Our Values at Cole & Associates
Vision
To make a positive difference for families and their enterprises. To simplify complexity so everyone can progress.
Values
Impartiality. Integrity. Balance.
Purpose
To help families find common ground where possible. To facilitate harmony in outcomes, knowing not all processes are harmonious, especially when money is involved. To lead families through challenging issues with an unbiased lens.
Meet the Cole & Associates Team
Carolyn J. Cole
Founder & CEO
Carolyn J. Cole
Founder & CEO
Whether a family has an existing structure or is starting from scratch, Carolyn and her team clarifies what each family would like to achieve, designs the appropriate family office structure, introduces best in class professionals, and anchors the family with a fully functioning family office platform.
After twenty years of advising enterprising families across Canada through a successful wealth advisory career spanning three prominent Canadian Financial Institutions and a global accounting firm, Carolyn built a unique, independent Family Office Strategy and Design firm. She guides each family through how to frame their family’s needs, introduces innovative concepts and solutions, and sources the appropriate resources to help them achieve their objectives. This is done from an experienced, independent, and unbiased lens as Cole & Associates will only represent families and their best interests.
Carolyn graduated with distinction from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Business Administration and has completed her Family Enterprise Advisors designation. She has also attained her Certified Financial Planner designation, her Personal Financial Planner designation and completed the Canadian Securities Course. Carolyn also attained a diploma in Marketing from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.
Carolyn lives with her husband in West Vancouver and works across Canada. They collectively have four children, three grandchildren and enjoy nearly all outdoor activities. Carolyn loves to bring people together around a meal she has prepared and believes family is everything.
Robert Beattie
Head, Finance & Operations
Robert Beattie
Head, Finance and Operations
Robert is a finance and operations executive with a long history in creating and growing businesses and operating divisions by empowering and cultivating talent. Robert joins Cole & Associates following an almost 20-year career at BMO Commercial Bank as Senior Vice President & Head Industry Verticals. During his tenure at BMO, Robert held a number of senior positions leading a broad range of businesses including SVP & Head BC Region and SVP & Head Media Finance.
Throughout his career Robert built a reputation for his creative approach developing senior debt structures for a wide range of clients and for building high performing teams. Much of his work directly impacted the progress of private enterprises and family-owned businesses. His extensive experience with enterprising families brings additional insights and perspectives to Cole & Associates and its clients.
Prior to BMO Robert was SVP Equipcap Financial Corporation, a media finance company which was a subsidiary of Alliance Atlantis Communications (and its predecessor Alliance Communications), which he founded and led. Robert is also on the Board of Directors of a boutique trade finance company based in Luxembourg.
Robert graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BA in Economics, obtained his MBA from Schulich, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. He has completed many Ironman and half-Ironman races, tracks Ducati motorcycles, enjoys motorsports and balances all with his passion for family and the outdoors.
Lucy Ryan
Engagement Director
Lucy Ryan
Engagement Director
As Engagement Director, Lucy Ryan’s role is a key element to family office design and implementation. She manages all family office strategy execution, timelines, and operations. She works with the Cole & Associates team to advance all client deliverables, execute client experience, and collaborate on special projects.
Lucy studied at Carleton University and obtained a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Criminology and Criminal Justice, with a concentration in Law and a minor in Human Rights and Social Justice. In her third year, Lucy participated in a study abroad program where she spent a semester studying at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. During her studies, Lucy also interned at a law firm in Ottawa and after graduating worked closely with the partners to execute client deliverables and manage case progress.
Lucy transitioned her career from the legal sector to the family office space by joining Cole & Associates in 2020. Her detail orientation and project management experience are key in the implementation of customized Family Office strategies. She is also completing courses towards her Masters in Business Administration with a specialization in Innovation Leadership at the University of Fredericton.
When Lucy is not working, she enjoys hiking with her dog, Scout, and travelling.
Catherine Ouellette
Strategic Lead
Catherine Ouellette
Strategic Lead
As a Strategic Lead at Cole & Associates, Catherine brings her understandings of families, enterprises, and wealth to the Family Office space. Her experience is founded in working with intergenerational capital at various stages of growth and transition. Catherine guides families as they learn about the different directions a family office can take, helps them select a path based on their goals, and subsequently crafts their family office strategy. She utilized the Cole & Associates team and network as she facilitates the customized implementation of the family office design. Catherine creates efficiencies, clarity, accountability, and momentum for each family by bringing together family members, shareholders, existing advisors, and new professionals as needed. She is a strong proponent of transparency, enriched communication, and team building with all stakeholders in the Family Office.
