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Financial Services Review: Specials Magazine
Wealth planning is often reduced to a menu of financial products: an investment portfolio, an insurance policy, a tax strategy, a trust or an estate document. Each of them matters. Yet none can do enough on its own when the client’s life, family, business and legacy are all connected. For Matthew Aston and James Hughes, founding partners of Lighthouse Private Wealth based in Peterborough, Ontario, that disconnect is the reason wealth advice must stop treating each decision as a standalone answer and start asking how it serves the whole. “What we see in wealth planning is that the consumer is often being sold in pieces instead of really being counseled,” he says. “We are here to change that.” Lighthouse Private Wealth was founded by Matthew Aston and James Hughesto bring those pieces into one disciplined planning process.
Wealth Management Firm
When solving a jigsaw puzzle, the most important element is not the pieces themselves. Each fragment, a corner, an edge or a hint of color is incomplete on its own. What truly matters is the picture on the box. That image provides the clarity to assemble the diverse parts into what the final image is supposed to look like. For Invenio Wealth Partners, a client’s financial life is the puzzle and the picture on the box is a personalized financial plan that shows what their clients’ financial futures should look like. What makes the process reassuring is that, as independent fiduciaries, Invenio has no proprietary products or solutions. This clarity allows them to carefully select the right pieces— investments, trust accounts, estate planning, and more— maximizing the likelihood of achieving objectives tailored to each client’s unique circumstances. Joseph “Joe” Fernandez, CFP®, president and CEO explains, “We start by understanding the client's ultimate goal, and create a complete, coherent picture of their financial future. With that clear vision, we strategically assemble the right elements to make the picture come to life, offering a customized approach rather than applying a one-size-fits-all strategy.” The firm focuses on crafting a tailored, long-term financial strategy built on trust, expertise, and personalized service. Once the plan is in place, the team carefully selects the right pieces to achieve the client’s vision, ensuring each part of the financial picture fits together seamlessly. Christina Hudson, chief investment officer, builds on this concept by explaining how they go beyond just building the puzzle, “Once we understand the picture we’re trying to create, we focus on assembling the assets that will help achieve the client's goals with while managing the inherent risk.” This philosophy is rooted in the firm’s dedication to put their clients' needs first. It explores a wide range of investments, from traditional equities and fixed income to alternative assets, providing nation-wide clients with a well-diversified and risk-managed portfolio designed to withstand volatility and achieve meaningful results.
Wealth Management Advisor
Smart financial planning is more than a numbers game; it’s how families create stability, businesses build resilience, and legacies take root. Ulrich Investment Consultants focuses on multi-generational wealth management that aligns with family values, with the goal of safeguarding economic well-being for the future. Ulrich offers customized financial guidance and investment oversight with a focus on tax efficiency. The firm caters to high-net-worth families, institutional clients and Native American tribes, blending traditional and alternative strategies. Through its insurance arm, it offers risk management services and access to trusted advisors, aiming to deliver a client experience that demonstrates the true benefits of its holistic offerings. “We measure success in terms of our clients achieving their goals,” says John Ulrich, founder and president. “They gain greater financial security and expanded opportunities, leading to higher satisfaction.” What sets the firm apart is its combination of deep experience, fiduciary independence and collaborative team culture. They strive for consistent, accurate, and reliable service, along with comprehensive support through well-informed advice and practical solutions. Each client engagement begins with a strategic financial planning process that extends beyond traditional risk assessment. Clients undergo an in-depth evaluation to identify their specific needs and expected rate of return. The Ulrich team assesses the client’s risk tolerance, which helps tailor an investment framework aligned with their long-term objectives. For private clients, Ulrich integrates long-term estate planning with investment management, aiming to synchronize various aspects of their financial holdings and develop strategies for sustainable growth to support future generations. The integrated focus seeks to create a well-structured course of action that supports lasting wealth transfer and financial security.
CXO INSIGHTS
Strategic Leadership In Operational Risk Management
Beverley MacAdam, Vice President, Operational Risk and Shared Services, Wealth Management Global Operations, RBC Wealth Management
Insights into Latest Inter-Organizational Collaboration Trends
Tammy Ward, Managing Director, Team Member Technology Experience, ATB Financial
How Smart Tools Strengthen Human-Driven Banking
Michael Samuel, Commercial Banking Relationship Manager, SouthState Bank
Human-Centered Banking for Stronger Local Economic Resilience
Stephanie McClendon, Chief of Community Banking, First Federal Bank
Profits With Purpose: Unlocking Opportunity in Financial Services
Mack Wallace, VP, Product (Head of Product), MPOWER Financing
IN FOCUS
Canadian Investment Services: Counsel Firms Enhancing Portfolio Decision Making
Investment counsel firms in Canada help investors manage portfolios through personalized advice, strategic planning, risk management and informed financial decisions.
EDITORIAL
Building Financial Confidence Through Trusted Advice
As financial priorities become increasingly interconnected, effective wealth management requires far more than sound investment decisions. It calls for thoughtful planning, trusted relationships and strategies that bring every aspect of a client's financial life into focus. In this edition of Financial Services Review Canada, we spotlight the organizations and industry leaders delivering practical solutions, strengthening financial resilience and helping clients navigate an increasingly complex financial landscape with confidence.
Leading this issue is Lighthouse Private Wealth, recognized as the Top Wealth Management Solutions in Canada 2026. Rather than treating investment management, tax planning, estate strategies and insurance as separate conversations, the firm brings them together through a coordinated planning approach tailored to each client's unique circumstances. Working with families, business owners, trusts, corporations and Indigenous First Nation communities, Lighthouse Private Wealth helps clients make informed financial decisions while preserving wealth across generations through long-term, relationship-driven advice.
This edition also features valuable leadership perspectives from Sébastien Poirier, Director of Third-Party Management at UNI Financial, who examines why strong governance, thorough due diligence and structured third-party management have become essential as organizations increasingly rely on external partners. Complementing this perspective, Ron Kaine, AVP Fraud and Compliance Products and Services at Central 1, explores how financial institutions, particularly smaller ones, can strengthen fraud prevention by combining customer education, sound governance, strategic partnerships and emerging security technologies to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats.
Together, the organizations and leaders featured in this edition reflect a shared commitment to building trust through disciplined decision-making, responsible risk management and advice that extends beyond transactions. We invite you to explore the stories and insights throughout this edition of Financial Services Review Canada and discover how these organizations are helping build stronger financial futures for individuals, businesses and communities.
