Debra Wooding, FCSI, CIM, CIWM, PFP, TEP
Debra Wooding is a Senior Wealth Advisor, Portfolio Manager, and co-founder of The Wooding Group.
Her accomplished career dates back to 1986, and in 1993 she became one of Canada’s few women investment advisors. Her overarching focus is on building and maintaining enduring relationships with multiple generations of high-net-worth families navigating their unique priorities.
Thanks to years of experience in structuring strong foundations for successful financial outcomes, she provides clients with prudent guidance while simplifying complex circumstances along the way. Debra and her team are focused on a committed approach that offers fully integrated financial services bringing together diverse facets of each client’s financial picture with a variety of perspectives to preserve prosperity through the generations.
She has a lifelong interest in giving back to her community through various non-profit and charitable organizations, including Camp Health Hope and Happiness, iHuman Youth Society, Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners, and Compassion House Foundation, among others. Over the years Debra has developed expertise in philanthropy, endowments and foundations, allowing her to facilitate client engagement in these endeavours should they be interested. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, along with hiking, cooking, and painting portraits.
Professional designations:
- Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®)
- Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP)
- Certified International Wealth Manager (CIWM)
- Professional Financial Planner (PFP)
- Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI)
- Member of the Alberta Insurance council (AIC)
- Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
Debra Wooding
Debra Wooding: I love getting to know people and really actually getting them right. Really, really understanding what matters to them and for us as Investment Advisers and Portfolio Managers, we need to understand our clients in order to build the proper solution for them. What it really entails is what makes them happy, what keeps them up at night, what they're worried about, right. And then putting those pieces together to build a great portfolio. Solve their problems for the future.
They all want something and that's either income in retirement. It could be to fund their children's education. It could be to take their hard earned money from selling a business and investing that to create future income. Could be building a legacy. Many different things.
Our boardroom table is a kitchen table and it's a kitchen table because most of the big decisions, and I could probably say all of the big decisions in our family are made at the kitchen table. And we didn't want our boardroom, our client meeting room to feel stuffy or, you know, corporate, so to speak. We wanted it to be a place where people were comfortable to sit down and have a conversation about what matters and make good decisions. So that's probably one way that we bring those family values to our clients.
Community is really important to me. I'm currently a Vice President of the Compassion House Foundation, which is a wonderful sanctuary for women with breast cancer.
I feel it's my responsibility to give back.
I'm Debra Wooding. I'm an Investment Advisor, Vice President of CIBC Wood Gundy.
[Debra Wooding
Portfolio Manager, Investment Advisor, First Vice President
The Wooding Group, CIBC Wood Gundy]
[The Wooding Group logo]
Thomas Wooding, P.Eng, FCSI, CIM, TEP, CIMA
Tom Wooding is a Senior Wealth Advisor, Portfolio Manager, and co-founder of The Wooding Group. Before entering the financial services industry, he graduated from the University of Alberta in 1982 as a mechanical engineer and achieved his P.Eng status at Schlumberger. Since 1985, Tom has been keenly focused on growing and preserving his clients’ wealth, with expertise in constructing and managing globally diversified portfolios. Pursuing growth of capital, tax-efficient sustainable income, and estate planning strategies are foundational in his work on behalf of entrepreneurs and business families. Tom’s focus is not just on client’s financial objectives, but rather on ensuring they meet their life objectives through a disciplined and successful financial strategy.
Tom takes great pride in having developed Trust and Wealth solutions for many Canadian Indigenous Communities; doing so for more than 20 years. Tom has been recognized as a thought leader, and is sought out for his expertise by other professionals working with Indigenous clients. Tom is honored to have helped develop meaningful, long-lasting relationships with our Indigenous clients.
Tom believes in the pursuit of lifelong learning, having earned numerous specialized accreditations. For leisure, he enjoys skiing, spending time on the lake, and playing the guitar (much to his dog’s chagrin).
Professional designations and memberships:
- Professional Engineer (P.Eng)
- Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®)
- Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP)
- Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA)
- Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI)
- Responsible Investment Advisor (RIAC)
- Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
- Member of the Alberta Insurance Council
Tom Wooding
[Soft music playing in the background]
Tom Wooding: How money works and how it can do things for people, you know, it is something that I'm always curious about.
I come from a family that were successful and are successful and they're very good at making money. They aren't so good at necessarily keeping it. And really in the end, had no idea how to make money work and the craft of having money work for you rather than you working for money. And so that's a big part of the reason I got in this business was to understand that.
