Charlene Morris, CFP®, CIM®

Investment Advisor and Financial Planner

Charlene Morris has fostered strong client relationships and helped people to achieve their financial goals since 2007. Charlene joined BMO Private Wealth in Ottawa in 2021, where she offers her clients accessible advice through a goals-based planning model and access to products to meet their evolving needs. A scholar at heart who loves to learn, Charlene holds a Bachelor of Arts in Financial Mathematics from Wilfrid Laurier University, the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation from FP Canada and the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) designation as well as certificates in Retirement Strategy, Estate Planning and Trusts and Advanced Investment Advice from the Canadian Securities Institute.

Rather than focusing on numbers and fees, Charlene specializes in helping people to envision and achieve their life goals. Busy professionals and executives who are raising kids are less concerned about market complexities – they simply want the financial freedom to take that dream vacation or the confidence of knowing they will achieve their ideal retirement. Many of Charlene’s clients have complex emotions when it comes to their investments and seek a different approach to managing it.

Charlene will help you achieve your goals through optimal investment strategies structured to your appetite for risk, comprehensive retirement planning, tax efficiency planning, insurance solutions, trust and estate strategies and services, and philanthropic guidance. She will provide support, review your progress regularly, and proactively adjust your portfolio and plans as needed.

Prior to joining BMO Private Wealth, Charlene was a Senior Financial Planner with TD Wealth Financial Planning. Outside of the workspace, she is driven to give back. Charlene serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors of Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue, which heals, and re-homes stray cats, and supports many other local animal-centred charities.

Headshot of Brandi Young

Brandi Young

Senior Client Service Associate

With 20 years of industry experience in providing administrative support Brandi strives to provide our clients with excellent and efficient service every day. She loves being part of helping families reach their financial goals through our comprehensive approach to financial planning.

Prior to joining BMO Private Wealth, she worked at Assante Wealth Management in a variety of roles including reception, branch management and administrative support. Outside of work Brandi spends her time coaching figure skating, exercising and enjoying the outdoors with her husband Rob and her dog Lexie.

Our Partners

headshot

Karen Gowdy

Senior Estate and Insurance Advisor

Karen has more than 35 years of experience in the Financial Services & Insurance Industry. Karen provides comprehensive advice for personal and corporate estate and insurance. Areas of expertise include estate creation and preservation techniques and corporate financial security planning, all with an emphasis on taxes and liquidity.

Her work is especially key toward delivering exceptional client experiences to all advisors and clients across Eastern Ontario.

headshot

Carol Willes

Director, Estate Planning

Carol brings over 30 years of legal experience with 17 years of dedicated wealth and estate planning expertise to her role. Carol came from a combination of private practice in law and consulting for clients from Asia to Europe in the areas of business structuring, succession planning and financing. She has taught both undergraduates and executives at the Queen’s University School of Business and Faculty of Law, in the fields of international business, law and ethics and most recently taught Wills and the Law of Succession to upper year law students at the University of Ottawa.

Now as Director, Estate Planning at BMO Private Wealth, Carol strives to provide meaningful, client-centered advice and solutions. She helps individuals and their families build a secure and purposeful legacy and find peace of mind in the context of their entire wealth story.

Carol assists clients from many backgrounds to comprehend their present circumstances and to develop that future legacy. By helping people focus on what is most important to them – their family, their community, financial security and more – she develops distinctive estate planning options for clients as part of an integrated team of wealth planning specialists that supports those clients through their entire life journey.

headshot

Louis-Philippe de Sève-Bergeron, LL.B, TEP

Director, Tax Planning

As a tax specialist, Louis-Philippe provides information and guidance to individuals and businesses relevant to today’s complex tax environment. In order to coordinate the best client solutions, Louis-Philippe often works directly with our clients’ lawyers and accountants. The goal is to always ensure that a well-rounded team of professionals is working to improve our clients’ situation.

Louis-Philippe is also fluent in both English and French. Louis-Philippe, holds both a Master of Taxation and the Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation, has worked extensively on corporate reorganizations and restructuring, estate planning, and establishment of trusts. He has consulted on intergenerational transfers, estate planning and transfers to key employees. With over 12 years of experience in an accounting environment, 6 being at BMO, he has developed the ability to provide clear and concise advice to a variety of clients during their most stressful life events.

headshot

Lydia Potocnik, LL.B, TEP

Vice President, Philanthropic Advisory Services

Lydia assists affluent clients in building a philanthropic legacy by taking a strategic approach. She guides families through the unique opportunities and strategies that exist to create a legacy that is meaningful and lasting. Her estate planning and trust administration background allow her to also ensure that clients’ philanthropic goals are part of their larger wealth and estate plan. Having worked with both clients and beneficiaries of estates, Lydia’s approach to planning takes into consideration unique family dynamics and conflict resolution.

Lydia joined BMO Wealth Planning in 2011 as a Will & Estate Planning Consultant working with clients on all aspects of their estate and trust planning. She then assumed a leadership role with BMO Trust Company where she was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the estate and trust administration business in Ontario. Prior to joining BMO, Lydia led a very successful philanthropy program at a major hospital foundation where she advised donors on how to build a lasting philanthropic legacy. She has contributed to numerous publications and media appearances related to her work.

headshot

Korin Flindall, MTI, TEP, PFP

Director, Wealth Services - Trust at BMO Trust Company

Korin is the Director of Wealth Services with BMO Trust Company and has 25 years of experience in the trust industry. She oversees the full estate and trust administration process and is responsible for servicing our clients and their beneficiaries.

Her extensive experience has allowed her to build strong relationships with strategic partners (i.e. real estate agents, art collectors, auctioneers, etc.) which is imperative to ensure superior client service and to properly administer estates. She holds the TEP designation (STEP Canada), M.T.I. designation (Member of Trust Institute) and PFP designation (Professional Financial Planner).

Headshot of Adam E. Carter

Adam E. Carter, CPA, CA, CBV, FEA

Vice President, Business Advisory & Transition Planning

Prior to joining BMO Private Wealth in 2018, Adam worked for KPMG Corporate Finance Group, advising private company owners across multiple industries, with business enterprise values ranging from $3 million to +$100 million, on divestitures, acquisitions, due diligence, projections/financial modeling, and business valuations for multiple purposes. Other areas of experience include corporate restructuring and insolvency, financing, financial modeling & projections and corporate audits. Adam’s goal is to develop rapport with clients through open communication, trust and exceptional service. Leaning on his diverse background and experience, Adam provides guidance to private business owners and families throughout Ontario in the areas of business succession, transition, growth through acquisitions, sell-side M&A, and valuations for the purposes of wealth planning and exit planning.