Eric Strassburger, BA (Econ), PFP

Senior Wealth Advisor

For almost 30 years, Eric Strassburger has been assisting families in Southwestern Ontario to invest with confidence, plan proactively to achieve their goals and dreams, make sense of what they have accumulated, and experience life without financial stress. He is known for his investment knowledge, exceptional service touchpoints, integrity, conviction, and compassion.

After graduating from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1996, Eric worked with two leading bank-owned investment firms. He joined BMO Nesbitt Burns in 2013, where he constructs pension-style portfolios, advises on retirement and estate planning, and collaborates with trusted wealth specialists to bring his clients bench strength in multiple disciplines.

A highly community-minded individual, Eric has volunteered his time and expertise extensively with several local charities for many years. He has served as a Board and Finance Committee Member with the House of Friendship since May 2019 and a Board and Investment Committee Member with KidsAbility Foundation since February 2019. Eric was formerly an Investment Committee Chair and Board Member at the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation, a Treasurer and Board Member with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Waterloo Region, an Audit, Risk and Finance Committee Member at Trinity Village in Kitchener, and a Board Member at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Kitchener. His focus has always been on investing and financial governance.

When it’s time to take a break from assisting clients and his community, Eric enjoys relaxing with his wife and two teenage sons. They keep busy with sports such as hockey, golf and football, attend music concerts, and soak up the great outdoors at the family cottage.

Our Partners


 

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Nilab Balooch

Associate Private Banker

Nilab has been in the financial services industry, with BMO for over 10 years. During that period of time, she acquired a wide array of skills and expertise. She began her career with BMO in 2011, at the Customer Contact Center, as an Everyday Banking Agent. Shortly afterward, she transitioned into a lending specialist role. Her primary responsibility was to help Canadian clients with their day to day banking and lending needs over the phone. In 2014, Nilab expanded her skillset by assisting clients face to face in a physical branch, as a Financial Services Manager. After excelling in that role, she was promoted to a Senior Banker, Nesbitt Associate in 2018. Her primary responsibility was to provide clients with exceptional wealth management solutions to meet their financial goals. Again, she was promoted shortly afterwards and is now an Associate Private Banker for BMO Private Banking. She is a well-rounded Associate Private Banker that will be of great value to you.

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Katelyn Culliton, CPA, CA, CFP

Director, Wealth Planning

Katelyn works with high net worth families to deliver proactive, customized wealth planning solutions. She draws on her extensive tax planning experience and analytical skills to help clients define their goals, set priorities and build a roadmap to implement their long-term plans. Katelyn provides ongoing education to clients on tax, retirement and estate planning issues, to help them make informed financial decisions and meet their goals.
 
Katelyn has over 10 years of tax and financial planning experience. Prior to joining BMO in 2017, she was a tax manager at a national accounting firm, where she advised business owners, farmers and other professionals on complex tax, corporate restructuring, succession and estate planning matters. Katelyn is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), a Certified Financial Planner professional and has completed the CPA Canada In-Depth Tax Course. She graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Mathematics (BMath) in chartered accountancy and finance and a Master of Accounting (MAcc).

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Stuart Clark, M.Tax, TEP

Estate & Insurance Advisor

Stuart is a specialist at insurance-based wealth and estate planning strategies with a focus to service the high net worth and ultra-high net worth clientele of BMO Private Banking and BMO Nesbitt Burns. His objective is to help families and businesses transfer wealth in an efficient and tax advantaged manner. As a member of the BMO Wealth Management team, he integrates wealth planning strategies that minimize the impact of taxation to you now and to your estate in the future.

Prior to joining BMO Estate Insurance Advisory Services, Stuart worked with BMO Private Banking as a Specialized Planner – Tax to integrate comprehensive tax and wealth plans to enrich the financial success of BMO Private Banking clientele. He also acted as a consultant and instructor to financial advisors with one of Canada’s largest life insurance companies, and provided specialized taxation service with two of Canada’s large accounting firms and the Canada Revenue Agency.

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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.

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Leigh Vyn, CPA, CA, CFP, FEA

Director, Tax Planning

Leigh is a Director of Tax Planning at BMO Private Wealth. With over twenty years of experience, Leigh understands the broad issues that wealthy families face. By taking the time to understand client’s specific goals and objectives, she brings her extensive subject matter expertise to help guide families through the unique opportunities and challenges that they may be facing in the areas of tax and estate planning, corporate structuring, business succession planning, and family governance.
Leigh can skillfully take complex tax and estate issues, and speak to clients about these in a way that they can easily understand.  In addition to her accounting background, she has extensive experience in the investment industry, including working at a multi-family office where she led a diverse team. For four years, Leigh co-authored the book “Tax Tips for Canadians for Dummies”.
When not at work, Leigh and husband, Dave manage a busy house with two teenagers. She enjoys running and hiking the many trails Ancaster offers.

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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.