Andrew Lacas, CFP®, CIM®, RIAC
Wealth Advisor
Portfolio Manager
As Wealth Advisor and Portfolio Manager for the Lacas Advisory Group, Andrew believes that the only way to truly offer the best client experience possible would be to offer a highly focused and systematically driven investment process. This belief was born when Andrew started his financial services career in 2004, in Toronto while working in Institutional Sales for a independent Canadian Asset Management company. Andrew moved back to his native city, Halifax, in 2006 as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Atlantic Canada for the same institution. In this role, he assisted financial advisors, helping them make the right decisions for their clients. Andrew has been a lifelong learner and is always looking at the future and how he can offer more to his clients and community. With this in mind, Andrew became one of the first advisors in Atlantic Canada to receive the Responsible Investing Advisor Certification.
Caring, compassionate and honest are words that describe Andrew's approach as a Portfolio Manager. His clients' best interests and specific goals always come first, which is apparent in his business process and his clients' results.
Outside of work, Andrew is a dedicated family man enjoying time with his wife Patty and two young children, Addison and Matthew. When not gardening or riding his bike with his kids, Andrew loves to travel and looks forward to their next adventure.
Andrew also believes in giving back to his community. Among other things, he has been a Board Member of the Saint George's YouthNet since 2015. The YouthNet provides free programs such as lunch and after school mentorship to children and youth living in or near Uniacke Square, a public housing neighborhood in the North End of Halifax.
Peter Lacas
Senior Wealth Advisor
Over his 50 plus years in the industry, Peter has gained a reputation as an astute investor and trusted advisor, who takes pride in keeping his clients well informed. Peter has built a trusted network of traders, managers and analysts to share ideas and conversations about the markets and takes great pride in making sure that his clients are fully informed with timely updates about their investment positions and the markets in general. His primary focus is on helping guide asset allocation and security selection for our client portfolios.
Peter has a passion for the outdoors and his family, loving nothing more than hosting his five grandchildren at his "old Farm" with Betty, his wife of over 50 years.
Jordan Bastarache
Investment Advisor
Jordan comes to us from his previous role as an Associate Investment Advisor servicing clients in Atlantic Canada and has gained valuable experience in financial institutions in both Toronto and Halifax. Born and raised in Moncton, he holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from St. Francis Xavier University and is dedicated to continuous education, enhancing his ability to serve his clients and community.
Outside of work, Jordan enjoys traveling with his wife, Rachel, a teacher at CPA in Bedford, spending quality time with family—including their two cats, Marner and Matthews—playing golf and hockey."
Tara Boutilier, BA
Client Associate
Tara is a fully licensed representative and insurance advisor who has over 25 years of industry experience and has been with the Lacas Advisory Group since its inception. Tara ensures that everything runs smoothly for our clients; handling the team's day-to-day operations including among other things client documentation and compliance. Tara is also the cheerful voice on the other end of the line helping our clients and other external and internal points of contacts, such as accountants with all their daily requests.
Tara exemplifies the true meaning of dedication and compassion, not only to our team, but also to her family and friends, constantly putting others first. She enjoys spending her free time either cooking for her family and friends, joining them for a stroll, or just reaching out to “catch up". Her biggest passion is cuddling up with the love of her life, Ian.
Caroline Jarmash, CIM®, BA
Financial Associate
Caroline started her career in financial services over 25 years ago, while still a student at Dalhousie University. Caroline oversees our communications and social media, and also assists with portfolio administration, trading, FX and settlements.
Born and raised in Halifax, Caroline grew up in an entrepreneurial family and knows the value of hard work and dedication. Her motto is “never settle” and she is constantly setting new goals for her personal development. Recently, Caroline has obtained her Chartered Investment Manager Designation.
Caroline loves spending quality time with her three children, Dominique, Alexandra and Nicholas as well as her husband, Fouad. Her interests include singing and fishing, and she is a very active member of our Lady of Lebanon Church community.
Andrew Lacas, CFP®, CIM®, RIAC
As Wealth Advisor and Portfolio Manager for the Lacas Advisory Group, Andrew believes that the only way to truly offer the best client experience possible would be to offer a highly focused and systematically driven investment process. This belief was born when Andrew started his financial services career in 2004, in Toronto while working in Institutional Sales for a independent Canadian Asset Management company. Andrew moved back to his native city, Halifax, in 2006 as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Atlantic Canada for the same institution. In this role, he assisted financial advisors, helping them make the right decisions for their clients. Andrew has been a lifelong learner and is always looking at the future and how he can offer more to his clients and community. With this in mind, Andrew became one of the first advisors in Atlantic Canada to receive the Responsible Investing Advisor Certification.
Caring, compassionate and honest are words that describe Andrew's approach as a Portfolio Manager. His clients' best interests and specific goals always come first, which is apparent in his business process and his clients' results.
Outside of work, Andrew is a dedicated family man enjoying time with his wife Patty and two young children, Addison and Matthew. When not gardening or riding his bike with his kids, Andrew loves to travel and looks forward to their next adventure.
Andrew also believes in giving back to his community. Among other things, he has been a Board Member of the Saint George's YouthNet since 2015. The YouthNet provides free programs such as lunch and after school mentorship to children and youth living in or near Uniacke Square, a public housing neighborhood in the North End of Halifax.
Peter Lacas
Over his 50 plus years in the industry, Peter has gained a reputation as an astute investor and trusted advisor, who takes pride in keeping his clients well informed. Peter has built a trusted network of traders, managers and analysts to share ideas and conversations about the markets and takes great pride in making sure that his clients are fully informed with timely updates about their investment positions and the markets in general. His primary focus is on helping guide asset allocation and security selection for our client portfolios.