Catherine’s role as a family office and family business consultant is augmented by years of experience in the financial industry where she worked for a leading Canadian global bank and a US global bank, both based in Canada. She held senior client coverage roles supporting ultra-high net worth families, privately held companies, and large multinational publicly traded companies. Working with business owners, family members, and the “C” suite, Catherine led multi-disciplinary teams to deliver tailored structures and solutions across bank debt, capital markets issuance, treasury management, wealth management and family governance.
Catherine has a Master of Business Administration degree from Niagara University, a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) degree from the University of Waterloo, and is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) and a Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA). She is a member of the Exit Planning Institute, Family Enterprise Canada, Family Firm Institute and the Oakville Art Society.
Catherine lives in Oakville, Ontario with her husband Mark and their two dogs Clifford and Malcolm. Outside work she is a mentor for young professionals, and she enjoys creating oil paintings, decorating, swimming, yoga, SUP boarding and playing tennis and pickleball.
Rachel Holodniuk
Engagement Coordinator
Rachel Holodniuk
Executive Assistant and Engagement Coordinator
As Executive Assistant and Engagement Coordinator, Rachel Holodniuk acts as the key liaison connecting clients, the team, and Carolyn Cole. Her role involves working closely with all members of the organization to enhance overall efficiency. Rachel excels in keeping track of timelines and client deliverables, streamlining administrative processes, collaborating on special projects, and preparing the CEO for her brisk schedule.
Rachel studied at the University of Waterloo where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies. She completed three Co-operative Education placements while studying at UW, where she gained valuable professional experience in the public health sector. In 2022, Rachel joined the Cole & Associates team, making a career shift into the Family Office space.
Outside of her professional life, Rachel enjoys staying active through yoga, snowboarding, bouldering, and paddle boarding. Additionally, she finds fulfillment in volunteer work and is currently dedicating her time fostering dogs rescued from Texas shelters, helping them find homes in the GTA.
Tyson Mark
Technology Manager
Tyson Mark
Technology Manager
With nearly 30 years of experience with designing, managing and securing technology environments, Tyson advises and helps organizations align their technology strategies and cybersecurity objectives with their business goals.
Throughout his career, Tyson has fulfilled numerous technology roles with a variety of organizations, predominately in the Canadian Financial & Wealth Management sector. Notably, he designed, built, deployed and managed the national networks for both the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada.
He is an active participant with several Cybersecurity groups in the Greater Toronto Area. As a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Tyson lead the Toronto Chapter of (ISC)2, the internationally recognized organization of Cybersecurity professional accreditations, growing its membership from 500 to 1500 and organizing nearly a dozen information and networking events throughout 2019. Recently in 2022, Tyson participated in the development of a Cybersecurity Self-Assessment tool to assist small-medium sized financial institutions with evaluating and developing their security programs to better protect the Canadian investor.
Tyson considers himself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to create long lasting connections with many of his past colleagues and especially values the ones of his staff who “started out” their careers in Technology with him and who have gone on to be successful in life, family and their own careers. Tyson is passionate about giving back to others through active participation in Mentor/Mentee relationships and freely volunteers his time to educate the most at-risk groups of technology risks and how they can stay safe online.
Tyson lives in Toronto with his wife, Catherine, and their two daughters. Tyson and Catherine are passionate beekeepers and enjoy their 64 acre property in Prince Edward County, where they are rejuvenating the land and forest.
Announcing Soon
Strategic Lead
Our Associated Experts
About Associated Experts
- Associated Experts bring a depth of knowledge and passion to their clients in specialty areas that are relevant to families, and we sincerely enjoy collaborating with these fantastic professionals.
- We at Cole & Associates fully support the independent practices of each Expert and we encourage you to contact them directly. Just let them know you found them here!
- Life is a Team Sport and we are proud to share with you the names and contact details of others who are like-minded.
Danielle Saputo
BComm, DIA, ACC, CAPP, FEA
Legacy Coach & Family Advisor
Associated Expert
C&A Associated Expert
Danielle Saputo
BComm, DIA, ACC, CAPP, FEA
Legacy Coach & Family Advisor
Danielle is a Life Learner dedicated to bringing out the best in herself and others. Danielle is a Business Graduate from Concordia University. She completed wealth management courses at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management and The John Molson School of Business in Montreal. She is an Accredited Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation and The Coach Teaching Institute with designations in Emotional Intelligence, Resilience and Legacy Coaching. She also trained with the Co-Active Training Institute group in co-active coaching. She is a Family Enterprise Advisor Designate achieved through the Family Enterprise Xchange and completed a Certification in Applied Positive Psychology through the Flourishing Center.
