CFA: Careers For All CFA Society Saskatchewan

Mark Smith-Windsor joins Jordan Wilson to discuss his education, career path, CFA designation, and much more.
Mark is a Portfolio Manager and Investment Advisor with IA Securities in Saskatoon.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Saskatchewan. Mark also possesses his CPA, CMA designation and is a CFA Charterholder.  
Mark provides his thoughts on:
0:00 Introduction
2:00 Why major in Economics? Did that education assist in your finance career?
6:00 Did you initially work in an economics related job or start straight in finance?
10:30 Did having an economics education help or hinder you in the CFA Program?
17:10 How has your career progressed since graduating from university?
23:25 What is the difference between a Team Approach and One on One?
32:00 What is the role of a Portfolio Manager?
38:45 What are “Know Your Client” rules and why are they important?
41:45 What “soft” skills are important to develop?
50:30 What complementary “hard” skills are worth adding to your repertoire?
55:45 What industries and/or skills may become important in the next decade?
58:15 What are some considerations when investing in small, resource firms?
1:05:00 How is investing in smaller, private companies different from large, public firms?
1:08:40 What advice would Mark give to his High School or University age self?

Women in Finance
Veronica Gamracy, Robin Koroluk, and Juliana Wong join Jordan Wilson to discuss women’s issues in finance.
Veronica Gamracy is a Portfolio Manager and Investment Advisor with CIBC World Markets in Saskatoon. With over 35 years of experience serving a clientele of affluent individuals, institutions, and corporations. 
Robin Koroluk is a Senior Wealth Advisor and Portfolio Manager with Scotia Wealth Management. Robin entered the industry about a decade ago.
Juliana Wong is a Capital Markets Director at Concentra Bank, where she manages and monitors Concentra's investment portfolio and funding sources via capital markets.
During the podcast, we discuss:
0:00 Introduction
3:00 How has the finance industry evolved for women over the years?
13:25 Is there a “wage gap” and how can women reach more senior positions?
19:25 Should people take a narrow focus early on in a career?
23:40 Is the CFA exam curriculum all about “financial advising” or are there more areas of study?
33:25 How is the CFA Institute doing in emphasizing “diversity” in the work force?
39:40 What are some career growth areas for CFA professionals?
49:35 What are the changing “dynamics” in the finance workforce and on teams?
55:35 What advice would you offer people listening to this podcast?

CFA Career Chats: Veronica Gamracy, BFA, MBA, CFA, CIMA, CIPM
Veronica Gamracy joins Jordan Wilson to discuss her extremely varied education, career path, the CFA designation, finance, and diversity issues.
Veronica Gamracy is a Portfolio Manager and Investment Advisor with CIBC World Markets in Saskatoon. With over 35 years of experience serving a clientele of affluent individuals, institutions, and corporations. 
She holds a BFA (Saskatchewan) in Studio Art, an MBA (McGill) in International and Corporate Finance, and a Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Veronica also holds CIMA (Certified Investment Management Analyst) and CIPM (Certificate in Performance Measurement) certificates. 
Veronica has served on the boards of several charitable organizations, provincial crown corporations, and industry councils, including past service as Director and President of CFA Society Saskatchewan. Currently, Veronica represents Saskatchewan on the Board of the CFA Societies Canada.
In our lengthy conversation, Veronica provides her thoughts on:
00:00 Introduction
2:00 Where is Veronica from and what led to an interest in finance and investing?
8:00 How did industry experience help with finance and what lessons did Veronica learn in industry?
13:00 When did Veronica pursue her CFA designation and what did she learn from that experience?
18:10 How do the MBA and CFA designations compare?
28:50 Should one enter the CFA Program as soon as possible or wait a few years?
34:20 What does Veronica do as a Portfolio Manager and Investment Advisor?
43:40 What is an affluent investor? How do they differ other individual clients?
49:45 How do affluent investor needs differ from institutions and corporate clients?
54:45 What are the CIMA and CIPM programs? How do they fit with a CFA designation?
1:03:30 What non-technical “soft” skills are important in Veronica’s job?
1:12:00 What does Veronica look for in new hires?
1:20:15 What are Veronica’s thoughts on women in finance and changes over time?
1:28:00 What skills does Veronica think will be needed by future finance graduates?
1:35:00 Is the corporate world adjusting to allow for better work-life balance?
1:38:45 What advice would Veronica give to her High School or University age self?

