Our Team

Rick J. V. Brenneman, QAFP®

Investment Advisor

Rick Brenneman started his career in financial services in 1999 with Manulife Financial working with Manulife Securities International. In 2003, Rick joined CIBC Wood Gundy as a Financial Associate and then as an Associate Investment Advisor. After 15 years with CIBC Wood Gundy, Rick has joined BMO Nesbit Burns as an Investment Advisor.  Rick takes pride in working with clients and assisting them in achieving  their financial goals and dreams. He enjoys working closely with clients and getting to know them. He takes pride in doing what is right for his clients, with the utmost honesty and integrity. Rick is fully Life Insurance & Securities Licensed, and holds a Professional Financial Planner designation.

Rick is married and lives in Waterloo with his wife Kelly and their two children, Jake & Ally.  He enjoys playing hockey, golf & slo-pitch. Rick also loves to travel and is a dedicated father watching his daughter’s dance company at their many competitions.

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Bruce Farnell, BA, LL.B

Trust & Estate Consultant

Bruce is a member of the High-Net-Worth Specialized Planning Team who supports BMO Nesbitt Burns by providing comprehensive wealth and estate planning to successful Canadian families. Bruce is a lawyer who developed his expertise in estate planning over 30 years in private practice and with BMO.

Bruce earned an undergraduate degree from Western University and a law degree from University of Ottawa. He is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, several local County Law Associations and the Estate Planner’s Council of London.

Bruce and his wife Sharon live in Aylmer and have two adult children. When not at work Bruce enjoys outdoor activities with his family.Bruce is a Past President of the Kinsmen Club of Aylmer and the East Elgin Branch of the Canadian Cancer Society.

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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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Jean Richard, LL.B, LL.M, TEP

Sr Manager Cross Border & International Tax Consultant

Jean advises high and ultra high net worth individuals, business owners and professionals on how to efficiently structure their worldwide, U.S. and Canadian assets, providing specialized insight on tax solutions as part of an integrated wealth planning team.

Relying on over 35 years of professional practice Jean’s clients can rely on his in-depth technical expertise to facilitate discussions on high-level planning while addressing a wide range of situations across international,  U.S. income and estate tax, and Canadian income tax considerations.

Jean joined BMO Wealth Management in 2001 with a solid expertise acquired advising individual clients and business owners with a leading Canadian insurance carrier, a leading accounting firm and a law firm.          

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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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Tea Pupica

Senior Wealth Planning Consultant, BMO Private Wealth

Tea is a member of BMO high wealth planning team and works with our in-house Tax and Estate professionals to develop effective wealth management plans.

Prior to joining BMO Private Wealth in 2022, Tea spent close to 15 years in public practice, many of which were in senior tax roles in national accounting firms. As a result of this experience, Tea brings extensive knowledge in personal, corporate and trust areas of taxation. She has also executed innumerable corporate reorganizations, purchase and sale transactions, business exit strategies and compliance filings. Tea’s other experience also includes lecturing undergraduate courses at Wilfrid Laurier University and donating her time to various organizations and Boards of Directors, including Lisaard and Innisfree House and Waterloo United Soccer Club.