As a Family Advisor she is clarifying purpose, resolving conflict, and amplifying total wealth, where wealth is much more than financial capital – the focus here is on Human Capital. The basis of her family advisory role is: “Are you communicating in a way that the family is in Harmony?” As a professionally-trained Coach, Danielle’s goal is to hold a safe space for her clients. She provides accountability, clarity and support on their journey of self-discovery and forward motion. The basis of her coaching is: “Are you living the Legacy you want to be remembered for?” Danielle also engages at speaking events sharing her story, knowledge and experience to help other Canadian families overcome the proverbial saying; “shirtsleeve to shirtsleeve in 3 generations”.
Danielle is 3rd generation of a prominent Canadian Family Business. She worked in her family’s business until she married, moved to Ontario and began a family of her own. She is mother to 3 wonderful teenagers. She is President of Danuto Holdings, an investment company. She is a member of the Grove Society Executive Board and a Trustee for the Lakefield College School. Danielle co-facilitates parenting workshop within her community as well as a group of FEA’s to share and learn. On the home front, Danielle organizes and leads family meetings, creates multigenerational games, coordinated the writing of a family values book which lead her to write her own book. Her focus is on building a family legacy and fostering financial literacy in the younger generation. Danielle has a passion for travel, animals, nature and staying active. She plays the piano and clarinet and volunteers her time supporting her community.
Esther Jang
BComm, CFRE
Philanthropic Strategist
Associated Expert
C&A Associated Expert
Esther Jang, BComm, CFRE
Philanthropic Strategist
For more than twenty years, Esther has held an active role in the not for profit sector. Beginning as a volunteer and transitioning to build a second career leveraging her for profit experience to bring strategic counsel and expertise to her clients. Using her unique lens, she seeks out opportunities and build partnerships to support organizations to grow and diversify revenue and to guide strategic giving and philanthropy for individuals.
One of the key motivators for Esther is to build sustainability and long term support for organizations she cares about. Using this similar view, Esther works with individuals to guide them through their own philanthropic journey. At the end of the day, working towards a common goal of a better, kinder world is a legacy that we can all be proud of.
Most recent campaigns (last 5 years) where Esther was the sole lead and strategic counsel for:
- $25M capital + $10M endowment – Arts Umbrella
- $25M capital – Corpus Christi Parish School
- Set the strategy and unrolled the campaigns.
- Worked with and advised, senior leadership, philanthropists and volunteers.
Past campaigns:
- A part of UBC’s $3B campaign
- Was the Faculty of Science’s lead in funding the $7M+ renovation of a world class fin fish aquatic research facility.
- Instrumental in facilitating the largest gift (at that time) from Dolby Corp to higher education.
- In collaboration with the Communications Director, was instrumental in the redesigning of the research journal to align with the funding priorities and reach a broader donor and alumni audience.
- Managed and worked with senior volunteer fundraisers to build sector support for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation
- Leveraged an untapped opportunity for banking institutions to include philanthropy as an online opportunity for customers.
Fundraising Strategic Work plans:
- Review of current revenue streams and operations as it relates to the fund development department of an organization and provide recommendations.
- Analysis of donor data – uncover gaps and opportunities
- Review of staffing
- Analysis of funding streams – uncover gaps and opportunities
- Review protocol and governance.
Individual Philanthropy:
- Working with individuals to guide, research and build legacy plans and strategic giving
- Provide expertise to determine best fit for long term giving
Philanthropic Naming Assessment:
- Review of an organization’s site to value naming recognition
- $25M – BC Women’s Hospital Foundation
Mentoring and Strategic Counsel:
- Work with Executive Directors and Senior Leadership to provide mentorship to build success into their fundraising roles.
