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The Executive Management, Investment Management, Sales Team and Client & Dealer Services Team at NCM Asset Management Ltd.
Alex Sasso, CFA
Chief Executive Officer & Portfolio Manager
Tel. 1.416.640.6719
After graduating from the University of Windsor with a B.A. in Economics and Finance, Alex took a job with a leading retail and institutional investment firm in 1991. In 2004, Alex left to join NCM Asset Management Ltd (formerly Hesperian Capital Management) as a senior partner and Portfolio Manager involved with the firm’s small and mid cap mandates. He was appointed the firm’s Chief Executive Officer in 2009.
Specializing in Canadian small and mid cap equities, Alex has a strong track record of success in this less efficient and often ignored segment of the market. He uses his extensive and broad knowledge of the Canadian market to create and manage products that have the opportunity to add significant value to investors.
Alex is the leader of NCM and has been integral in the growth of the company since he joined through his strong work ethic, experience, speaking engagements and interviews in the newspaper and on television.
Alex is currently the Portfolio Manager of NCM Small Companies Fund and NCM Income Growth Class and has been since its inception. He also sits on the asset mix committee of the three NCM pension products and is a CFA charter holder.
Brad Dimitroff
Investment Operations Manager
Tel. 1.416.640.6711
Brad is Investment Operations Manager at NCM Investments. Based in Toronto, he has been with the firm since 2015.
His responsibilities include the management and oversight of NCM’s vendor relationships, as well as providing day-to-day operational support for all areas of the firm.
Brad also supports NCM’s Dealer and Client Services group.
Brad graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Commerce and has completed his Canadian Securities Course.
Chris Brennan, CPA, CA
Head of Operations
Tel. 1.403.537.5712
Chris leads NCM’s Operation’s Division. He has been with NCM since 2010 in several different senior financial management and operational roles.
Prior to joining NCM, Chris has had over 30 years of experience in senior financial and operational roles, most recently as the head of financial operations of the Calgary branch of a leading global IT consulting company.
Chris has held a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) designation since 1986. He also holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in Accounting/Finance, from Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Ellen Barbour
Chief Compliance Officer
Tel. 1.403.705.2436
Based in Calgary, Ellen is the Chief Compliance Officer and manages the Dealer and Client Services Team.
Ellen has accumulated 16 years of experience in the investment industry. Ellen studied at York University and has attained her IFIC Mutual Funds License and Canadian Securities Course through CSI. She has also completed the Partners, Directors and Senior Officers Exam (PDO) and the Chief Compliance Officer Qualifying Examination (CCOQ).
Grahame Roberts
Vice President, Regional Sales
Tel. 1.416.702.4504
Based in Toronto, Grahame is responsible for building advisor relationships in the GTA and Northern Ontario. Grahame has accumulated seven years of experience in the investment industry, and has an additional six years of experience in various sales and marketing roles.
Grahame holds a Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University.
Jason Isaac, CAIA, CFA
Portfolio Manager, Global Equity - Cumberland Investment Counsel Inc. Affiliate of NCM Asset Management
Jason Isaac is a Portfolio Manager with more than 20 years of experience in global equities. Jason is a Portfolio Manager at Cumberland Investment Counsel Inc. (“CIC”) an affiliate of NCM Asset Management Ltd. He is also a director of Cumberland Partners Limited, the firm’s parent company.
Jason is a founding member of the NCM Asset Allocation team for the NCM Pension Portfolios, consisting of NCM Conservative Income Portfolio, NCM Balanced Income Portfolio, NCM Growth & Income Portfolio.
His educational and industry credentials include a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Economics and the Financial Management Advisor (FMA),Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations. Also, Jason spent three years as a Sessional Lecturer at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary, on subjects including security analysis, investments, and portfolio management theory.
John Poulter, CFA
Chief Capital Markets Strategist
John Poulter is a founding member of the NCM Asset Allocation team and is the Chief Capital Markets Strategist for NCM. John joined Cumberland Investment Counsel Inc. (“CIC”) in 2017 an affiliate company of NCM Investments.
John has over three decades of progressively senior experience in securities selection and portfolio design. Previously John provided investment consulting services to select investment management firms and clients. He is skilled in fund design and providing investment management services to broad-market retail investment distributors. In his years of service within the investment industry, John has compiled a successful track record of private and mutual fund design.
He was a senior member of Connor, Clark and Company’s investment management team. John was responsible for the design and implementation of quantitative security selection and portfolio management systems. He also worked at CIBC Wood Gundy’s research department as a quantitative analyst and on its proprietary trading desk, developing risk-based trading systems.
With a B.A. specializing in Financial Econometrics from the University of British Columbia, John received his CFA designation in 1991. His speaking and presentation engagements have included the Richard Ivey School of Business and the Toronto Society of Chartered Financial Analysts.
Joseph Varone
Vice President, Regional Sales
Tel. 1.403.604.1303
Based in Calgary, Joe is responsible for growing investment advisor relationships in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Joseph has accumulated over 19 years of experience in progressive roles in the investment industry in Canada and the United States.
Joseph holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from York University.
