George J. Rogers, MBA, CIM
Senior Investment Advisor
Senior Portfolio Manager

George Rogers is a trusted Senior Investment Advisor with over 32 years of experience in the Investment Industry. With his expertise, he is committed to providing excellent customer service and impactful financial advice for high-net-worth individuals. George focuses on wealth management, asset management, portfolio design, and retirement planning to ensure his clients can maintain financial independence.

As a leading Investment Professional at BMO Nesbitt Burns, George has left an impressive legacy with his accomplishments and milestones. George received his MBA from Dalhousie University in 1977. He joined BMO Nesbitt Burns' predecessor firm, Nesbitt Thomson as an Investment Advisor in 1990. He then earned his role as a Portfolio Manager designation in 2013.

George is also an active volunteer, regularly giving back to communities across Canada. He is currently a member of the Board of Governors of Kings-Edgehill School, a boarding and day school in Windsor, Nova Scotia, where he is responsible for helping to set the strategic direction for the school. He is also passionate about charity work, having raised and donated several million dollars to numerous children's charities and "The Friends of UPEI".

Outside of his professional life, George is passionate about sport. While attending Dalhousie University, George was a member of the Dalhousie Tigers men's hockey and golf tears. He also had the opportunity to play hockey in Europe from 1974-1975 and in Calgary with Oldtimers Hockey for the PEl Rumrunners for over 30 years! In 2002, he was honoured with an invitation to join The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (Scotland). George has played in six Canadian championships and one British championship. Today he continues his passion for golf, as he is an active member of several golf clubs.

 

Shannan Daley, B.Mgt.
Associate Investment Advisor

As an Associate Investment Advisor, Shannan is passionate about
empowering women in finance and educating the next generation in wealth management. Her passion allows her to help clients navigate their unique financial situations and help them make informed decisions about building wealth. Shannan is actively involved in wealth management, asset management, portfolio design and life transition planning.

Shannan graduated from the University of Lethbridge in 2008 with a Bachelor of Management in Finance. She has been a member of the Investment Industry since completing her degree, working with various firms in the Calgary area while pursuing additional education through the Canadian Securities Institute, becoming licensed 2010. Shannan joined BMO Nesbitt Burns in 2016, where she is now a leading Associate Investment Advisor and is known for being well-versed with current market trends.

A passionate traveler, Shannan took a two-year sabbatical to live and work in the United Kingdom in 2013 and has visited over 15 countries (with more to come!). Her other hobbies including hosting dinner parties for her friends and family, and hiking in the mountains and foothills near Calgary.

Wendy Bessemer, B.Sc.
Sr. Associate

Wendy is a fully licensed Senior Sales Assistant who is responsible for building and holding long-term relationships with clients. Her excellent
communication skills and profound knowledge of the industry is an asset to the team.

Wendy has been involved with the investment industry for over 30 years. Wendy graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. While her original plan was to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, she discovered her passion for the investment industry after several years working with boutique investment firms. After 10 years of working in operations/compliance positions, she identified her passion to work directly with clients and transitioned to become a licensed sales assistant and has been working in that role since.

Outside of her professional life, Wendy is passionate about her hobby of breeding and exhibiting English Springer Spaniels. When not busy with her dogs, Wendy can be found gardening, reading or out and about with family and friends.

Jiani (Jenny) Zhang, B.Mgt., B.A.
Client Service Associate

Jenny is a talented Sales Assistant who supports team sales and service objectives by providing administrative assistance to deliver exceptional customer service. Jenny has a wonderful attribute helping clients navigate computer "situations", like our gateway platform.

Originally from Inner Mongolia (China), Jenny moved to Canada and graduated from the University of Lethbridge in 2019. Majoring in International Management and French Studies, she had the opportunity to intern in Budapest and participate in a student exchange to France. Prior to joining BMO Nesbitt Burns, Jenny gained experience in human resources, marketing and customer service through her work in the food and beverage and health industries, and brings this breadth of experience to the team. Jenny is trilingual and is available to serve clients in English, Mandarin Chinese and French.

When she is not supporting clients with their investment needs, Jenny is an animal lover and dog foster parent. 

