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Annual awards presented by the Institute
Institute Fellow
The Institute's Fellow distinction is awarded by the Institute's Board of Directors to honour financial planners who
have made extraordinary contributions to the development and influence of the profession.
Objectives
- To recognize the extraordinary contribution of individuals to the development and growth of the profession;
- Promote the best practice of financial planning to the financial services community;
- Promote the profession and create an interest in financial planning among the next generation of professionals;
- Promote the Institute's programs and graduates to various stakeholders: regulators, large employers, universities, financial partners and others.
Nominations are accepted from February 1 to March 31 each year. Download the Guide pour la mise en candidature - Fellow de l'Institut for more details, including eligibility and evaluation criteria, and complete the Formulaire de présentation d’une candidature - Fellow de l'Institut to submit a nomination.
Awardees
2024
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Natalie Hotte, D. Fisc., F.Pl. |
Natalie Hotte is a tax expert and financial planner with a Master's degree in taxation from the Université de Sherbrooke. She holds the position of Practice Leader, Knowledge and Tax Risk Management at the Centre québécois de formation en fiscalité (CQFF). She served on the Board of Directors of the Association de planification fiscale et financière (APFF) from 2017 to 2022, and on the Board of the Institute from 1999 to 2007. In 2013, the Institute awarded her the honorary title of Honorary Member. She acts as a tax expert for the Institute.
Watch the interview with Natalie Hotte (in French)
2023
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Caroline Marion, LL.M., D.E.S.S. Fisc., F.Pl. |
A graduate in financial planning since 2000, notary and tax specialist Caroline Marion is a senior advisor with Desjardins Wealth Management. She has expertise in estate and trust law and taxation. She regularly gives specialized training courses and has acted as a lecturer for various educational institutions. She has been named Trainer of the Year by the Insitute on several occasions. She attaches the utmost importance to ethics and rigor in everything she does and in all areas of her practice. The author of several articles in specialized journals and co-author of a volume on real estate transfer duties, Ms. Marion wrote the Succession column for La Cible, the Institute's official magazine, from March 2007 to October 2014, and again from 2017 to 2021.
Watch the interview with Caroline Marion (in French)
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Nancy Paquet, F.Pl., MBA |
Nancy Paquet graduated in financial planning in 2006. She holds a law degree from Université Laval and an MBA from HEC Montréal. She also sits on the boards of the Fondation HEC Montréal, ÉducÉpargne and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. Her influence in the field of financial planning has already been recognized many times over. In 2013, she received the Étoile montante award from the ’Association des femmes en finances du Québec, and was also named one of the province's eight leading women in finance by Premières en affaires magazine. She is also an honorary member of the Institute. She is committed to raising the level of consulting in the profession, and as such is a role model for young and experienced talent alike.
Watch the interview with Nancy Paquet (in French)
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Denis Preston, CPA, F.Pl. |
Denis Preston obtained his diploma in financial planning in 1992. He is a member of the Ordre des CPA du Québec, holds a master's degree in applied finance and was also a Canadian Investment Manager (CIM). He has been very involved at various levels with the Institute and has written extensively, notably for La Cible as author of the Insurance and Investments columns. He has also chaired the committee of experts and led continuing education activities. It is his passion for teaching and passing on knowledge that best characterizes him. He has an impressive teaching record at a number of universities, including UQAM and HEC. He has been named Trainer of the Year by the Institute on several occasions. His ability to communicate complex financial concepts in a clear, concise and engaging way is second to none. His unique blend of critical thinking, humor and analytical skills make him an exceptional teacher and leader.
Watch the interview with Denis Preston (in French)
2022
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Lorena Biason, MBA |
Lorena Biason has been with RBC Royal Bank since 1983. A graduate of the Institute, she holds an MBA from the Université du Québec à Montréal. Since 2016, she has held the role of Regional Vice President, Financial Planning for the province of Quebec. She never hesitates to get involved or accept a mandate related to financial planning. Ms. Biason is an outstanding ambassador for the profession.
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Daniel Laverdière, A.S.A., F.Pl. |
A financial planner since 1996, Daniel Laverdière held the position of Senior Manager at National Bank Private Banking 1859's Expertise Centre until 2022. Mr. Laverdière has been involved for many years with the Institute, where he was a member of the Board of Directors and numerous committees, an instructor and editor of the Finance column in La Cible magazine from 2003 to 2022. His expertise has also been in demand in various media.
