Nick Polychronopoulos, CIM, PFP
A natural financial problem solver driven by a genuine love for numbers and the satisfaction of helping people fulfill their goals, Nick can create clarity and opportunity for your future. Born and raised in Southern Alberta, he is a husband, son, brother, a father of two boys, and a WHL Alumnus.
Nick is a Chartered Investment Manager, Portfolio Manager, Professional Financial Planner, Licensed Life Insurance and Accident & Sickness Professional, and Senior Wealth Advisor with CIBC Wood Gundy and CIBC Private Wealth.
Alanna Lee
With 25 years of Financial Industry experience, Alanna is a CIRO registered Client Associate with prior business experience that includes lending, investing and bank management. She assists in all administrative and sale support issues, and is licensed to execute trading in equities, fixed income, mutual funds and foreign currencies.
Jodie Smith
Jodie brings to the team 15 years of leadership and experience in private wealth, including roles in operations management and the back office. She is registered to execute trades and is pursuing the Personal Financial Planner (PFP®) designation. Her passions include spreadsheets, raising twin sons with her husband, and connecting with other families living with autism.
Our partners
We partner with CIBC experts to help address all of your wealth needs.
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.
Pat Marshall, CIM, CFP
Wealth strategist
Pat adds value by working closely with each individual client to provide comprehensive financial plans that focus on what is important to them. She takes an in-depth approach to understand our clients’ unique situation and provides a formal recommendation to optimize how financial affairs are structured, integrating retirement, tax, will, estate, trust and insurance plans.
Laural McDonald, CFP
Wealth Strategist
The planning process includes a review of the client's goals and objectives and a summary of their current financial situation. It also addresses one or more of the following areas: capital needs, investment planning, retirement planning, education planning, estate and trust planning, and risk management needs and coverage.
Matthew Makarenko, CFP®
Financial Planning Specialist
Matthew brings over 12 years of experience in financial planning and advice. He is a Certified Financial Planner and is actively pursuing the Certified International Wealth Manager designation.
In addition to his experience and education, Matthew brings a dynamic approach to wealth planning that invites clients to participate in designing their wealth strategy.
Outside of work, Matthew is an avid traveller who has recently made Calgary his new home.
Julia Garner, CFP®, CLU
Estate Planning Specialist
Julia Garner is an Estate Planning Specialist with CIBC Wood Gundy. She began her career in insurance 10 years ago with a focus on values-based risk management, helping individuals, families, and businesses protect what is most important to them. Julia is an expert in facilitating conversations around successful wealth transition, business succession and financial security.
Julia graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a major in Finance. She is committed to constantly learning and evolving in advisory services. Julia is a Certified Financial Planner® and Chartered Life Underwriter®. She is experienced in the family enterprise space, having facilitated family meetings, and completed level 1 of the Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) designation.
Julia and her husband, Mathieu, enjoy spending time in the mountains, travelling, and cooking.
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.
Ryan Romanko, CFP, CLU
Estate Planning Specialist
Ryan has extensive insurance and estate planning expertise gained through nearly a decade of service to affluent clients. He and his team provide advice on insurance and wealth management strategies and services to select clients. By establishing trusted relationships Ryan serves our clients effectively, working in collaboration with other professional advisors to develop customized strategies that address our clients aims and hopes. Ryan has attained the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designations, which demonstrate his ongoing commitment to education in order to better serve our clients.
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.
Laurie Johnston, B.Comm., PFP, MTI
Senior Trust and Estate Consultant
Laurie's goal is to provide you and your family with confidence and peace of mind. She and her team offer services as a professional executor, power of attorney for property or trustee. She can also support someone else you appoint for these roles. Effectively administering a trust or acting as an attorney, can require time and an understanding of investments and taxes. Laurie and her team have the expertise to execute or assist others in efficiently executing that role. Laurie has been in the financial services industry since 1999 and with CIBC since 2012.
Anne Leistner, CIM, CFP, RRC, B.B.A.
Senior Private Banking Advisor
As a Senior Private Banking Advisor, Anne believes in the importance of understanding her clients’ values, dreams and goals and providing them with the financial stewardship to help realize them.
