1. Where did you grow up and if you moved to the Halifax area, what brought you here?

I have lived in Halifax all my life.

2. Can you highlight your educational background and professional experience?

I have 27 years in the banking industry with different organizations and have held multiple roles over that time, including Mutual Fund Representative and Branch Mutual Fund Compliance Officer.

3. What drew you to banking?

I come from a family of bankers. My mother has completed 50 years in the industry and my aunt is at 37 and both are still going strong.

4. What does a “regular” workday look like for you?

I always start my day by preparing for my appointments with members. I want to be prepared to discuss what they are coming in for, but at the same time I look at options where CUA can add value to their banking and fill any gaps in their financial planning that I may notice. That way, I can help them achieve their goals sooner and make sure they are on track.

5. What is the best part of your job?

Helping people make educated decisions about some of the most important financial matters of their lives. Helping people with retirement planning or purchasing their first home are always my favourite.

6. Since being in your role with CUA, what is the most valuable thing you’ve learned?

Biggest is not always better. Sometimes at other financial institutions, you can feel like a number and not a person. At CUA, we know our members personally, care about their financial success and help them however we can.

7. What do you think is a common banking myth people believe?

Improving your credit score - a lot of people think it’s only about making the payments on time. Yes, that’s a big part, but there is more to it than just that. 

In an ideal world, we would all use our credit cards and lines of credit and then pay them off in full before we pay interest, but life happens and sometimes people can’t pay the balance off in full. This impacts your credit utilization: how much of your total available credit you’re using, If you feel you are too high on your utilization percentage, that is a great time to come talk to me or another Financial Advisor. We can look at your overall financial health and make some adjustments to your current strategy. 

Another consideration for a credit score is the types of credit you’re using. If you have a mortgage, loans and revolving credit (such as a credit card or line of credit) it will reflect positively on your credit history if you are making your payments on time! It shows that you can manage all your credit including a mortgage payment, which is normally our largest financial responsibility. 

Lastly, having multiple hard credit checks in a short period of time can have a negative effect. If you are constantly applying for credit, it will hurt your score over the short term.  I always advise trying to avoid applying for a new credit source more than twice a year, which is less than the average Canadian. Our CUAdvice article The Five C’s of Credit is a great resource that can help people understand more about credit scores and how they are measured. 

8. What is one piece of financial advice that you believe everyone should follow?

Invest early, invest often and stay invested. Trust the plan that you and your advisor put in place. Your older self will thank you for it.

9. What is your favourite CUA product and why?

My favorite product is the Secondary Suite Mortgage. With the cost to buy a home nowadays and people wanting to help their aging parents, this product is a great solution.

10. Outside of your professional life, what is your favourite activity or hobby?

Spending time with my family and my dogs. Also, I am a big sports guy; I like watching or playing. Travelling to watch a game is the best.

11. What is your favourite meal to cook at home or order at a restaurant?

I’m simple – I love BBQ burgers!

Meet the CUA Team

Our experienced and dedicated team are passionate about helping our personal and commercial members improve their confidence and knowledge of financial matters. Meet the team »