Joseph Balsamo, CIM
As a Portfolio Manager Joseph focuses on building customized, structured portfolios to help provide clients with peace of mind.
Professional Experience
Joseph has been providing financial advice since 1998, all within the CIBC group of companies. He has been with CIBC Wood Gundy since 2005. Joseph is focused on providing peace of mind to his clients by focusing on what is important to them and building a customized financial plan based on their specific goals and potential risks.
Education
Joseph holds the CERTIFIED FINANACIAL PLANNER® designation, which allows him to provide professional financial planning services. To earn the CFP® designation, Joseph had to complete an approved educational program, pass a rigorous examination and meet stringent experience requirements. Joseph also adheres to a professional Code of Ethics and he fulfills annual continuing education requirements to remain aware of current planning strategies and financial trends.
Joseph is also a Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®), and a licensed Portfolio Manager. This designation allows Joseph to manage investment portfolios on a discretionary basis, allowing him more flexibility to manage portfolios with greater efficiency.
Joseph is a graduate of the University of Toronto with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree.
Personal Information
Joseph is married and proud father of two children. He is focused on maintaining personal wellbeing by playing competitive men's soccer, enjoys cooking, travelling with his family and is pursuing an interest starting a wine collection.
Joseph's community involvement includes being an active member of the Financial Planner's Standards Council (FPSC). Joseph has been a guest speaker at universities and colleges in the GTA for the FPSC on financial planning topics and a career as a financial planner. Joseph also volunteers at St. Michael's College School for their annual Grade 11 career day by providing insight and guidance to students interested in a financial services career.
Joseph also believes in having a strong connection to his ethnic roots as an active member of the Italian Canadian Chamber of Commerce of Ontario (ICCO) and is a founding member of ICCO Forward, where he was the former chair and helped create the Ron Farano Mentorship program and speaker series.
Ravish Mitra, CPA, CA
Ravish focuses on working with clients to create long term, personalized financial plans in addition to overseeing the portfolio design.
Professional Experience
Ravish has been providing financial advice since 1999 and within the CIBC group of companies since 2006. Ravish uses his past experiences as an Auditor and Tax professional with a leading professional services company, as well as a Director with a global hospitality marketing company to bring professionalism, analytical skills, well-rounded business acumen and strategic insight to the team.
Education
Ravish holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and the Chartered Accountant (CA) designations. To earn these designations, Ravish passed numerous examinations and met stringent experience requirements. This designation allows Ravish to provide advice on tax-related matters and how they specifically impact various aspects of a financial plan at different life stages.
Ravish is a graduate of the University of Toronto with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration.
Personal Information
Ravish is married and a proud father. When not at the office, he enjoys watching professional sports, playing golf, barbecuing, travelling, volunteering and spending time with family and friends.
Justin Boswick, RRC
Justin strives to develop, implement, and monitor wealth management strategies to foster meaningful client relationships
Professional Experience
Justin has been a client-focused advisor since 2003 and has over 17 years' of industry experience and held positions with CIBC group of companies in varying asset management roles. Justin leverages his investment, trading and retail banking experience from previous roles at CIBC Securities, CIBC Investor Services and CIBC Imperial Service when building strategic investment portfolios. Justin was also involved in family businesses and operated his own retail small business, prior to embarking on his financial advisory career, and understands the importance of attention to detail and the client experience.
Education
Justin holds the CERTIFIED FINANACIAL PLANNER® designation and Registered Retirement Consultant (RRC®). In order to maintain these designations and to upgrade his level of knowledge, he continues to complete various continuing education courses on an annual basis. Justin has also completed the Options Licensing (OLC) and Derivatives Fundamentals (DFC) courses.
Justin attended Ryerson University, where he studied marketing and communications.
Personal Information
Justin is married and the proud father of two children. When he is not assisting clients with their finance and planning needs, he enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, travel and watching his son play rep hockey.
Lydia Morra
Lydia ensures that our clients receive the best possible service.
Lydia is dedicated to delivering exceptional client service. With extensive experience at CIBC since 1998, she provides administrative support to the team, including booking meetings, processing trades, opening accounts, and assisting clients with online portfolio access. Lydia’s commitment and knowledge ensures that client needs are addressed promptly and efficiently.
She is highly organized and proactive in managing day-to-day operations, contributing to a seamless client experience. Lydia’s attention to detail and thorough understanding of financial procedures make her an invaluable asset to the team. Her professionalism and reliability have earned her the trust of both clients and colleagues, and she consistently goes above and beyond to support the team’s objectives.