Anne and her associate work closely with colleagues from across the CIBC Group of Companies to provide answers to their clients’ immediate questions but also provide recommendations on how to best position their financial resources for the future.
Anne's clients greatly value this level of highly personalized attention and service.
Anne's been with CIBC since 2006 and is fluent in German.
Kristina Weenink, B.Comm.
Private Banking Advisor
Kristina cares about her clients and is passionate about helping them achieve their financial goals. Once she understands her clients’ goals, she engages 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. Her clients enjoy convenience, flexibility and peace of mind from their CIBC Private Banking team, so they can get on with living their life, without worrying about their finances.
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.
Pat Marshall, CIM, CFP
Pat adds value by working closely with each individual client to provide comprehensive financial plans that focus on what is important to them. She takes an in-depth approach to understand our clients’ unique situation and provides a formal recommendation to optimize how financial affairs are structured, integrating retirement, tax, will, estate, trust and insurance plans.
Laural McDonald, CFP
The planning process includes a review of the client's goals and objectives and a summary of their current financial situation. It also addresses one or more of the following areas: capital needs, investment planning, retirement planning, education planning, estate and trust planning, and risk management needs and coverage.
Matthew Makarenko, CFP®
Matthew brings over 12 years of experience in financial planning and advice. He is a Certified Financial Planner and is actively pursuing the Certified International Wealth Manager designation.
In addition to his experience and education, Matthew brings a dynamic approach to wealth planning that invites clients to participate in designing their wealth strategy.
Outside of work, Matthew is an avid traveller who has recently made Calgary his new home.
Julia Garner, CFP®, CLU
Julia Garner is an Estate Planning Specialist with CIBC Wood Gundy. She began her career in insurance 10 years ago with a focus on values-based risk management, helping individuals, families, and businesses protect what is most important to them. Julia is an expert in facilitating conversations around successful wealth transition, business succession and financial security.
Julia graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a major in Finance. She is committed to constantly learning and evolving in advisory services. Julia is a Certified Financial Planner® and Chartered Life Underwriter®. She is experienced in the family enterprise space, having facilitated family meetings, and completed level 1 of the Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) designation.
Julia and her husband, Mathieu, enjoy spending time in the mountains, travelling, and cooking.
Aaron McEwen
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.
Ryan Romanko, CFP, CLU
Ryan has extensive insurance and estate planning expertise gained through nearly a decade of service to affluent clients. He and his team provide advice on insurance and wealth management strategies and services to select clients. By establishing trusted relationships Ryan serves our clients effectively, working in collaboration with other professional advisors to develop customized strategies that address our clients aims and hopes. Ryan has attained the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designations, which demonstrate his ongoing commitment to education in order to better serve our clients.
Brian Einarson, B.Comm., CFP, RRC
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.
Laurie Johnston, B.Comm., PFP, MTI
Laurie's goal is to provide you and your family with confidence and peace of mind. She and her team offer services as a professional executor, power of attorney for property or trustee. She can also support someone else you appoint for these roles. Effectively administering a trust or acting as an attorney, can require time and an understanding of investments and taxes. Laurie and her team have the expertise to execute or assist others in efficiently executing that role. Laurie has been in the financial services industry since 1999 and with CIBC since 2012.
Anne Leistner, CIM, CFP, RRC, B.B.A.
As a Senior Private Banking Advisor, Anne believes in the importance of understanding her clients’ values, dreams and goals and providing them with the financial stewardship to help realize them.
Anne and her associate work closely with colleagues from across the CIBC Group of Companies to provide answers to their clients’ immediate questions but also provide recommendations on how to best position their financial resources for the future.
Anne's clients greatly value this level of highly personalized attention and service.
Anne's been with CIBC since 2006 and is fluent in German.
Kristina Weenink, B.Comm.
Kristina cares about her clients and is passionate about helping them achieve their financial goals. Once she understands her clients’ goals, she engages 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. Her clients enjoy convenience, flexibility and peace of mind from their CIBC Private Banking team, so they can get on with living their life, without worrying about their finances.