2021
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Nathalie Bachand, A.S.A., AICA, F.Pl. |
Nathalie Bachand has been running her own financial planning firm since 2002. Throughout her career, she has been involved with the Institute and has participated in the development of the practice, particularly in the area of retirement. She has served on several committees, was a member of the Board of Directors from 2010 to 2018 and Chair of the Board from 2014 to 2016. She has been involved in the creation of high quality tools including the Projection Assumption Guidelines and the calculators in the Institute's app.
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Cary List, CFP®, FP Canada™ Fellow, CPA, FCPA |
As President and CEO of FP Canada from 2002 to 2021, Cary List has completely transformed the organization into a leader in the development of financial planning. As soon as he took over FP Canada, he understood the importance of becoming a partner of the Institute. These many years of collaboration resulted in the publication of Canadian Financial Planning: Definitions, Standards & Competencies, the Financial Planning Week and a great deal of work to standardize training and practice across the country.
2020
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Martin Dupras, A.S.A., F.Pl., M. Fisc., ASC |
Martin Dupras has been a financial planner since 1997. He runs his own training company, ConFor financiers, which provides advice and training in financial planning, both on a group and individual basis. His main expertise is retirement and the elements that surround it. He has been very involved with the Institute as a trainer, member and chair of the Board of Directors, writer and negotiator. He has been involved with the Institute for 20 years.
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Claude Paquin, F.Pl. |
Claude Paquin began his professional career as a science and mathematics teacher, then switched to finance early in his career. He started at IG Wealth Management in 1986 as an advisor in the Winnipeg regional office and became President of the Quebec office in 2011. He is responsible for a network of 850 advisors as well as the operations of the Quebec branch. He is convinced that the quality of financial advice depends on the financial planning profession.
2019
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Jocelyne Houle-LeSarge, FCPA, FP Canada Fellow |
Jocelyne Houle-LeSarge has contributed to the development of the profession for nearly 20 years as President and CEO of the Institute. Recognized for her expertise and leadership, she has built bridges between the Institute and the various industry players, in addition to establishing promising links on the national and international levels. She has developed training programs to facilitate access to the profession. She has contributed greatly to the advancement of the profession in Quebec and has been one of its most fervent advocates.
Institute Distinction
Launched in 2023, the Institute Distinction award is given by the Board of Directors to recognize the extraordinary contribution of individuals to the development and influence of the financial planning profession.
Objectives
- To recognize the extraordinary contribution of certain individuals, whether they are F.Pl. or not, to the development and influence of the financial planning profession;
- Promote the profession and its impact on the next generation by giving them a taste for joining the profession;
- Promote the Institute's programs and graduates to various stakeholders: regulators, large employers, universities, financial partners and others.
Nominations are accepted from February 1 to March 31 each year. Download the Guide pour la mise en candidature - Distinction de l'Institut for more details, including eligibility and evaluation criteria, and complete the Formulaire de présentation d’une candidature - Distinction de l'Institut to submit a nomination.
Awardees
2024
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Jean-Sébastien Jutras, B.A.A., F.Pl. |
A financial planner at Jutras Gestion de patrimoine, Jean-Sébastien Jutras excels in the art of popularizing complex financial strategies, making them accessible to professionals and the general public alike. In 2021, he became a director of the Chambre de la sécurité financière (CSF). In addition to teaching finance and accounting at the college level, he founded L'Astuce Formations, where he designed training programs focused on financial planning and retirement preparation, enriched by provincial tours and an online platform featuring over 40 courses. He also broke new ground in digital learning with the launch of educational podcasts and the L'AstuceMax web application, a must-have tool for financial services advisors across Canada.
Watch the interview with Jean-Sébastien Jutras (in French)
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Jean-Philippe Vézina, F.Pl., M. Fisc. |
Armed with a master's degree in taxation, a bachelor's degree in finance and a certificate in financial services, Jean-Philippe took over his father's firm, Jean-Maurice Vézina - Équipe conseil en planification financière, in 2022. Named Advisor of the Year under 40 by Conseiller.ca in 2020, Jean-Philippe also has a passion for popularizing knowledge: he has been teaching estate planning at university for the past five years, acts as a coach at Omnium Financier, wears the hat of Board Director and Chairman of the Training and Professional Development Committee of the Chambre de la sécurité financière, and is a guest speaker and radio commentator in Quebec City. He also writes articles and is involved with community organizations. At the Institute, Jean-Philippe puts all his expertise to work for students in the ACE specialization program by leading the workshop on personal and family situations.
