Dante Rossi, CPA, CA, CFP®
Director, Tax Planning
Dante advises high net worth business owners and families on specialized Tax & Estate solutions aimed at maximizing their wealth, as part of an integrated wealth planning team. Drawing on a decade of tax accounting experience, his clients benefit from a depth of informed insight and the ability to distill complex concepts into actionable strategies. Specializing in Canadian corporations and entrepreneurs, Dante offers guidance on tax structuring, estate planning, exit strategies and tax-efficient wealth transfer, creating tailored solutions for a diverse group of clients.
Dante joined BMO Wealth Management in 2015 from global professional services firm Deloitte LLP, where he worked for 10 years in progressively senior roles, managing and executing detailed reviews of complex corporate, personal, partnership and trust tax compliance and planning engagements.
John Michael Durrant
Senior Estate & Insurance Advisor
John Michael is an expert in his field and a valuable member of the team. He has been working with high net worth clients with a targeted insurance focus for over 20 years. He specializes in structuring insurance as a risk management tool and as a unique asset class for our clients. He helps our clients by maximizing their wealth, minimizing tax, enhancing philanthropic goals, and providing peace of mind. Collaborating with our team, other specialists within the BMO wealth group, and our clients own trusted tax and legal advisors, John Michael structures tax intelligent insurance strategies for our clients using personal or corporate investment dollars. John Michael ensures our clients clearly understand the uniqueness of insurance as an asset class and how insurance planning complements and enhances their wealth management plans. Outside of the office he enjoys time with his family at the cottage, on the slopes and at countless hockey rinks.
Rhonda Blanch
Estate and Insurance Advisor, BMO Nesbitt Burns Financial Services Inc.
Rhonda began her career in the financial services industry in 2001 and joined BMO Estate Insurance Advisory Services in 2013. A CFP® professional, Rhonda employs a comprehensive process to understand and assess your wealth management needs. Her objective is to ensure you meet your specific goals for building, preserving and passing on your wealth.
Where appropriate, insurance-based strategies are implemented to provide tax sheltered investment accumulation, mitigate financial risk, create tax-efficient income, and reduce investment and estate taxes.
Rebecca Clark, CPA, CA, CFP
Director, Wealth Planning
Rebecca is passionate about helping people become more knowledgeable and confident about their finances. She enjoys providing clients with clarity and direction on their financial road forward, by integrating the knowledge of our in-house technical specialists into a simple and straightforward plan. Clients benefit from a tailored wealth plan, often resulting in reduced stress and anxiety knowing that a team of professionals is helping them meet their financial goals.
Rebecca joined BMO Wealth Management in November 2017. Prior to that she spent 7 years working in public accounting, encompassing the areas of personal and corporate taxation, corporate restructuring, financial mediation and divorce finances, tax and wealth planning. Additionally she has spent time in the manufacturing and service sectors in finance roles, and started her career with a ‘big 4’ accounting firm.
David Tremblett, CFP®, TEP
BMO Trust Company, Vice President, Personal Trust
David brings over 20 years of experience as a Trust and Estate Planner. He is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
David has worked extensively with our clients in the area of Estate, Will and Trust Planning, and is committed to providing his expertise by ensuring our clients have a capable executor that can fulfill their duties. When considering who to appoint as executor, he suggests looking for the following qualities: Knowledge, Accessibility, Fairness, Integrity, and Emotional stability.
If you have been appointed as executor or trustee and find the responsibility too onerous or time consuming, we can simplify your life by helping you fulfill your duties, and act as your Agent.
If you are considering a corporate executor, you can choose to appoint BMO Trust Company to help you with estate planning and administration.
Karen Sparks, MBA, CFP®, TEP
Director, Philanthropic Advisory Services
Karen advises high net worth families and business owners on comprehensive wealth planning solutions, as part of an integrated team of Wealth Consultants and in-house technical specialists. Drawing on extensive financial product expertise and planning acumen, Karen helps clients articulate and understand their unique objectives for accumulated wealth. A skilled listener, she acts as a value-add resource for Investment Advisors and their clients, ultimately providing a blueprint from which to execute a customized – and optimized – wealth plan.
Karen joined BMO Wealth Management in 2011, following progressively senior roles in the financial services industry, specializing in wealth planning, marketing and communications, and business development. In her previous role, she worked as a Vice President for a private investment counsel firm where she provided high net worth clients with comprehensive wealth planning and investment counselling services.
Elizabeth Creates, LL.B
Director, Estate Planning
Elizabeth provides estate planning guidance to high and ultra high net worth individuals, families and business owners in the context of their personal wealth and business succession planning. Her background as an estates lawyer and over 20 years of experience in the wealth management industry allow Elizabeth to facilitate wealth transfer decision-making for clients and assist them with action planning regarding their legacy goals (financial and non-financial). Her modern approach focuses on the well-being and personal empowerment of clients by bringing them peace of mind and encouraging the pursuit of personal fulfillment.
She works collaboratively with internal and external advisors in order to ensure that all aspects of a client’s wealth plan support their estate planning, succession and legacy goals. She has LL.B. and B.Comm. degrees from McGill University and is a member of both the Law Society of Ontario and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).