In this session, Robin Koroluk and Jordan Wilson discuss the CFA designation and career paths.
 
While CFA does stand for “Chartered Financial Analyst”, it can also easily mean “Careers For All”. CFAs come from all educational and technical backgrounds. CFAs are employed in all types of roles in all types of business sectors. There are enjoyable careers available for all backgrounds, interests, and personalities.
 
00:45 𝐂𝐅𝐀: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐭
What is a “Financial Analyst”?
Is it all about crunching numbers in a back room?
Or is there more to financial analysis than just numbers and calculations?
 
09:00 𝐂𝐅𝐀: 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 “𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫𝐬”
Do you need a finance major or even a business degree to have a successful career in finance?
If you have a non-finance education, is it possible to become a CFA and work in finance?
If you have another professional skill set, such as accounting or law, can a CFA add additional value?
 
12:00 𝐂𝐅𝐀: 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 “𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬”
Are all CFAS back-room introverts? Are there any finance roles for extroverts or those in-between?
Do you want a stable “9 to 5” job or do you crave non-stop excitement with lots of job pressure?
Do you prefer consistent salary and compensation?
Or do you want to “eat what you hunt”?
 
As the title states, Chartered Financial Analyst, yes. But also “Careers For All”.

 
 



 
 
 

Paula Meier joins Jordan Wilson to discuss her education, career, and juggling a young family.
Paula holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Regina majoring in Finance, as well as the CFA designation.
Paula Meier is an Associate, Fundamental Research, Public Equities at TD Asset Management. Paula provides equity research and investment recommendations for the Public Equity portfolios, covering the global Real Estate sector. She has prior experience in the utility, IT, and consumer sectors.
Paula has served on the CFA Society Saskatchewan Board since 2017 and is currently the Board Secretary. Paula is also involved with a few charitable organizations in Saskatchewan.
01:55 What led Paula to choose Finance in University and then pursue a career as an Equity Analyst?
0550 How was the job market for finance majors upon graduating from University?
07:15 Why was the Coop Program instrumental in getting a full-time position in finance?
09:45 What is a key factor in getting the job offer for young professionals?
13:00 Is a narrow or broad focus on skills and knowledge better when building a career path?
15:30 Start the CFA Program immediately after University or wait a few years?
19:13 What does an Equity Analyst do at TD Asset Management?
21:30 How do Institutional or Pension clients differ from Individual investors?
25:40 How is an Equity Analyst compensated at TD?
27:20 What is the difference between “Buy-Side” and “Sell-Side”?
30:45 How is the job pressure working as an Equity Analyst?
33:30 How do Analysts learn about the industries they cover?
37:05 What will be the growth industries over the next decade?
42:00 How do short-term versus long-term performance expectations impact investing?
47:30 Is investing success the sign of great skills, or possibly luck? How to assess results?
50:30 Why are “soft’ skills important to develop? What “soft” skills are highly useful?
59:29 Having a young family, how does Paula juggle her career and maintain a work-life balance?
67:00 What advice would Paula give to 17 or 24 year old Paula?

In this podcast, Robin Koroluk and Jordan Wilson offer their thoughts on securing a job.
What employers seek in new financial service sector hires. What employers in any industry want to see in their staff. With comments on the interview process and how to make a good impression.
 
1:58 An Employer’s Perspective
What does Robin look for in a new wealth management hire?
Should employees strive to impress the boss or “be a sponge”?
Do employers expect strong finance skills in new hires?
What non-finance, technical skills may help in a finance position?
What about softer technical skills, like staff management?
Or non-technical soft skills, like communication and problem solving?
 
10:00 What Do All Employers Want? The True Value of the CFA
Can this person successfully learn new skills?
Will this person act ethically and professionally?
How will this person respond to adversity?
Does this person have the drive to succeed?
Can this person manage time and meet deadlines?
Do employers usually hire the “best” person?
 
20:00 Preparing for the Job Interview
How to stand out from the crowd?
How to respond to interview questions?
What is worth bringing up in responding to questions?
When should you begin preparing for an interview?
How can a “nasty uncle” help you get the job?
Should you sweet-talk an interviewer or embellish your skills?