Ashton College offers financial services licensing courses designed to help you start or further your career in the industry. The Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC), Canadian Securities Course (CSC) and Life Licence Qualification Program (LLQP), equip you with the licensing requirements to establish yourself as a financial services professional and gain the qualifications that employers in the industry are demanding.
Increase your knowledge, skills and industry standing with Ashton's Financial Services courses and programs, designed to help students jump-start or accelerate their careers in the financial industry.
For those who want a career in financial planning, our CFP® Certification Education Program will provide you with the skills required to step into this dynamic career. Our CFP® Certification Education Program consists of the Core Curriculum courses, and we also offer the CFP® Certification Education Program Capstone Course for those wishing to continue building their technical knowledge and skills after completing the Financial Planning Examination Level 1.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of our Financial Services department will have a strong foundation in areas such as investment products, investment planning, and personal financial management. Specific learning outcomes will vary by program, but all Ashton College Financial Services graduates will benefit from the increased prestige associated with financial designations and certifications.
David Dalton has been a wealth management professional since 1997, as both an institutional advisor and an independent financial planner. He holds the CFP, CLU, CHS, and CPCA designations. Besides instructing for Ashton College since 2006, he has presented at dozens of community engagements fornon-profit groups, government agencies, trade shows, and consumer groups on topics from socially responsible investing, all the way to taxation and estate planning. Financial literacy is near and dear to him and educating and training those who advise others is particularly fulfilling.
Derrick Mo started his financial advisory career in 2008 in Vancouver, Canada. Derrick used to work in Canada’s top brokerage firms as a financial advisor, a mortgage broker and a private equity market specialist, and in HSBC Canada’s Wealth Management division as an account manager and a mutual fund representative. Derrick is now working for a mutual fund company that specializes in emerging market investment.
Derrick received a Bachelors degree, major in Business Administration and Management, with honours from Harvard University. Derrick has also gained Business Analysis and Project Management certificates from Duke University. Derrick has completed many professional courses such as Life Licence Qualification Program (LLQP), Canadian Mortgage Brokerage Course, Investment Funds in Canada (IFIC), Canadian Securities Course (CSC), Exempt Market Product (EMP), Financial Planning I&II, and CFP Capstone course. Derrick is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) charterholder.
Jason Wong has extensive knowledge in the wealth management industry, and has been practising financial planning since 2001. Jason started his career through the financial advisory channel in one of the major banks. He then moved on to the independent channel to assist his individual and business clients to achieve their financial goals through comprehensive financial planning. Jason is also a consultant supporting financial advisers providing wealth management solutions to their clients.
Jason holds several industry accreditations: Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Financial Management Advisor (FMA) and Derivative Market Specialist (DMS). He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Manchester, which is consistently ranked as one of the top global business schools under the Financial Times Global MBA rankings.
Robert Mawhinney has over 20 years of experience in the financial sector as a gold research analyst, gold trader, foreign exchange market maker/interbank dealer, corporate foreign exchange advisor and investment advisor. Robert holds an Economics degree from Glendon College of York University and is currently an Investment Advisor with Global Securities.
Bryan Dar Santos is a financial educator and investment specialist with nearly two decades of industry experience. Bryan has spent years training and supporting hundreds of financial advisors across Canada and is the founder of FDI Financial Diagnostics Inc., an independent investment analysis firm for advisors and retail clients.
Bryan is passionate about helping Canadians understand the financial industry, specializing in explaining complex financial concepts in simple terms. From 2012 to 2014 he published “FinanceWorks.ca” a national consumer magazine that connected finance to our everyday lives and helped Canadians to earn, grow, save and protect their money.
Peter Labrie is a finance expert who has been practising for over 20 years. Peter has global experience in the financial services industry, having worked in countries such as France, China, the Netherlands, Singapore and the United States. Peter is educated in finance and industrial psychology and is knowledgeable in business development, process improvement, managing a corporate treasury, and negotiating large-scale business deals.
Rhona Konnelly is an accomplished Insurance and Estate Planning Consultant with over 28 years of diverse financial and estate planning experience. She has served for many years in senior specialist and directorship roles with many of Canada’s leading financial services organizations, including Investors Group, Nesbitt Burns Financial Services Inc., Berkshire Insurance Services Inc., Canada Life Assurance Company, and Foresters.