I'm always learning in the financial services industry. Always chunking away or, you know, looking at different courses I can take. Everyday Deb has to pull me away from reading financial articles. Let's go home. You know, and I don't want to go. I just love reading and understanding and then being able to translate the things that I'm learning into helping my clients.
You know, I think that the core of it is understanding people and their needs, probably understanding them better than they understand them themselves. And then bringing financial experiences and the nuance and the craft, really, of managing money to bear to solve the concerns that they probably didn't even know they had. And help them meet their long term goals and short term goals. And ultimately help their families meet their goals.
We have all kinds of clients who tell us, you know, so glad we found you. It's made an incredible difference to us. You know, our retirement is better than we ever thought it was going to be is a comment that we hear a lot. So, you know, I think a family environment helping, whether it's families or individuals, is super powerful.
I'm Tom Wooding. I am a First Vice President, Portfolio Manager and Investment Advisor with The Wooding Group at CIBC Wood Gundy.
[Tom Wooding
Portfolio Manager, Investment Advisor, First Vice President
The Wooding Group, CIBC Wood Gundy]
[The Wooding Group logo]
Lindsay MacPhie, CFP®, CIM, RIAC, FEA, TEP
Lindsay is a Partner and Senior Wealth Advisor with The Wooding Group and holds the Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Investment Manager, Trust and Estate Practitioner, Responsible Investment Advisor Canada, and Family Enterprise Advisor Designations.
Since 2001, Lindsay has been keenly focused on providing financial planning, family enterprise guidance and support, and wealth management strategies to clients incorporating their unique estate, tax, and personal circumstances. Her ability to provide integrated services is valuable for clients as they work to meet their objectives. Over the last decade, Lindsay has also been a committed advocate for Indigenous Communities; partnering with them in the transfer of knowledge, trust, and wealth-planning solutions based on the seventh-generation principle. Thanks to her extensive background and experience, she is able to provide compelling expertise to clients interested in investing according to the United Nations ESG principles. Lindsay is particularly motivated by ensuring that each Wooding Group client enjoys an exceptional advisory experience and works diligently to simplify the complexities of wealth for Wooding Group clients.
Lindsay is a wife and proud mother of three (plus her fur baby Bean). She loves a good storm, and her language of love is cooking for her family and friends.
Professional designations and memberships:
- Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
- Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®)
- Responsible Investment Advisor (RIAC)
- Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP)
- Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA)
- Member of the Alberta Insurance Council (AIC)
- Member of the Estate Planning Council (EPC)
- Member of the National Aboriginal Trust Officers Association (NATOA)
- Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
Lindsay MacPhie
Lindsay MacPhie: Family business is super challenging and that I really enjoy. Our industry is always changing. I like change. I thrive in that kind of an environment. But most of all, I get to deal with people everyday that I really enjoy.
When I was eight years old, I used to come downtown with my mom on weekends. And, you know, I would say assist, but I'm not actually sure what I did at that time other than getting in her way. But I was just I was raised in the business, you know, and I saw how hard both of my parents worked.
At that time I didn't realize what an impact that would make on my life in the future, but that's made a huge impact just being raised and around it.
I've actually been every single role in our team. So in that, I think I built really strong foundations and I wouldn't have had that any other way. But I'll tell you, Tom and Deb, wouldn't have had that other way. It wasn't come work for The Wooding Group and here's you know, you're the associate. It was come work for The Wooding Group, start at, you know, the very bottom and let's see what you can do.
We kind of say that Deb and Tom are working on the business, you know with the clients. And that's a part of what I do too. But I also work in the business to make sure that the clients' experience is a repeatable one. I'm also the financial planner for our group, which is a designation that Tom and Deb don't have. So that's kind of a bit more of my expertise.
The question people ask is, am I going to live my money? Right? I mean, that's what a lot of people worry about, most people worry about, and our job is to set them free from that worry. So when we talk about the responsibility of managing someone's wealth, it's a huge responsibility and one that we don't take lightly in our team. But it also has huge rewards when you see them, you know, meet their goals and have peace of mind about the finances.
I am Lindsay MacPhie, Associate Investment Advisor and Business Leader of The Wooding Group at CIBC Wood Gundy.
