Company History

1993

Top investment advisor Charlie Spiring leaves Midland Walwyn to open independent investment advisory boutique in Winnipeg. Four advisors with a total of eight employees and $200 million in AUA. Business strategy: to form a top quality locally-focused investment advisory boutique.

Added financial planning capability to complement full-service brokerage.
Named one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada, sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC Commercial Banking, National Post and Queen’s School of Business.

Achieved $500 million in AUA. Set goal to expand into Western Canada with a target of $1 billion AUA by December 2002.

Achieved $1 billion in AUA, seven months ahead of goal with solid presence in Western Canada established.

Achieved $2 billion in AUA. Set goal to expand nationally with a target of $3 billion AUA by December 2004.

Achieved $3 billion AUA, ten months ahead of goal with coast-to-coast presence established.
Ranked #1 in Investment Executive Brokerage Report Card.

Achieved $5 billion AUA.
Added capital markets capability to complement retail strength.
Ranked #1 for second consecutive year in Investment Executive Brokerage Report Card.

Achieved $7 billion AUA.
Launched affinity program with leading universities in Canada.
Ranked #1 for third consecutive year in Investment Executive Brokerage Report Card.
A decade of qualifying as one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada.
Ranked #2 Best Employer in Canada and #1 in Medium Sized Firm category in the 2006 Hewitt Associates / Report on Business Magazine, 50 Best Employers survey.

Achieved $9 billion in AUA and set 2010 strategy.
Commenced IPO readiness strategy, retained CIBC World Markets and KPMG as advisors.
Ranked #1 for fourth consecutive year in Investment Executive Brokerage Report Card.
Ranked #1 Best Employer in Canada in 2007 Hewitt Associates / Report on Business Magazine, 50 Best Employers Survey.
Requalified as one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada.
Named by Canadian Business Magazine’s Profit 100 as one of Canada’s fastest growing companies with revenue growth of 823 per cent since 2001.
Awarded #2 in our category and 8th overall in the 2006 Financial Post / Starmine Top Analyst Awards.

Ranked as No. 2 Best Employer in the 2008 Hewitt Associates / Report on Business 50 Best Employers survey.
Requalified as one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada.
Ranked as No. 3 Brokerage Firm in Canada, ahead of all bank-owned brokerages, by the 2008 Investment Executive Broker Report Card survey.
Achieved $10 billion in AUA

Purchased Brownstone Investment Planning Inc.
Awarded Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies (Best Managed) for the for the fourth consecutive year in a row and the tenth time since 1996.
Launched Nxt Funds, three innovative multi-manager solutions designed to help investors address today's challenging market.
Ranked as one the 50 Best Employers in Canada for the fifth consecutive time.