The Right Team to Help Empower Prosperity
The Team at First Affiliated is a dedicated, caring, respectful and enthusiastic group with professional designations including CA, CFP, R.F.P., CFA and TEP. Some of us are family members and most have been with First Affiliated over 15 years. We foster a sense of teamwork inside our organization and with our clients and their advisors, in order to create a dependable, accessible, accountable and nurturing environment.
Please click on a portrait to the left to read more about that team member.
Chris Clarke, C.A., RFP, TEP, CFP
Family Office Director, President and Owner
CHRIS CLARKE is the CEO, co-owner and founder of First Affiliated Holdings Inc. and First Affiliated Securities Inc. Chris is also the founding Family Office Director. Holding her CA designation since 1987, Chris also obtained her CFP and later R.F.P. (Registered Financial Planner) designation, meeting the highest accreditation offered by the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners. She achieved the TEP (Trust and Estate Practitioner) with the worldwide Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). She is certified with the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFÉ) as a Family Meeting Facilitator and is an active member of CAFÉ, STEP and the Family Firm Institute (FFI).
Chris oversees the business operations including the provision of comprehensive and integrated wealth, lifestyle and legacy management services to our client families. She is also the driving force behind the expression and preservation of the company mission including the evolution of the FA Academy for education, and the FA Foundation for philanthropic initiatives.
Chris is a sought after speaker focusing on family prosperity and the role of the Multi-Family Office. Happily married for over 23 years, she is the mother of three teenage children and resides in a log home built by her and her husband overlooking the beautiful Beaver Valley near Thornbury, Ontario.
Karl Mortveit
Managing Director, Operations
KARL MORTVEIT is the Managing Director, Operations at First Affiliated Holdings Inc., as well as the co-owner. Karl is responsible for the management of First Affiliated’s business and financial operations. He ensures our information systems are state of the art, and our information security is at the highest level. He works alongside our CEO overseeing corporate strategic initiatives.
Karl also oversees the back office investment and reporting systems, ensuring our clients’ consolidated performance reports are accurate and timely.
Karl’s strong analytical and leadership skills are supported by his background in civil engineering and aviation, as well as his long-term experience and commitment over the past 23 years to First Affiliated.
W. Barton Rowe, C.F.A.
Managing Director, Investment Strategy
BARTON ROWE is the Managing Director, Investment Strategy at First Affiliated Holdings Inc. and First Affiliated Securities Inc. Barton graduated with an Honours Business degree from the University of Western Ontario’s Ivey School of Business. Upon graduating Barton earned the F.W.P. Jones Award in Finance recognizing his achievements as the top finance student. He started his investment career with the Research group of Nesbitt Thomson, the leading investment research firm at that time. There, he worked as a research analyst and earned his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. He also completed the Canadian Securities Course and received the award of excellence from the Canadian Securities Institute. He then moved to Scott Capital Group (run by a private family) where he was Director of Capital Management. Barton was in charge of researching companies for private equity and debt financing, and managing the portfolio of private and public investments.
In 1995 Barton joined forces with First Affiliated in providing wealth management services under First Affiliated’s Multi-Family Office concept, which served to expand his client base to affluent families both in Canada and offshore. Bart is currently a partner with First Affiliated, a practicing CFA, and a member of the Toronto Society of Financial Analysts, the Association for Investment Management & Research as well as the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFÉ). Bart volunteers on the board of the Suzuki Strings School of Guelph, coaches minor sports and enjoys maintaining an active lifestyle associated with raising a busy family.
Karen L. Clarke, CFP
Client Service Manager
Karen L. Clarke is our Client Service Manager at First Affiliated Holdings Inc. She has been with the company for over 12 years and has “worn many hats” during her time with us. Karen currently holds her Certified Financial Planning (CFP) designation and is working towards her Registered Financial Planning (R.F.P.) designation, the highest accreditation offered in the financial planning industry. Karen is an active member of the Financial Planners Standards Council as well as the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners.
As Client Service Manager, Karen is the first point of contact for our client families. Her responsibilities include keeping abreast of all client issues as well as ensuring all tasks are managed in a proactive, efficient, and timely manner. Karen has achieved a thorough working knowledge in a variety of financial planning software packages and puts that expertise to good use in preparing our client’s financial plans and updates. She has over 25 years of experience in delivering exceptional client service.
Karen is the mother of two teenage children and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities. She currently lives with her family near the base of Blue Mountain in Collingwood, Ontario.
Stephanie Rowe
Administration, Database Management
Stephanie has worked with First Affiliated Holdings Inc. since 1995. Stephanie offers Administrative support including data management and processing as well as book keeping services.
Sabine Abt
Corporate Relations Manager, Client & Office Administration
Prior to joining First Affiliated Holdings Inc. in 2005, Sabine worked in Public and Corporate Affairs for over ten years at a major aerospace firm. Her current role encompasses Office Administration, general Client Services and Investment Implementation. In addition, as Corporate Relations Manager, Sabine is involved in Special Events, Social Media and Corporate Messaging programs. Sabine was born in Switzerland and is trilingual in English, French and German.
Andrea Baker-Nash
Corporate Project Manager
Andrea Baker-Nash joined First Affiliated Holdings Inc. in 2006, after a progressive career for over 15 years in Sales, Corporate Training, Communications and Human Resources in the pharmaceutical industry. Her current role as Corporate Project Manager encompasses a wide range of responsibilities including Business Development, Corporate Administration and Human Resources.
Jennifer Dewling
Managing Director, Business Development
Jennifer Dewling is the Managing Director, Business Development at First Affiliated Holdings Inc. (FAH). She is responsible for growing the business and expanding our Multi-Family Office services across Canada. Jennifer is a seasoned corporate leader, business advisor and leadership coach with over 30 years of experience and success helping small, medium and large enterprises achieve their growth and value creation objectives.
Prior to joining First Affiliated, Jennifer was an independent consultant for 10 years with her own company Genovation Capital Inc. where she provided leadership, strategic growth and financing solutions to high growth companies including two companies she co-founded, Genova Private Management Inc. and Myrex Pharmaceuticals Inc. Prior to that, Jennifer enjoyed her career as a leader and innovator in the financial services industry for over 20 years. She was formerly the Executive Vice President of AEGON Canada/Transamerica Life Canada, President & C.E.O. of AEGON Fund Management Inc. and President & C.E.O. of Money Concepts Canada Limited. During her career, she honed her leadership and business development capabilities with companies including AIM Trimark Investment Management Inc, Sun Life Trust, Jones Heward Investment Counsel and the Royal Bank of Canada.
Jennifer has completed the Chartered Financial Planning (CFP) designation (Honours), and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level I. She is active in industry associations including the Canadian Association for Family Enterprise (CAFE) and the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG). Jennifer is an avid golfer, hiker and fitness buff and lives with her husband in Toronto.
Dale Berne
Back Office
Dale Berne has worked with First Affiliated Holdings Inc. since 1997. Over the years Dale has been very dedicated in providing back office systems support and assistance with preparation of quarterly reports. Dale is also a wonderful resource to the team as she provides assistance in general office and client administration.