Keith Leslie, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Tel. 1.403.531.1402
He has over 20 years of investment management experience. Prior to joining NCM in 2001, Keith worked as a Quantitative Analyst at a western Canadian investment firm.
Keith brings a different perspective to the firm’s investment process, using statistical techniques, valuations tools and modelling. He is the Portfolio Manager of NCM Canadian Enhanced Equity Fund and NCM Core Canadian.
Keith graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Mathematics and is a CFA charterholder.
Mario Rossi
Vice President, Regional Sales, Quebec & Atlantic Canada
Tel. 1.438.923.9854
Based in Montreal, Mario is responsible for growing advisor relationships in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. Prior to joining NCM, Mario was at a large financial institution where he managed the Quebec market, supporting advisors in all channels (IIROC, MFDA, AMF, and MGAs). Mario also previously managed sales in Eastern Canada for one of Canada’s largest mutual fund companies.
Mario brings over 12 years of financial sales experience and has accumulated over 15 years in the financial services industry in Canada.
Michael Simpson, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Michael is an accomplished Portfolio Manager, having worked in the Investment industry for over 25 years. Michael is the lead Portfolio Manager for the All Cap North American Dividend Focused NCM Norrep Fund. Previously Michael was at Sentry Investments for 17 years as a Senior Vice President and Head of the Equity Income Group.
Michael employs an Income Free Cash Flow style that emphasizes the stability of cash flows and a growing dividend stream. As well, Michael checks and scrutinizes company balance sheets to see if there are any stress points.
Michael graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from York University and has completed both the Canadian Options Course and the Canadian Futures Course.
He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute.
Mike Miller
Vice President, Regional Sales
Tel. 1.437.220.4851
Based in Georgetown, Mike is responsible for building advisor relationships in the Golden Horseshoe. Mike graduated from the University of Toronto and has over 35 years in the financial services industry, and over 23 years of experience in the investment industry.
Mike, has been married for over 30 years to his wife Jill, and together they have 3 beautiful daughters (Emma, Hannah and Julianna). In his spare time, Mike can be found at the golf course.
NCM Asset Management Ltd
For over 20 years, NCM has provided Canadians with an independent choice for their investments. That choice is actively managed funds using a highly disciplined approach to investing.
Our Funds feature high active share, the measure of how unique a fund is compared to its underlying index. We strongly believe a fund that is concentrated with our best ideas is a better investment than one that passively follows an index.
At NCM, we actively pursue long-term, sustainable wealth for our clients, whether that’s through actively managing our public mutual funds and alternative investment products or creating new innovative solutions, like our Z Series.
Phil D’Iorio, MBA, CFA
Portfolio Manager, U.S Equity - Cumberland Investment Counsel Inc. Affiliate of NCM Asset Management
Phil D’Iorio is a Portfolio Manager in U.S. equities and is the Lead Manager of the NCM Core Global and NCM Core American.
Phil is a CFA charterholder and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Western University and an MBA from the University of Toronto. Previously he worked as a Portfolio Manager at two large national investment firms managing U.S. and Global Equities. Phil has more than 15 years of research and portfolio management experience.
Ryan Turner, CFA
Investment Analyst
Ryan is an Investment analyst focusing on quantitative research. Ryan has over five years of investment experience.
Ryan is a CFA Charterholder and graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelors of Computing and Financial Management (Honours Co-Operative Program).
Trevor Martin
Inside Sales Associate
Tel. 1.437.925.2134
Based in Toronto, Trevor is the Inside Sales Associate supporting advisors in the GTA, Golden Horseshoe, Northern Ontario, and British Columbia. He joined the NCM team after three years of experience as an inside sales consultant in the insurance industry.
Trevor grew up in North Vancouver and completed his Bachelor of Commerce from Carleton University in Ottawa as well as a post-graduate certificate in Sport and Event Marketing from George Brown College in Toronto. Additionally, he has completed his Canadian Securities Course.
Trudy Smith, CIMĀ®
Regional Sales Manager
Tel. 1.416.640.3240
Based in Toronto, Trudy graduated from University of Toronto (Bachelor, Arts). In her hybrid role, Trudy supports Advisory channels in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces. She is the Regional Sales Manager for MFDA Advisors in Peel Region.
Prior to joining NCM, she worked at SEI Investments as a Business Development Manager, supporting Advisors in the prairie provinces, Ontario and Quebec. She has held various roles at CI Investments, Hartford Funds, and Franklin Templeton Investments; and has amassed over 14 years experience in the financial services industry.
Wan Kim
Senior Vice President, National Sales & Marketing
Wan is Senior Vice President, National Sales & Marketing at NCM Investments. Prior to joining NCM, Wan was at a large financial institution where he managed the external wholesalers supporting over 27,000 active financial advisers in all channels (IIROC, MFDA, AMF, and MGAs). Prior to that, Wan led the sales teams at three other national mutual fund companies where he held the role of Senior Vice President, National Sales.
Wan has been actively involved in the creation and successful launch of various Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Flow-Through Limited Partnerships and other structured products. He has also served as a director on various Flow-Through Limited Partnerships and TSX-listed Closed-End Funds. Wan joins NCM with over 20 years of experience in the investment industry.