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Carla Stochmanski

Private Banker, BMO Private Banking

Carla began her career in the banking industry in 2007 and has experience in retail, small business, and wealth management. She joined BMO in 2017, working primarily with high net worth individuals and families, managing their day-to-day banking, and providing tailored solutions to increase their overall wealth.
 
Previously, she held progressively senior positions in the Financial Services industry, including Senior Personal Banker and Financial Solutions Specialist, before transitioning into Wealth Management. Carla is well-regarded in the industry for her professionalism, work ethic, and client-centric approach, as well as her community involvement.

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Sarah King, B.Comm. (Fin), PFP

Senior Estate & Insurance Advisor, BMO Estate Insurance Advisory Services

Sarah graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce, with a focus on Finance and Risk Management. She joined the financial industry in 2006 and been helping with high net worth families achieve their goals ever since. She assists high net worth families with complex affairs, to preserve, grow and transition their wealth to future generations. 

Sarah has enjoyed a very successful and impressive career to date, being a leading professional consultant in the insurance industry for major financial services firms. With over 12 years of experience in the Wealth Management industry, Sarah believe in long term, trusting relationships and works closely with advisors and their clients to provide customized solutions and strategies to meet their assets, and growing their estate. She provides each advisor, and their clients, with professional customer service and efficient timelines. Sarah is able to provide advice on Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Disability and Long Term Care.

An avid cyclist and skier, Sarah brings that same discipline and commitment to a variety of community and personal causes. Having biked across Canada twice for Kids Cancer, it is evident she is dedicated and determined at whatever she puts her mind to.

 

 

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Lisa Kayaga, LL.B, LL.M, TEP

Director, Will & Estate Planning

Lisa is part of the High Net Worth specialists team and she advises high net worth clients on their complex estate planning to help them understand the different strategies that they can use to preserve family relations and maximize their wealth. Having practiced law in Ontario and Alberta, clients benefit from her extensive experience with will, estates, trust and incapacity issues. Using her strong interpersonal skills, she is able to simplify complex estate matters for clients so that they have the confidence to instruct their trusted professionals to set up their estate plans.

Prior to joining BMO Wealth Management, Lisa was with a national trust company where she dealt with High Net Worth clients and advised them on their complex estate planning. Earlier in her career she practiced law in Ottawa, Ontario. Her practice was focused on private client services including estate planning, wills, trusts and estate administration ranging from routine matters to complex multi-jurisdictional estates.

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Anadi Mehta , CPA, CA, TEP

Director, Tax Planning

Anadi provides tax and estate planning expertise to high net worth families and business owners. Leveraging his extensive knowledge and experience on Business Succession and Transition Planning, Tax and Estate Planning and Wealth Preservation, his clients benefit from his "hands-on"approach to client service and effective tailor-made wealth and tax planning solutions that are comprehensive, practical and integrated.

Anadi is an experienced Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA) and member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (TEP). He brings an extensive experience of working with collaborative teams of experienced professionals, providing advice to high net worth families, private companies and their owners. Prior to joining BMO, Anadi was employed in a similiar role at another financial institution, where he partnered with a multi-disciplinary team to develop holisitc and integrated wealth management strategies incorporating the unique and complex needs of high net worth clients, and offered recommendations to optimize and grow clients' wealth. His previous work experience includes several years at Deloitte LLP, where he focused on private companies, sole proprieters, and high net worth individuals with complex tax situations including international and cross-border taxation; and a boutique Calgary CA firm of financial professionals, providing business and financial advice to small and medium-sized private companies.

Anadi's goal, as part of the BMO Wealth Planning team, is to empower clients with comprehensive and customized solutions, resolving complex situations through coordinated and proactive wealth plans.

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Harj Takhar, CPA, CFP, TEP

Director, HNW Wealth Planning

As a wealth planning specialist, Harj strives for excellene in the work that he does. He coordinates with relationship managers, investment counsellors, bankers, and planners to develop a clearly defined comprehensive wealth plan and strategies that serve his high net worth clients' retirement needs. Using a comprehensive approach, Harj is able to minimize tax through optimizing cash flows, integrate business planning, and implement appropriate trust and estate planning to fulfill family legacy and philanthropic goals in tax efficient manners. He addresses client planning issues, goals, and concerns, to provide them with a sense of financial well-being and an affirmation of their family’s wealth stewardship.