Peter has a passion for the outdoors and his family, loving nothing more than hosting his five grandchildren at his "old Farm" with Betty, his wife of over 50 years.
Jordan Bastarache
Jordan comes to us from his previous role as an Associate Investment Advisor servicing clients in Atlantic Canada and has gained valuable experience in financial institutions in both Toronto and Halifax. Born and raised in Moncton, he holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from St. Francis Xavier University and is dedicated to continuous education, enhancing his ability to serve his clients and community.
Outside of work, Jordan enjoys traveling with his wife, Rachel, a teacher at CPA in Bedford, spending quality time with family—including their two cats, Marner and Matthews—playing golf and hockey."
Our partners
We partner with CIBC experts to help address all of your wealth needs.
Bruce Morrison
Estate Planning Specialist
Bruce believes that the key to working successfully with clients is talking to them, not just about their needs, but also their life objectives and how insurance can assist them in the achievement of their goals. Prior to joining CIBC Wood Gundy, Bruce was with a leading insurance company where he was the Director of Sales for National Accounts. In addition to his sales and management roles, he also brings experience from the actuarial side of the desk. This perspective allows him to have a deeper understanding in dealing with insurance needs. Bruce brings with him a strong analytical and mathematical background, having earned his MSc. in Mathematics from Dalhousie University.
Thomas Elinesky
Estate Planning Specialist
Thomas is a proponent of wealth management and believes that the key to successful financial planning is listening to clients’ needs and life objectives with a focus on how the use of life insurance can assist them in achieving their goals. He previously worked at one of the most successful independent financial planning firms where he primarily provided estate planning and retirement solutions. In addition to his sales and client relationship experience, Thomas also worked with one of the largest insurance companies on the product service and development side allowing him to build in-depth knowledge of current and past insurance products.
Kate Ross, BA, JD
Senior Trust and Estate Consultant
As a Senior Trust and Estate Consultant, I believe that a key component of any wealth management plan is estate planning which provides you and your family with confidence and peace of mind by protecting you, your family, your assets, and preserving your legacy.
For complex estate and trust issues, I can draw on the expertise of my Cl BC partners, recommend external professionals and help develop solutions and coordinate communication.
Administering an estate or trust or acting as an attorney for property is time consuming and requires knowledge of many different areas. My team and I have the expertise to execute or assist others to execute those roles effectively and efficiently, relieving the burden of administration from loved ones and allowing them to focus on what matters most.
Krista LeBlanc, CFP®
Financial Planning Specialist
Krista joined the financial planning industry in 2008. She has held various roles throughout retail banking and wealth management. She uses her knowledge and experience to help Canadian families achieve their financial goals and enjoy peace of mind.
As a Financial Planning Specialist, Krista's goal is to create confidence through knowledge; giving families the ability to move forward on decisions affecting their wealth knowing they have a well-thought-out comprehensive plan in place.
Matthew Wood, B.B.A., CFP
Senior Private Banking Advisor
As a Senior Private Banking Advisor, Matthew cares about his clients and is passionate about helping them achieve their financial goals.
Matthew and his associate manage clients’ day-to-day banking, investment and savings, cash and credit management, and work closely with their other advisors to support their goals.
Matthew's clients enjoy convenience, flexibility and peace of mind from their CIBC Private Banking team through our level of highly personalized attention and service.
Craig Merriam, TEP, CFP®, FMA, RRC, BA, MPA
Financial Planning Specialist
Craig’s been advising affluent families and business owners for over 20 years to create holistic, personalized, wealth plans. As an experienced, accredited professional and skilled communicator, Craig works closely with you and your
trusted advisors, taking the time to understand what’s important to you and your family, now and in the future. He’s earned BA and Master of Public Administration degrees from Dalhousie University. With his passion for planning
and experience, Craig can answer your unique questions, the nexus of any Wealth Plan.
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.
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.
Bruce Morrison
Bruce believes that the key to working successfully with clients is talking to them, not just about their needs, but also their life objectives and how insurance can assist them in the achievement of their goals. Prior to joining CIBC Wood Gundy, Bruce was with a leading insurance company where he was the Director of Sales for National Accounts. In addition to his sales and management roles, he also brings experience from the actuarial side of the desk. This perspective allows him to have a deeper understanding in dealing with insurance needs. Bruce brings with him a strong analytical and mathematical background, having earned his MSc. in Mathematics from Dalhousie University.
Thomas Elinesky
Thomas is a proponent of wealth management and believes that the key to successful financial planning is listening to clients’ needs and life objectives with a focus on how the use of life insurance can assist them in achieving their goals. He previously worked at one of the most successful independent financial planning firms where he primarily provided estate planning and retirement solutions. In addition to his sales and client relationship experience, Thomas also worked with one of the largest insurance companies on the product service and development side allowing him to build in-depth knowledge of current and past insurance products.
Kate Ross, BA, JD
As a Senior Trust and Estate Consultant, I believe that a key component of any wealth management plan is estate planning which provides you and your family with confidence and peace of mind by protecting you, your family, your assets, and preserving your legacy.
For complex estate and trust issues, I can draw on the expertise of my Cl BC partners, recommend external professionals and help develop solutions and coordinate communication.
Administering an estate or trust or acting as an attorney for property is time consuming and requires knowledge of many different areas. My team and I have the expertise to execute or assist others to execute those roles effectively and efficiently, relieving the burden of administration from loved ones and allowing them to focus on what matters most.