Watch the interview with Jean-Philippe Vézina (in French)
2023
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Carl Thibeault, CPA, MBA |
Carl Thibeault is Senior Vice-President, Quebec and Atlantic at IG Wealth Management. In this role, he guides his team to provide the best possible advice to clients to ensure a successful future, whether it involves complex tax, business or estate planning. He is a remarkable ambassador for financial planning, being, among other things, the instigator of the Sommet en planification financière, which has been held annually since 2021. He represents IG Wealth Management on the Chaire IG Gestion de patrimoine en planification financière de l’Université Laval. He has also demonstrated remarkable community involvement for a number of causes, including Leucan, Clinique 180 and Skibec Alpin. Carl Thibeault has been teaching accounting, finance and financial planning to undergraduate and graduate students at Université Laval since 2002.
Trainer of the Year
The Trainer of the Year award is given annually to recognize and encourage excellence in our instructors.
Trainer of the Year 2023
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David Truong, CIWM, CPA, F.Pl., M. Fisc., TEP |
With over 18 years' experience in the financial services industry, David Truong joined National Bank in 2007 and currently works as President, National Bank Planning and Benefits Inc. This serial lecturer (at HEC Montréal in financial and estate planning, McGill University in finance, the Université de Sherbrooke in investment taxation, and the Institute for the Professional Training Course) thrives on the two-way exchange of knowledge between himself and those he teaches. Recipient of an Institute bursary for his studies on the modernization of retirement planning, David Truong has recently become an ambassador for the financial planning profession to the next generation. He continues his professional relationship with the Institute as head of a workshop on taxation as part of the ACE specialization program.
Past recipients
François Archambault 2021
Martine Berthelet 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
Annie Boivin 2009
Nancy D'Amours 2014, 2015, 2018, 2022
Martin Dupras 2016, 2017
Sylvain Houde 2017
Daniel T. Jolin 2011
Pierre Larose 2008
Caroline Marion 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019
Robert McLaughlin 2010
Denis Preston 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020
Guy Sauvé 2020
Felice Torre 2019
Jean Turcotte 2011, 2016
Recruit of the Year
Launched in 2023, the Recruit of the Year award is given by the Institute's Board of Directors to recognize financial planners who have made an exceptional start to their careers and who have distinguished themselves in various ways, including outstanding service to the Institute, the financial planning profession or the community.
Objectives
- To recognize an extraordinary start to a career in order to highlight excellence in the early years of financial planning practice;
- Foster a sense of belonging to the financial planning community and strengthen pride in the profession;
- Promote the profession and its impact on individuals, families and communities to potential candidates to the profession;
- To promote the next generation of financial planners to the community of financial services professionals and the general public (emphasize that value does not necessarily wait for the number of years).
Nominations take place from February 1 to March 31 each year. Download the Guide pour la mise en candidature - Recrue de l'année for more details, including eligibility and evaluation criteria, and complete the Formulaire de présentation d’une candidature - Recrue de l'année to submit a nomination.
Awardees
2024
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Gabriel Vézina, F.Pl. |
Having obtained his diploma from the Institute of Financial Planning in the spring of 2023, Gabriel Vézina stands out for his academic excellence and professional commitment. During his studies at Université Laval, he took part in the Omnium financier (his team won first place) and chaired the Association des étudiants en finance, in addition to participating in the Jeux du Commerce. Since the start of his career, he has shared his passion for personal finance through his educational page and actively contributed to the industry as an ambassador for the Institute and Executive Vice-President of the Association de la relève en services financiers.
2023
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Étienne Bélanger, F.Pl. |
Having graduated in financial planning in June 2021, Étienne Bélanger is a financial planner with the National Bank of Canada and stands out in many ways. He leads training workshops for his colleagues. He is involved in the campaign to promote the financial planning concentration for the financial planning student group at Université Laval. He recently became a mentor for Academos, a non-profit organization that connects young people aged 14 to 30 with the real world of work through a virtual mentoring application.
 | Jean-François Girard, M. Sc., B.B.A., CFA, F.Pl. |
Jean-François Girard graduated in financial planning in December 2021. He has made a name for himself as a financial planner and has had a significant impact on the next generation of financial planners thanks to his passionate commitment. In addition to being a wealth manager at Desjardins Securities, he is a lecturer at Université Laval's Faculté des sciences de l'administration. He appears in various media as a consultant and gives lectures. He also works as a mentor for Academos, promoting financial planning among young people.