Most recent clients:
- InspireHealth
- North Shore Women’s Centre
- The Bateman Foundation
- Anxiety Canada
- Arts Umbrella
- BCSPCA
Created strategy and establish legacy portfolios for:
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Vancouver
- Anglican Diocese of BC
- Arts Umbrella
- Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation
Facilitated Strategic Planning workshops – most recent clients:
- Laurier Institution
- Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre
- Canadian Liver Cancer Foundation
Lead “Fundraising 101” Board training:
- Arts Umbrella
- Canadian Parents for French
- Laurier Institution
- Vantage Point
Published:
- “5 Easy Ways to Leaving a Legacy” Nov 2013, Leave A Legacy, Vancouver Sun
- Blog post and profiled as an expert fundraising though leader through BC Ideas, 2013
Speaking:
- Legacy Giving – Where to start? – Fundraising Conference, Dublin Ireland, 2018
- Introducing the Concept of Legacy Giving into your Parish, Catholic Stewardship Conference, Vancouver, BC 2017
Credentials:
- CFRE – Certified Fundraising Executive, 2012
- UBC – BComm, Sauder School of Business
- UBC – Certificate in International Development
- UK – Social Return on Investment, (SROI), Impact Reporting Workshop, London UK, 2013
- Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP), Original Banff Gift Planning Course, 2008
Community Engagement:
Current:
- Volunteer Advisor – InspireHealth, Vancouver, BC – 2020
- Volunteer Advisor – Project K(IN)D, Ottawa, ON – 2020
- Volunteer Knowledge Philanthropist, Vantage Point, Vancouver, BC – 2020
- Philanthropy Day, Awards Selection Committee Member, AFP Vancouver Chapter – on hold
Past:
- Executive Committee Member, Program Chair – CAGP, Vancouver Chapter
- Co-chair AFP Fundamentals Committee, AFP Vancouver Chapter
- Board Member at Large, Open Door Group, Vancouver BC
What’s important in my life:
- Family – Katherine & Chris XOXO
- Lifelong friendships,
- Kindness
- Constant need to learn and be curious
- Travel and new experiences
- Love of jewellery
Karlee Vukets
CFP
Financial Planner & Coach
Associated Expert
C&A Associated Expert
Karlee Vuckets, CFP
Certified Financial Planner & Coach
Karlee’s deep commitment to bridging the communication gap within families began from her own lived experience. As part of a family enterprise, she understands the intricacies that come with working with those who are closest to you.
Karlee channeled these learnings and adapted them to create her own coaching program, drawing from her certification in established professional training programs such as Coaches Training Institute (CTI), Job Effectiveness Coaching, and Organizational and Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC). In combining her experience as a coach and Certified Financial Planner, Karlee works with Canadian entrepreneurial families to help the rising generations develop their own path, their own passions, and their own voice either inside or outside of their family businesses.
Karlee obtained a degree in Business of Cinematic Arts from the University of Southern California which was fueled by her dual passions of business and the arts. During her time in Los Angeles, she created a thriving career in live-television production on shows such as American Idol, American Music Awards, and the Primetime Emmy Awards.
Outside of work, Karlee dedicates much of her time and expertise to the charitable sector. She is driven to make an impact through her roles as Executive Director of the Michael and Karen Vukets Family Foundation, Board Member of Canada’s National Ballet School, Board Member of The Glenn Gould Foundation, and member of the inaugural Vision 2020 New Philanthropy Journey at the Toronto Foundation. Through the Vision 2020 program, she co-founded the aujla + vukets foundation with her friend Raji Aujla with the aim to mentor and fund female-led social impact ideas.
Karlee lives in Toronto with her fiancé Brandon, and she would say that her favourite title of all is being “Auntie WeeWee” to her beloved 4 young nephews.
Melissa Johanson
Health Coach
Associated Expert
C&A Associated Expert
Melissa Johanson
Health Coach
Melissa brings her extensive expertise and passion about health, business, and life in supporting executives to cement full control so that they can attain their target weight, increase their energy levels, and effectively manage their stress.
With 18 years of experience in healthcare – starting out in supplement sales, 15 years as a Registered Massage Therapist and over three years as a Certified Health Coach – Melissa understands the quality of your health affects every aspect of your life. With better quality health, her clients not only look and feel better, but notice improvements in their business and family relationships. With very busy schedules, most of her clients have come to value that someone else is thinking about and organizing the health-related aspects of their lives, leading to Melissa being known as the “Health E.A”. She is driven by measurable results that last a lifetime and supports her clients to get just that.
Tyson Mark
CISSP
Technology Expert
Associated Expert
C&A Associated Expert
Tyson Mark (CISSP)
Technology Expert
With nearly 30 years of experience with designing, managing and securing technology environments, Tyson advises and helps organizations align their technology strategies and cybersecurity objectives with their business goals.
Throughout his career, Tyson has fulfilled numerous technology roles with a variety of organizations, predominately in the Canadian Financial & Wealth Management sector. Notably, he designed, built, deployed and managed the national networks for both the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada.
He is an active participant with several Cybersecurity groups in the Greater Toronto Area. As a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Tyson lead the Toronto Chapter of (ISC)2, the internationally recognized organization of Cybersecurity professional accreditations, growing its membership from 500 to 1500 and organizing nearly a dozen information and networking events throughout 2019.
Recently in 2022, Tyson participated in the development of a Cybersecurity Self-Assessment tool to assist small-medium sized financial institutions with evaluating and developing their security programs to better protect the Canadian investor.