Rhona earned her Chartered Life Underwriter’s designation (CLU) in financial services and estate planning from the Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (CAIFA) in 1998. In 2005, Rhona received the Elder Planning Counselor (EPC) designation through the Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies and the Certified Professional Consultant on Aging (CPCA) designation through the Society of Certified Senior Advisors. Rhona is also the President of the North Shore Vancouver Chapter for CARP (Canada’s Association for the over-fifties).
Steve Fooks is currently a training manager at Freedom 55 in Vancouver. He has held several executive positions in the financial services industry over the past 15 years and graduated from Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, with an Honours degree in Business Administration. He also holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation and is a Certified Executive Coach.
Steve, who has been a member of Ashton’s faculty for several years, is currently teaching Ashton College’s Life Licence Qualification Program (LLQP) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) courses.
Ian Whiting obtained his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation in 1987 while completing his Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) qualification. He completed his Fellowship in the Life Management Institute with a specialty in Financial Services in 1988. In 1989, Ian completed qualifications for his Chartered Financial Consultant (CFC) designation. In 1992, he qualified as an Associate of the Academy of Life Underwriters and in 1993 he completed his Associate, Customer Service designation program through LOMA.
In 1997, Ian qualified as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and also completed his courses and exams to obtain the Associate, Insurance Agency Administration designation. In 1999, he completed the study and examinations to qualify as a Trading Officer, Partner and Director for Mutual Funds with the BC Securities Commission. As a result, he is also qualified as both a Branch Compliance Manager and Head Office/Provincial Compliance Officer.
Although Sam Sharma began his career in the sciences, earning himself a Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Materials Chemistry from the University of Jamia in New Delhi, India, he made the leap to the world of finance a few years later when he graduated with a Master of Business Administration (Finance) from the University of New England in Australia in 1996. Launching his career in the financial services industry, Sam has worked mostly for banks, earning himself awards and recognition for his achievements.
Sam teaches Ashton College students about mutual funds in the Canadian Investment Funds course.
Byron Boone has nearly three decades of financial sales and management experience. A believer in continuous learning, Byron holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from the University of British Columbia, an Executive Master of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University, and a Certificate in Financial Management from British Columbia Institute of Technology. Byron also has more than a dozen finance-specific licences and designations, including the Life Licence Qualification Program (LLQP) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP).
Becky Wong holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the University of Manitoba and has a wide variety of accreditations, including the Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Financial Management Advisor (FMA), and Elder Planning Council (EPC).
Becky owns a financial planning practice and is also a contributing editor for Canadian MoneySaver Magazine.
David Dalton has been a wealth management professional since 1997, as both an institutional advisor and an independent financial planner. He holds the CFP, CLU, CHS, and CPCA designations. Besides instructing for Ashton College since 2006, he has presented at dozens of community engagements fornon-profit groups, government agencies, trade shows, and consumer groups on topics from socially responsible investing, all the way to taxation and estate planning. Financial literacy is near and dear to him and educating and training those who advise others is particularly fulfilling.
Derrick Mo started his financial advisory career in 2008 in Vancouver, Canada. Derrick used to work in Canada’s top brokerage firms as a financial advisor, a mortgage broker and a private equity market specialist, and in HSBC Canada’s Wealth Management division as an account manager and a mutual fund representative. Derrick is now working for a mutual fund company that specializes in emerging market investment.
Derrick received a Bachelors degree, major in Business Administration and Management, with honours from Harvard University. Derrick has also gained Business Analysis and Project Management certificates from Duke University. Derrick has completed many professional courses such as Life Licence Qualification Program (LLQP), Canadian Mortgage Brokerage Course, Investment Funds in Canada (IFIC), Canadian Securities Course (CSC), Exempt Market Product (EMP), Financial Planning I&II, and CFP Capstone course. Derrick is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) charterholder.
Jason Wong has extensive knowledge in the wealth management industry, and has been practising financial planning since 2001. Jason started his career through the financial advisory channel in one of the major banks. He then moved on to the independent channel to assist his individual and business clients to achieve their financial goals through comprehensive financial planning. Jason is also a consultant supporting financial advisers providing wealth management solutions to their clients.
