Our team
Earl Bard, B.Comm.
Senior Wealth Advisor
Earl Bard has been a trusted source of investment and financial planning advice since 1997. Through a comprehensive analysis, Earl can provide an expert opinion on how to improve upon your current portfolio. With unique solutions like month-to-month retirement cash flow plans, he takes a comprehensive approach to helping clients through financial transitions.
Earl has a history of academic achievement in his field, which includes two awards of excellence from the Canadian Securities Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce, the Professional Financial Planning designation, and licenses to offer life and disability insurance. He is also fluent in both English and French.
When Earl formed Bard Wealth Management at CIBC Wood Gundy, he was able to combine his personalized approach with the depth of resources to manage complex financial situations. This allows him to guide clients through transitions like business succession, retirement package options, and estate transfers.
With clients across Ontario, Earl coordinates all the moving parts of their portfolios and plans, which includes ongoing communication with their accountants and lawyers. His clients also benefit from his focus on uniquely personalized service, which involves regular contact, prompt responses and, often, meeting his clients at their home or office.
Outside of the office, Earl enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife Rachel and their twins David and Emma.
John DiGiacomo
Financial Associate
John is an integral part of our team. John is a Registered Representative with 25 years of industry experience and is available to assist you in the administrative functions of managing your investment accounts.
Justine Wong
Client Associate
Justine graduated from the University of Toronto majoring in Anthropology. She is passionate about the evolution of humankind both in the physical and financial realm! Justine has been working in the Financial Services industry since 2022 and is the newest team member of the Bard Wealth Management team. She is registered with CIRO and is available to assist with all your administrative needs. Justine excels at providing excellent service to our clients and in turn fulfills her love of helping others. During her free time, Justine enjoys tending to her pets, going to the gym, and baking sweets.
Earl Bard, B.Comm.
Earl Bard has been a trusted source of investment and financial planning advice since 1997. Through a comprehensive analysis, Earl can provide an expert opinion on how to improve upon your current portfolio. With unique solutions like month-to-month retirement cash flow plans, he takes a comprehensive approach to helping clients through financial transitions.
Earl has a history of academic achievement in his field, which includes two awards of excellence from the Canadian Securities Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce, the Professional Financial Planning designation, and licenses to offer life and disability insurance. He is also fluent in both English and French.
When Earl formed Bard Wealth Management at CIBC Wood Gundy, he was able to combine his personalized approach with the depth of resources to manage complex financial situations. This allows him to guide clients through transitions like business succession, retirement package options, and estate transfers.
With clients across Ontario, Earl coordinates all the moving parts of their portfolios and plans, which includes ongoing communication with their accountants and lawyers. His clients also benefit from his focus on uniquely personalized service, which involves regular contact, prompt responses and, often, meeting his clients at their home or office.
Outside of the office, Earl enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife Rachel and their twins David and Emma.
John DiGiacomo
John is an integral part of our team. John is a Registered Representative with 25 years of industry experience and is available to assist you in the administrative functions of managing your investment accounts.
Justine Wong
Justine graduated from the University of Toronto majoring in Anthropology. She is passionate about the evolution of humankind both in the physical and financial realm! Justine has been working in the Financial Services industry since 2022 and is the newest team member of the Bard Wealth Management team. She is registered with CIRO and is available to assist with all your administrative needs. Justine excels at providing excellent service to our clients and in turn fulfills her love of helping others. During her free time, Justine enjoys tending to her pets, going to the gym, and baking sweets.
Our partners
We partner with CIBC experts to help address all of your wealth needs.
David Duong, CPA, CMA, CIM, CLU
Wealth Strategist
David enjoys working with high-net-worth families, business owners, and senior executives to preserve their wealth through the use of tax, insurance, trust and estate planning strategies.
David draws on his wealth planning experiences to provide a team-based approach by involving a client’s non-CIBC advisors (i.e., lawyer, accountant) and partners at CIBC.
David has a passion for financial literacy and formerly served as an Advisory Board member on CPA Canada's Financial Literacy Program.
- l Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
- l Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI®)
- l Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm.)
Andrew Duncan, CFP, PFP, CIM
Financial Planning Specialist
As a Financial Planning Specialist and member of CIBC Wealth Planning Group, Andrew works closely with CIBC Wood Gundy Investment Advisors to provide customized and in-depth financial planning solutions to their valued clients.
With over 20 years of experience, Andrew has provided guidance to many individuals and families in a wide range of wealth management solutions, including: estate planning, retirement planning, charitable-giving, business succession planning and tax optimization strategies.
Andrew holds a Bachelor of Business Economics degree from Brock University. He also holds the Certified Financial Planner CFP®, Chartered Investment Manager CIM®, and the Personal Financial Planner PFP® designations.
Michael Teng, CIM, CFP
Financial Planning Specialist
Michael’s financial planning philosophy stems from more than just learning about your financial goals. It is about understanding you; your values, concerns and aspirations. With years of experience developing diverse comprehensive financial plans for high and ultra-high net worth clients, Michael is able to paint a clear financial picture of your situation and create a roadmap to help you achieve your goals. He is equipped to provide sophisticated advice on various facets of financial planning including tax, retirement, business and estate planning. Having earned his Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Investment Manager designations, Michael has built his career on advising clients for over a decade.
Aram Agopian, TEP, CLU, CHS, EPC, FMA, FCSI
Estate Planning Specialist
With over 20 years of experience in the life insurance industry, Aram works with affluent families, business owners and executives to create tax efficient insurance based strategies that build and safeguard wealth. Insurance planning with both personal or corporate wealth is tailored to each client with the end goal of providing certainty that enhances the lives of clients, their families and businesses.
