisor

Stuart is a specialist at insurance-based wealth and estate planning strategies with a focus to service the high net worth and ultra-high net worth clientele of BMO Private Banking and BMO Nesbitt Burns. His objective is to help families and businesses transfer wealth in an efficient and tax advantaged manner. As a member of the BMO Wealth Management team, he integrates wealth planning strategies that minimize the impact of taxation to you now and to your estate in the future.

Prior to joining BMO Estate Insurance Advisory Services, Stuart worked with BMO Private Banking as a Specialized Planner – Tax to integrate comprehensive tax and wealth plans to enrich the financial success of BMO Private Banking clientele. He also acted as a consultant and instructor to financial advisors with one of Canada’s largest life insurance companies, and provided specialized taxation service with two of Canada’s large accounting firms and the Canada Revenue Agency.

Business Transition Planning

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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.

Estate Planning and Trust Administration

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Carol Willes

Director, Estate Planning

Carol brings over 30 years of legal experience with 14 years of dedicated wealth and estate planning expertise to her role. Carol came from a combination of private practice in law and consulting for clients from Asia to Europe in the areas of business structuring, succession planning and financing. She has taught both undergraduates and executives at the Queen’s University School of Business and Faculty of Law, in the fields of international business, law and ethics and most recently taught Wills and the Law of Succession to upper year law students at the University of Ottawa.

Now as Director, Estate Planning at BMO Private Wealth, Carol strives to provide meaningful, client-centered advice and solutions. She helps individuals and their families build a secure and purposeful legacy and find peace of mind in the context of their entire wealth story.

Carol assists clients from many backgrounds to comprehend their present circumstances and to develop that future legacy. By helping people focus on what is most important to them – their family, their community, financial security and more – she develops distinctive estate planning options for clients as part of an integrated team of wealth planning specialists that supports those clients through their entire life journey.

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Maria Dollinger

Director, BMO Trust Company

Maria has been in the Trust Industry for 20 years, and has worked with individuals and families in providing Estate, Trust, Incapacity, and Agency solutions.

As Director and Senior Trust Officer Maria is responsible for managing a complex book of accounts, and services clients throughout the GTA North region. Maria works effectively with executors and beneficiaries, and provides them with peace of mind, knowing there is stability and continuity in the relationship. She is dedicated to her clients and provides a personalized service tailored to their specific needs.

Maria brings to each client the necessary skill set to provide both technical expertise and sensitivity to the complexities of each unique client scenario.
Maria is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).