Jason holds several industry accreditations: Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Financial Management Advisor (FMA) and Derivative Market Specialist (DMS). He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Manchester, which is consistently ranked as one of the top global business schools under the Financial Times Global MBA rankings.
Robert Mawhinney has over 20 years of experience in the financial sector as a gold research analyst, gold trader, foreign exchange market maker/interbank dealer, corporate foreign exchange advisor and investment advisor. Robert holds an Economics degree from Glendon College of York University and is currently an Investment Advisor with Global Securities.
Bryan Dar Santos is a financial educator and investment specialist with nearly two decades of industry experience. Bryan has spent years training and supporting hundreds of financial advisors across Canada and is the founder of FDI Financial Diagnostics Inc., an independent investment analysis firm for advisors and retail clients.
Bryan is passionate about helping Canadians understand the financial industry, specializing in explaining complex financial concepts in simple terms. From 2012 to 2014 he published “FinanceWorks.ca” a national consumer magazine that connected finance to our everyday lives and helped Canadians to earn, grow, save and protect their money.
Peter Labrie is a finance expert who has been practising for over 20 years. Peter has global experience in the financial services industry, having worked in countries such as France, China, the Netherlands, Singapore and the United States. Peter is educated in finance and industrial psychology and is knowledgeable in business development, process improvement, managing a corporate treasury, and negotiating large-scale business deals.
Rhona Konnelly is an accomplished Insurance and Estate Planning Consultant with over 28 years of diverse financial and estate planning experience. She has served for many years in senior specialist and directorship roles with many of Canada’s leading financial services organizations, including Investors Group, Nesbitt Burns Financial Services Inc., Berkshire Insurance Services Inc., Canada Life Assurance Company, and Foresters.
Rhona earned her Chartered Life Underwriter’s designation (CLU) in financial services and estate planning from the Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (CAIFA) in 1998. In 2005, Rhona received the Elder Planning Counselor (EPC) designation through the Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies and the Certified Professional Consultant on Aging (CPCA) designation through the Society of Certified Senior Advisors. Rhona is also the President of the North Shore Vancouver Chapter for CARP (Canada’s Association for the over-fifties).
Steve Fooks is currently a training manager at Freedom 55 in Vancouver. He has held several executive positions in the financial services industry over the past 15 years and graduated from Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, with an Honours degree in Business Administration. He also holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation and is a Certified Executive Coach.
Steve, who has been a member of Ashton’s faculty for several years, is currently teaching Ashton College’s Life Licence Qualification Program (LLQP) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) courses.
Ian Whiting obtained his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation in 1987 while completing his Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) qualification. He completed his Fellowship in the Life Management Institute with a specialty in Financial Services in 1988. In 1989, Ian completed qualifications for his Chartered Financial Consultant (CFC) designation. In 1992, he qualified as an Associate of the Academy of Life Underwriters and in 1993 he completed his Associate, Customer Service designation program through LOMA.
In 1997, Ian qualified as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and also completed his courses and exams to obtain the Associate, Insurance Agency Administration designation. In 1999, he completed the study and examinations to qualify as a Trading Officer, Partner and Director for Mutual Funds with the BC Securities Commission. As a result, he is also qualified as both a Branch Compliance Manager and Head Office/Provincial Compliance Officer.
Although Sam Sharma began his career in the sciences, earning himself a Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Materials Chemistry from the University of Jamia in New Delhi, India, he made the leap to the world of finance a few years later when he graduated with a Master of Business Administration (Finance) from the University of New England in Australia in 1996. Launching his career in the financial services industry, Sam has worked mostly for banks, earning himself awards and recognition for his achievements.
Sam teaches Ashton College students about mutual funds in the Canadian Investment Funds course.
Byron Boone has nearly three decades of financial sales and management experience. A believer in continuous learning, Byron holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from the University of British Columbia, an Executive Master of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University, and a Certificate in Financial Management from British Columbia Institute of Technology. Byron also has more than a dozen finance-specific licences and designations, including the Life Licence Qualification Program (LLQP) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP).
Becky Wong holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the University of Manitoba and has a wide variety of accreditations, including the Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Financial Management Advisor (FMA), and Elder Planning Council (EPC).
Becky owns a financial planning practice and is also a contributing editor for Canadian MoneySaver Magazine.