[Lindsay MacPhie
Associate Investment Advisor, Business Leader
The Wooding Group, CIBC Wood Gundy]
[The Wooding Group logo]
Peter MacPhie, MBA, CIM
Peter MacPhie joined The Wooding Group in 2015 as a Wealth Advisor and Portfolio Manager after 15 years in financial services. His primary focus is on preserving and growing prosperity for high-net-worth families, business owners and U.S. citizens, for whom he has particular expertise in managing dual tax issues and cross-border planning. His years of experience allow him to simplify complex financial concepts, empowering each client to understand their wealth, make informed decisions and stay on track to achieve their life objectives through personalized plans with achievable steps.
Prior to joining The Wooding Group, Pete gained his foundational knowledge as a Regional Director at a globally recognized leader in investment consulting and manager research. During this time, he contributed to consultations for some of the largest pensions and institutions in the world. In his free time, he enjoys pursuing other passions, such as mountain biking and golfing, occasionally spending weekends biking in Canmore.
Pete has participated in endurance bike races in both Canada and Europe, and bikes to work in Edmonton, even during the winter months! He is a dedicated husband to his wife and business partner Lindsay and a loving father to their children Jack, Heath and Harlow.
Professional designations:
- Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Peter MacPhie
[Soft music playing]
Peter MacPhie: Simplicity is an art form. When I did my masters at the U of A, one the biggest piece of feedback I got at the end of it from my classmates was my ability to take complex matters and distill them down to their simplest elements. I think that's important when dealing with complicated matters like financial affairs. To get it down to its core element and ask yourself the right questions and keep the answers to them as simple as possible.
I come from Montreal. We lived in a two story, four bedroom house, three kids, very much I live today. Some of the lessons, the financial lessons I learned specifically from my mom was the concept of financial freedom. Effectively the ability to walk away from a situation at any given moment and be comfortable. That has transitioned through my approach to the way I run my finances personally, to my conservative nature and how we approach our investments and our outcome.
My family is everything. It starts and ends with them. And the gifts that I have of my wife and my children are our cherished.
I teach a cycling class. I'm a strong believer in working with coaches. I think coaches give you structure, give you feedback, keep you on course.
Very similar to how we approach finance when we sit down clients, we want to get to know them really, really well. Part of that is getting to know what their personal goals are. When I identify all of those, because everyone has a different target for one, that when they may happen, everyone has a different feeling for what that might look like. And we want to constantly focus in on on making sure that we achieve the goal.
At The Wooding group, we really care and I see it every day. We are driven to do what's right and the best interests of our clients, no matter what it means for us. Everyone has the same persistence of doing what's right for our clients, always.
My name is Pete MacPhie. I'm an Investment Advisor at The Wooding Group, part of CIBC Wood Gundy.
[Pete MacPhie
Investment Advisor)
The Wooding Group, CIBC Wood Gundy]
[The Wooding Group logo]
Peter Wooding, CPA, CFA
Peter Wooding is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Financial Analyst, and Associate Investment Advisor with The Wooding Group. He has a professional background in accounting, assurance, financial analysis, and mergers and acquisitions for middle-market companies throughout the Canadian Prairies and Territories. His considerable experience includes directing business valuations, financial modeling and forecasting.
Peter has significant expertise in conducting due diligence processes and facilitating the divestiture of businesses across various industries, including oilfield services, industrial, technology, and several others during his previous role in M&A. His extensive knowledge provides valuable analytical contour to The Wooding Group’s due diligence activities and most importantly, portfolio management.
Peter conveys a perspective that can assist business owners in navigating the multitude of complex decisions that arise during the years leading up to a succession event. On a personal note, Peter enjoys the science of cooking, playing hockey, and spending time by the lake with his fiancée Melanie and their Bernedoodle, Roo.
Professional designations:
- Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA)
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®)
Daniel Bui, CIM, QAFP
Daniel Bui is an Associate Investment Advisor who has been united with The Wooding Group since 2006. He is dedicated to leading our team’s rapid response commitment for client requests, concerns and issues, both live and online. Prior to joining The Wooding Group, he was a valued Client Service Associate at CIBC’s main branch on Jasper Avenue.
His primary service is meeting with select clients to review their diversified portfolios and planning goals with a focus on the longevity of income sources. He also assists with client portfolio trading and is the dedicated tax leader for our administrative professionals.
Dan serves as a personal liaison to our clients’ CPAs throughout the year. Particularly during tax season, he ensures seamless delivery of documents and exceptional service on behalf of our clients. He is a Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) and has specialized knowledge in tax-efficiency strategies, estate administration, registered plans and banking nuances. He is married to Judy and a loving dad to Finley, and in his personal time he has a passion for fitness, food and travel.
Professional designations:
- Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®)
- Qualified Associate Financial Planner™ (QAFP)