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.

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.

Lucio Riccio, CFP, RRC, B.B.A.

Senior Wealth Strategist

Lucio works with high net worth and ultra-high net worth families to establish a roadmap for their future financial success. Lucio has the ability to assemble a multi-disciplined team to develop innovative domestic and global solutions for our clients’ personal and business needs. Some of these solutions include banking, investing, estate and trust planning, tax minimization, education, business valuation, sale of a business and charitable giving.

Lucio has been in the financial services industry since 1994, holding senior positions with leading Canadian insurance, banking, investment and multi-family office firms.

Kelsey Draper, BA, CFP®

Wealth Strategist

Kelsey's role as Wealth Strategist is to take an in-depth approach with each client, understanding their unique situation and what is important to them. She provides families with a comprehensive financial plan with ideas and recommendations to optimize their financial affairs integrating retirement, tax, will, estate, trust and insurance plans.

Kelsey collaborates with external professional advisors, including accountants, lawyers and the CIBC advisory team to implement recommended strategies. 

Kelsey joined the financial services industry in 2006 and holds the Certified Financial Planner designation.

James Amarelo

Financial Planning Specialist

James joined the financial services industry in 2003 and has held various positions in wealth management and retail banking. In 2010, he acquired his Certified Financial Planner designation (CFP) for the reason that he is passionate about promoting financial literacy and ensuring that clients are on track through various stages of life. Originally from Toronto, he moved to Victoria 10 years ago and has made this his home.

James is quite active in the community and in his personal life. He was the Head Coach of the Victoria Special Olympics Curling team and lead them to the Canadian National Games in 2020. He enjoys spending time with his wife (Michelle) and their toddler (Annabelle) and has an active lifestyle in various types of sports.

Rhonda Yates

Private Banking Advisor

Rhonda believes that a key part of her role is to provide clients and their families with convenience, flexibility and peace of mind through the services she provides and the financial solutions she offers.

Once she understands her clients' goals, she engages her colleagues from across the CIBC Group of Companies to develop financial solutions and recommendations to best position their financial resources for today and the future.

By taking the time to learn about and understand her clients, she can provide customized banking services to meet their unique needs.

Aaron McEwen

Estate Planning Specialist

Aaron’s passion and belief in holistic financial planning drives his purpose to build deep client relationships. Utilizing a team that’s entirely focused on family planning, helps guide him to finding the right solutions. Aaron believes in a client-first approach and loves solving complex personal and corporate estate planning issues. He gives his time generously to family planning, focusing on what matters most.

Outside of work, Aaron enjoys golfing with his wife Chelsey, and riding his motorcycle throughout British Columbia.

Brian Einarson, B.Comm., CFP, RRC

Senior Trust and Estate Consultant

Brian believes that a key component of any wealth management plan is an estate plan that protects our clients’ assets, preserves their legacy and ensures their estate is distributed efficiently. Brian has been in the financial services industry since 2000. He started his career with a major investment firm and joined CIBC in Victoria, BC in 2006. Since then he has been honing his skills in financial and estate planning. Brian provides clients with a personalized approach to Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Trust services. When it comes to estate planning, every family presents a unique set of circumstances and Brian helps clients establish a plan that is custom tailored to suit their distinct needs.