Aram strongly believes best results are achieved through a holistic team approach. He will work collaboratively with other trusted advisors ensuring wealth is sheltered for both future generations and philanthropic aspirations.
Aram is fully committed to his profession and views continuing education as vital. He has earned several industry designations, including the Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Financial Management Advisor (FMA), Certified Health Insurance Specialist (CHS) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations. It is his knowledge, experience and high ethical standards that allows him to add value and educate each client.
Natalie Bender
Senior Trust and Estate Consultant
Natalie believes that a key component of any wealth management plan is an estate plan; one that protects you and your family, your assets, preserves your legacy and ensures that your plans occur as you desire. By fully assessing her client's needs, Natalie identifies appropriate CIBC Trust services that can assist them, their family, or their appointed representative. Administering an estate, trust or acting as an attorney for property is time consuming and requires a knowledge of many different areas. Natalie and her team have the expertise to execute, or assist others with the execution of those roles effectively and efficiently, thereby relieving the burden of the administration from those appointed and allowing them to focus on what matters most. Natalie has been with CIBC since 2018.
Trevor Gough
Managing Director & Head, CIBC Mid-Market Investment Banking
Trevor has over 20 years of mid-market mergers & acquisition ("M&A") experience. His expertise is in the sale of privately-owned companies. Trevor has worked on behalf of many business owners to find strategic buyers or equity investors and negotiated the sale of all or a portion of the company.
These transactions have covered a wide range of sectors and industries including Manufacturing (equipment, consumer goods, concrete, food processing), Business Services (healthcare, equipment rental, telecom, testing/inspection, certification, transportation and logistics), Distribution (capital equipment, steel and fuel) and Technology (software).
Prior to joining CIBC in 2002, Trevor worked for 12 years with the corporate finance and audit groups of an international accounting and consulting firm in Canada and the U.K. and is a Chartered Accountant.
David Duong, CPA, CMA, CIM, CLU
David enjoys working with high-net-worth families, business owners, and senior executives to preserve their wealth through the use of tax, insurance, trust and estate planning strategies.
David draws on his wealth planning experiences to provide a team-based approach by involving a client’s non-CIBC advisors (i.e., lawyer, accountant) and partners at CIBC.
David has a passion for financial literacy and formerly served as an Advisory Board member on CPA Canada's Financial Literacy Program.
- l Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
- l Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI®)
- l Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm.)
Andrew Duncan, CFP, PFP, CIM
As a Financial Planning Specialist and member of CIBC Wealth Planning Group, Andrew works closely with CIBC Wood Gundy Investment Advisors to provide customized and in-depth financial planning solutions to their valued clients.
With over 20 years of experience, Andrew has provided guidance to many individuals and families in a wide range of wealth management solutions, including: estate planning, retirement planning, charitable-giving, business succession planning and tax optimization strategies.
Andrew holds a Bachelor of Business Economics degree from Brock University. He also holds the Certified Financial Planner CFP®, Chartered Investment Manager CIM®, and the Personal Financial Planner PFP® designations.
Michael Teng, CIM, CFP
Michael’s financial planning philosophy stems from more than just learning about your financial goals. It is about understanding you; your values, concerns and aspirations. With years of experience developing diverse comprehensive financial plans for high and ultra-high net worth clients, Michael is able to paint a clear financial picture of your situation and create a roadmap to help you achieve your goals. He is equipped to provide sophisticated advice on various facets of financial planning including tax, retirement, business and estate planning. Having earned his Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Investment Manager designations, Michael has built his career on advising clients for over a decade.
Aram Agopian, TEP, CLU, CHS, EPC, FMA, FCSI
With over 20 years of experience in the life insurance industry, Aram works with affluent families, business owners and executives to create tax efficient insurance based strategies that build and safeguard wealth. Insurance planning with both personal or corporate wealth is tailored to each client with the end goal of providing certainty that enhances the lives of clients, their families and businesses.
Aram strongly believes best results are achieved through a holistic team approach. He will work collaboratively with other trusted advisors ensuring wealth is sheltered for both future generations and philanthropic aspirations.
Aram is fully committed to his profession and views continuing education as vital. He has earned several industry designations, including the Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Financial Management Advisor (FMA), Certified Health Insurance Specialist (CHS) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations. It is his knowledge, experience and high ethical standards that allows him to add value and educate each client.
Natalie Bender
Natalie believes that a key component of any wealth management plan is an estate plan; one that protects you and your family, your assets, preserves your legacy and ensures that your plans occur as you desire. By fully assessing her client's needs, Natalie identifies appropriate CIBC Trust services that can assist them, their family, or their appointed representative. Administering an estate, trust or acting as an attorney for property is time consuming and requires a knowledge of many different areas. Natalie and her team have the expertise to execute, or assist others with the execution of those roles effectively and efficiently, thereby relieving the burden of the administration from those appointed and allowing them to focus on what matters most. Natalie has been with CIBC since 2018.
Trevor Gough
Trevor has over 20 years of mid-market mergers & acquisition ("M&A") experience. His expertise is in the sale of privately-owned companies. Trevor has worked on behalf of many business owners to find strategic buyers or equity investors and negotiated the sale of all or a portion of the company.
These transactions have covered a wide range of sectors and industries including Manufacturing (equipment, consumer goods, concrete, food processing), Business Services (healthcare, equipment rental, telecom, testing/inspection, certification, transportation and logistics), Distribution (capital equipment, steel and fuel) and Technology (software).
Prior to joining CIBC in 2002, Trevor worked for 12 years with the corporate finance and audit groups of an international accounting and consulting firm in Canada and the U.K. and is a Chartered Accountant.