Ambreen Bana, BA, QAFP
Ambreen has over 15 years of experience at CIBC Wood Gundy. Her responsibilities include coordination & fulfilment of client requests, portfolio trading, account opening & documentation and audit compliance. She works with Lydia to ensure our clients receive the best possible service.
Ambreen is married and has one son. In her free time, Ambreen enjoys reading, travelling and volunteering in her community.
Natalie Peluso
Natalie began her career at Wood Gundy in 2024 after completing CIBC’s Private Wealth Rotational Program, where she gained exposure to CIBC’s Wealth Solutions, Private Banking and Wood Gundy teams. She recently moved back to Vaughan, after working at CIBC Wood Gundy in Calgary for 2 and a half years. Natalie is working towards completing her CIM® designation. Natalie completed her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Schulich School of Business at York University.
Our partners
We partner with CIBC experts to help address all of your wealth needs.
Nunzio Rucchetta
Estate Planning Specialist
Nunzio believes that a solid estate plan is a key component to a comprehensive financial plan. With over years 20 experience Nunzio assists Investment Advisors and clients with the analysis of estate and insurance needs. He works with our clients to help ensure they reach their underlying goals of maximizing their wealth from a tax perspective, building a comfortable retirement and creating a legacy for future generations.
Jamie Golombek, CPA, CA, CFP®, CLU, TEP, FCPA
Managing Director Tax and Estate Planning
As CIBC’s tax expert, Jamie supports CIBC Wood Gundy investment advisors in delivering integrated financial planning and advisory solutions to our high-net-worth clients. Jamie is quoted frequently in the national media and writes a weekly National Post column called Tax Expert.
Avery Shenfeld, PhD
Managing Director & Chief Economist, CIBC Capital Markets
Avery Shenfeld is Managing Director and Chief Economist of CIBC Capital Markets. He has been with CIBC since 1993 and is widely recognized as one of Canada's leading economists for his perceptive analysis and insight on economic developments and their implications for financial markets.
He is a repeat winner of the Dow Jones Market Watch forecasting award and has received awards for forecast accuracy on the U.S. and Canadian economies by Bloomberg Markets. He has also been consistently ranked as one of the top Canadian economists by institutional investors.
His prior background includes experience in management consulting. He was on the economics faculty at the University of Toronto and in the summer program at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has addressed numerous business groups and has been quoted in the media in the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe.
Dr. Shenfeld holds a PhD in Economics from Harvard University.
Benjamin Tal
Deputy Chief Economist, CIBC
Benjamin Tal is responsible for analyzing economic developments and their implications for North American fixed income, equity, foreign exchange and commodities markets. He also acts in an advisory capacity to bank officers on issues related to wealth management, household/corporate credit and risk. Benjamin is a regular commentator on financial and economic trends in the Canadian and American media.
Nunzio Rucchetta
Nunzio believes that a solid estate plan is a key component to a comprehensive financial plan. With over years 20 experience Nunzio assists Investment Advisors and clients with the analysis of estate and insurance needs. He works with our clients to help ensure they reach their underlying goals of maximizing their wealth from a tax perspective, building a comfortable retirement and creating a legacy for future generations.
Jamie Golombek, CPA, CA, CFP®, CLU, TEP, FCPA
As CIBC’s tax expert, Jamie supports CIBC Wood Gundy investment advisors in delivering integrated financial planning and advisory solutions to our high-net-worth clients. Jamie is quoted frequently in the national media and writes a weekly National Post column called Tax Expert.
Avery Shenfeld, PhD
Avery Shenfeld is Managing Director and Chief Economist of CIBC Capital Markets. He has been with CIBC since 1993 and is widely recognized as one of Canada's leading economists for his perceptive analysis and insight on economic developments and their implications for financial markets.
He is a repeat winner of the Dow Jones Market Watch forecasting award and has received awards for forecast accuracy on the U.S. and Canadian economies by Bloomberg Markets. He has also been consistently ranked as one of the top Canadian economists by institutional investors.
His prior background includes experience in management consulting. He was on the economics faculty at the University of Toronto and in the summer program at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has addressed numerous business groups and has been quoted in the media in the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe.
Dr. Shenfeld holds a PhD in Economics from Harvard University.
Benjamin Tal
Benjamin Tal is responsible for analyzing economic developments and their implications for North American fixed income, equity, foreign exchange and commodities markets. He also acts in an advisory capacity to bank officers on issues related to wealth management, household/corporate credit and risk. Benjamin is a regular commentator on financial and economic trends in the Canadian and American media.