Today marks 25 years working in the Vancouver pension and investment industry, which is probably good cause for a little reflection. Starting down this road many years ago, I could not have imagined how much I would have enjoyed the work and the great people I have been able to meet, work with, and serve. Over the past few years, it has struck me just how likable the people are who work in our industry, clients and consultants alike; I can only imagine that this is not always the case. It has also been three years since I made the decision (some might say a surprising one) to join the George & Bell team. I can’t say enough how great an experience it has been so far; I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Jeremy and Brendan for making it happen, and to the rest of the team for welcoming me. The team here and my relationships with our clients make coming to work every day a pleasure. That is NOT something I will ever take for granted.
I would be remiss in not specifically acknowledging two people who have very much helped shape the consultant I have become over the past 25 years. My mentor, Julian Leong, basically taught me everything about being a great actuary, a smart businessman, and most importantly, what it takes to build client relationships that last. He was a great boss and is enjoying a very well-deserved retirement. And my wife, Sherry; she makes my life outside of work pretty much effortless, giving me the opportunity to be the best consultant I can be. Having that kind of support from your partner isn’t commonplace and she is the biggest reason why I can do what I do. For those who know what she does for me, they know I am spoiled rotten – I’ll have to pay her a good bonus this year 🙂
I look forward to the next 10 … 15 … 20 years … who knows how long really, but if I continue to enjoy it this much, it may be quite a while.