Our Board
Fergus I.M. Craik, PhD, FRSC — Director
Fergus Craik, retired professor of psychology, and senior scientist at the Baycrest Rotman Research Institute, is a cognitive psychologist, internationally recognized for his groundbreaking research on human memory processes. Dr. Craik is considered a leader in the areas of memory, attention and cognitive aging. In 2008, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society, the prestigious U.K. national science academy. He received his doctorate from the University of Liverpool.
Robert Gignac, M.Sc., CFA, CAIA — Director
Robert Gignac is Director of Investment Research at CIBC Asset Management. Rob has a specialty in Canadian equity and fixed income portfolios. He oversees part of the manager selection and due diligence processes for CIBC’s investment products in Canada. Mr. Gignac has over twelve years’ experience in the financial services industry, both in Canada and internationally. He holds a master’s degree in international finance from the University of Reading and is licensed with the Ontario Securities Commission as an investment counselor and a portfolio manager. He has extensive expertise in portfolio construction and investment policy, and takes a stringent approach to investment manager selection and evaluation.
Allan Macfarlane — Director & President
Allan Macfarlane is founder of A.I. Macfarlane & Associates Limited, which provided advisory services on underwriting, risk management and loss control issues for the commercial insurance industry from 1964 to 2000. In 1990, Mr. Macfarlane founded Contract Pharmaceuticals Limited, and before retiring his interests therein, laid the foundation on which the company is built today—currently operating three plants in Canada and the U.S. and serving most of the big pharmaceutical companies in North America.
AnneMarie Ryan — Director & Secretary/Treasurer
AnneMarie Ryan has over 25 years’ experience helping financial services firms with business strategy and planning. She has consulted to Canadian investment dealers and regulators on issues ranging from market structure, market policy and regulation and the impact of technology advancements to the investment business. Some of AnneMarie’s clients include ITG Canada, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), The Australian Securities and Investment Commission and the Canadian Depository for Securities. In 1999, she served as special advisor to the OSC in the development of national policies regarding alternative trading systems in Canada. AnneMarie holds a bachelor’s degree in political science as well as a master’s degree in business administration. She currently also serves as Chair of the Board of Women in Capital Markets.
John Rothwell — Director
President of Canaccord Wealth Management. John has over 30 years of financial services experience, with Midland Walwyn Capital, Mackenzie Financial, Fidelity Investments and, more recently, as President of Wellington West Capital Inc. He has served on various IIROC (Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada) committees and chaired the IIROC mutual fund committee. He is presently a member of IIROC’s retail sales council. John received his bachelor’s degree (Hons.) from the University of Waterloo and Diplomas from McGill University, The Wharton School and Harvard University.
Louise Summerhill — Director
Louise Summerhill was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1990 when she joined Aird and Berlis LLP, where she has been a partner since 1994. Louise practices tax law, focusing primarily on litigation. She is recognized for both her legal abilities and ethical standards by Martindale-Hubbell, and is creator and former adjunct professor of “The Course of a Transaction,” Osgoode Hall Law School. She was also selected as one of the 550 Women in the Lead, whose professional expertise and experience qualify them for corporate board appointment. Louise holds an LL.B. from the University of Windsor.
Nicola Elkins, CFRE, M.Sc. — Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Prior to founding Benefaction Foundation in 2008, Nicola spent 20 years working in the financial services industry where she held a number of senior roles at Fidelity Investments (U.K. and Canada), First Asset Advisory Services, Russell Investments and BMO Nesbitt Burns. She holds a M.Sc. in Economics from the London School of Economics and a B.A from McGill University. She is a graduate of the Advanced Canadian Gift Planning Course offered by the CAGP and she is a member of its GTA Professional Advisor Committee. She is author of of book called Master Your Philanthropy and of an online course for advisors called Investment Strategies in Charitable Giving. In 2012 Nicola became a Certified Fund Raising Executive; CFRE International supports and encourages fundraising professionals to aspire to the highest standards of professional competence and ethical practice in serving the philanthropic sector. Nicola is also a member of Rotary International.