Find a CEA

Shirley Tom is owner/manager of Shirley Tom Professional Corporation (est. 2005), a professional full service accounting and advisory firm located in Brampton, Ontario.  Shirley holds the designations FCPA, FCGA, LPA (Licensed Public Accountant) and C.Dir (Chartered Director).  Previously, Shirley worked within the estates and trust practice of a major Toronto law firm and continues to specialize in the preparation of estate accounts, including estate administration, planning and tax filing compliance, with her network of business partners.  She is currently Past-President of EPCOH (Estate Planners' Council of Halton).

My role at The Gryphin Advantage is to build relationships with advisors by offering coaching, mentoring and education, in order to bring value and assist them in growing their business in the most professional environment possible.

Brent van Ryzewyk, CFP, CLU, CH.F.C., CHS., CEA. Principal,

Brent is the President of the Certified Executor Advisor Network (CEAN), he also operates his financial advisory firm, Barron's Financial Group Inc. With over 36 years of professional advisory, practice and agency management experience, his advisory team is specialized in advanced estate and tax planning techniques, family and business succession, sponsored and association benefit plan design and administration, as well as individual pension and other retirement income strategies.

Brent has held executive leadership roles, as well as senior regional management positions representing national public insurance corporations, investment banking institutions, as well as privately held financial advisory services corporations.

In addition to his professional designations, he is a member of Advocis, The Financial Advisors Associations of Canada since 1984, CALU, The Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting, The Institute for Advanced Financial Education, The Financial Planner Standards Council, The Million Dollar Round table and The Canadian Institute of Certified Executor Advisors.

In addition to his current role as President of CEAN, Brent has most recently been a Trustee with The Institute of Advanced Financial Education, he has also held several senior leadership roles with Advocis Nationally, and at a Chapter level, as well as past President and current board member of the Estate Planning Council of Mississauga.

In his spare time, Brent is active with select charities including the Community Foundation of Mississauga and enjoys traveling, golf, boating, flying and the occasional poker game.

Micheline Varas, BA, RHU, RFC, EPC, GBDS

Senior Partner, Senior VP Living Benefits

CustomPlan Financial Advisors

Micheline assures safeguarding financial advice is of the highest quality. She works in conjunction with several insurers and their respective underwriters delivering results to individuals and corporate clients. Micheline is also a resource to financial advisors and large institutions. Her focus is to structure and ensure creative, cost and tax effective risk mitigation solutions. She believes that professional financial advice adds significant value to individuals and their businesses. To provide the best to clients, Micheline works with the best! This mindset allows for collaboration with independent specialists delivering comprehensive plans designed to create value. Her extensive experience in Living Benefits enabled Micheline to be the first recipient of the GBDS (Group Benefits Disability Specialist) designation in Canada, and a founding moderator for the Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies. A Top of the Table (MDRT – Million Dollar Round Table) member, Micheline has penned many industry and non-industry publications, holds various training and educational events and has been a speaker at numerous national and international congresses. In 2014 Micheline was named one of 50 Women of Influence in Canada’s insurance industry.

For the past 50 years I have helped advise my clients through my law practice, initially as Speal, Viner and then growing over time to Viner, Kennedy, Frederick, Allan & Tobias, commonly known as Viner, Kennedy.

With my experience, and as a creative problem solver, I can assist in any of the following areas:

• Guiding an Executor so as to avoid costly errors and delays.
• Suggesting pitfalls to avoid if considering a Will or Power of Attorney.
• In advising small and family businesses with succession planning.
• As mediator in conflicts and disputes as an alternative to litigation.

I am a CPA, CA with many years of experience in tax planning and in the preparation of tax returns for deceased individuals, estates and trusts.  I enjoy helping individuals, whether it's someone who needs assistance developing an estate plan to achieve peace of mind, or an executor who needs help with the many challenges in their important role. 

An Estate and Trust Advisor for the Southwestern Ontario region, Shannon brings more than 20 years of financial services experience to her work with individuals, families and businesses. Her depth of experience, coupled with her professionalism and dedication to client service, serves her well when dealing with complexities of estate settlement.

Shannon understands that the role of the executor is a difficult one with sometimes overwhelming responsibilities. Focused on executor services, she helps executors to identify where RBC can help to lift the burden of an executorship, whether in a simple administration capacity like helping with specific tasks, or in a more comprehensive manner like carrying out the entire estate settlement process on their behalf.

Shannon continues to deepen her knowledge and expertise with key industry designations such as the Certified Financial Planning (CFP), MTI Estate and Trust Professional, and Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP).

As a highly skilled Estate and Trust Advisor, Shannon can discuss estate settlement and administration services, trustee services, trust structures, and other specialized services offered through RBC Royal Trust throughout Canada. She can also provide tailored solutions to help clients carry out their many executor duties and can help to expedite the settlement process, and maximize the estate's value through knowledgeable handling of estate and tax issues.

Independent Financial Advisor since 1994.

Del is a Financial Advisor, primarily for retirees,  as well as successful professionals and business owners who aspire
to financial independence and a "work optional" lifestyle. He has
developed and refined a process that puts the pieces of the financial puzzle together for
his clients as their life unfolds and needs evolve. Retirement planning, estate
planning, risk management planning are a big part of the process, as is debt
and cash flow planning. Del works with his client's other professional
advisors, such as lawyers and accountants, to facilitate a team approach to
financial planning.

I work directly with clients developing investment portfolios as well as providing financial planning in the areas of business succession, retirement income planning, and estate planning.  In addition to the CEA designation, I have earned several other industry certifications, including the Chartered Investment Manager and Certified Financial Planner designations.  I am a member of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners. I am registered as both an Advising Representative (AR) in Canada and an Investment Adviser Representative (IAR) in the United States.

A financial services and business professional with thirty years extensive and varied experience in entrepreneurial, bank, trust, brokerage, mutual fund and insurance company environments.
Coaches and assists others understand, plan and reach their personal and financial goals with a particular emphasis on wealth building, investment, insurance and estate and legacy planning.
Frequent speaker on Estate Planning; Elder Law and Financial Planning; Pre-Planning and Legacy Planning; Benefits and Group Pensions.

Specialties: Estate and Legacy Planning; Investments; Insurance; Business Coach

Amanda, loves helping people with their money at different stages of their lives. She will help you to maximize your net wealth using her knowledge and insights in insurance, investment, estate planning and tax planning. She will be your trusted partner in helping you reach your financial goals and dreams.

 赵萌, 特许金融分析师，最喜欢这个职业的地方就是她有机会帮助他人实现财富目标，解决财务问题。Amanda觉得她的使命就是“传道 、授业、解惑”：不论是企业家，高净值人士，亦或是普通的工薪阶层，都需要了解金融理财的基本理念，提前规划的必要性，财务安全的重要性，家族财富传承的可行性，以及企业和个人免税延税的合法性。Amanda一直秉承财务规划的量体裁衣性，为每一位客户量身打造通往财务自由的成功之路。

Christine (Tina) Abarquez is the President of Abarquez Group Inc., a company she co-founded with her father in 1997.  With a focus on Retirement, Estate and Tax Planning using both investment and insurance strategies, Tina takes great pride in helping her clients plan and achieve their goals.  Tina has a degree in Administrative & Commercial Studies (majoring in Finance and Economics) from Western University and she is a designated Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter, Certified Health Insurance Specialist and Elder Planning Counselor. In 2000 Tina became a Qualifying Member of the Million Dollar Round Table and has been a Life and Qualifying Member since 2009. Away from the business, Tina enjoys boating, fishing, and spending time with her family.