Tyson considers himself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to create long lasting connections with many of his past colleagues and especially values the ones of his staff who “started out” their careers in Technology with him and who have gone on to be successful in life, family and their own careers.
Tyson is passionate about giving back to others through active participation in Mentor/Mentee relationships and freely volunteers his time to educate the most at-risk groups of technology risks and how they can stay safe online.
Tyson lives in Toronto with his wife, Catherine, and their two daughters. Tyson and Catherine are passionate beekeepers and enjoy their 64 acre property in Prince Edward County, where they are rejuvenating the land and forest.
Anwar Visram
CISSP, MCSE:Security, Security+
Privacy Expert
Associated Expert
C&A Associated Expert
Anwar Visram
CISSP, CISA, MCSE: Security, Security+
Privacy Expert
He brings 30-plus years of insight and expertise to his private client list with personalized privacy strategies to protect families, uphold reputations, safeguard privacy and preserve capital.
Anwar was a Global Chief Security Officer for a multi-billion dollar financial firm and a founding Provincial Security Advisory Council (PSAC) member.
He holds multiple top industry certifications, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer: Security (MCSE: Security), HP-UX System Administrator, and CompTIA Security+.
Monica Clare
MBA, CPA-CMA, CPCC
Management Consultant
Associated Expert
C&A Associated Expert
Monica Clare
MBA, CPA-CMA, CPCC
Management Consultant
Monica is a global consultant specializing in conflict management through strategic leadership.
An expert in psychological safety, she shares her insight and deep wisdom to help individuals and businesses improve their working environments.
Combining a unique background in finance and mediation, Monica facilitates courageous conversations to release uncertainty and inspire creativity.
The mediation and coaching techniques practiced by Monica are influenced by a wide variety of mentors and teachings, including Non-violent Communication with Marshall Rosenberg, as well as Advanced Negotiation and Mediation Skills with Erica Fox and Kenneth Cloke at the Harvard Negotiation Insight Initiative.
For the past 5 years she has been studying with Thomas Hübl, teacher, practitioner and author of ‘Healing Collective Trauma’, who is doing pioneering work notably in the fields of collective and ancestral trauma healing.
Monica is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, a Certified Professional Accountant and a Family Enterprise Advisor. In addition to a Bachelor’s in Economics, and an MBA, Monica holds a diploma in International Studies from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, Austria.
Huijin Kong
MBA, B.Sc Economics
Business Leader & Counselor
Associated Expert
C&A Associated Expert
Huijin Kong
MBA, B.Sc in Economics
Business Leader & Counselor
Huijin, Principal of LinHart Group, works with CEOs, future CEOs, and business owners one-on-one on their most difficult professional and personal issues, often during leadership transitions. She is a driving force behind LinHart Group’s programs for leaders looking to reach the apex of success, satisfaction, and self-actualization, through her unique eye and ability to attract in-service C-executives to serve as faculty, vision for lifelong development and knack for deep learning methodologies. Together with her mentor Tsun-yan Hsieh, she has pioneered making higher order skill and quality development widely teachable, in Singapore and beyond. Her fervent belief that everyone has a leader inside of them motivates her to mentor many people, create learning environments where people discover the leader in themselves, and build communities among people who are on this type of development journeys.
She is an accomplished author with a book in Chinese 挥不去的才是⻘春–三个哈佛⼥⽣的成 长⼿记 sharing her life story along with two HBS classmates to inspire Chinese young leaders. Her Wechat public account Living a Purposeful Life has ~5,000 subscribers.
While at McKinsey, Huijin worked with both MNCs and local companies (some state-owned) in the U.S., China, and India. She also served as a senior executive at an Asian media company. Her clients included financial services and telcos. She has a strong affinity for businesses that require innovation and transformation. She co-founded a youth leadership program operating in Hong Kong.
Huijin earned an MBA from Harvard Business School with distinction of Baker Scholar, and a B. Sc. in Economics, with perfect GPA, from the Wharton School of Business. While there, she served as the CEO of the student bank, the only one of its kind operated with only students with no professional staff and attractor of the best Wharton students.
Disclaimer:
- Cole & Associates is a separate legal entity to our Associated Experts and as such Cole & Associates, nor any of its employees or subcontractors, assume any legal liability for the work completed by or performance of an Associated Expert.
- Should you engage with these independent Associated Experts, you will be responsible for reviewing and understanding the terms and conditions of their services.
Disclosures & Differentiators
Cole & Associates does not provide investment advice and does not sell investment or insurance products.
Cole & Associates does not pay for, nor receive payment of any kind for making referrals or recommendations to other service providers.