About RDBA

Barbara Thompson-Walker has over 40 years of financial industry experience in the banking and corporate sectors, as well as 15 years of experience in the deposit broking business. Barbara has been a board member since 2015.

Frank began his financial services career in 1987, working with families and business owners to develop financial plans and implement them with life and health insurance and investment funds.

In 1993, Frank completed the CLU designation and was awarded the Leslie W. Dunstall medal.  Frank then enrolled in the MBA program at the Schulich School of Business while continuing to build his practice.  He graduated with distinction in 1997 and later joined Sun Life’s Canadian individual insurance division where he directed marketing efforts across both managed and external distribution channels, and was a member of the leadership team for the Clarica integration.

By late 2004, Frank assumed the general management role at Page and Associates Ltd.  He now focuses on supporting the firm’s advisors with their affluent and business-owner clients to deliver advanced financial planning, tax and estate planning advice, and portfolio management services.

Michael is one of the longest serving employees of DUCA Financial Services Credit Union, having joined the DUCA team in 1985. Michael is a graduate of York University and a CPA, CGA. For the past 10 years, Michael has been heading the treasury group, where he is accountable for managing liquidity and structural risk within a rapidly growing balance sheet.

Michael also works on building alternative channels for both loans and deposits to help DUCA achieve growth targets and reach new potential Members. He is passionate about executing DUCA’s purpose of serving Members and, with his team, rallies around DUCA’s mission to help Members do more, be more, and achieve more.

The deposit broker network is an important funding channel for DUCA, and Michael is excited to collaborate with the other directors to help continue to advance the partnership between brokers and financial institutions.

Michael and his wife love travel and spending time with their children and grandchildren splashing in their backyard pool.

Ewa has been a Certified Deposit Specialist with RDBA since 2015. In addition to working as a Deposit Broker in Vancouver, BC, she has a wide day-to-day overview of retail financial services by working with life & health insurance and securities. She has enjoyed the continuous and growing landscape of financial industry and hopes to streamline and develop financial compliance literacy.

She brings in Master’s degree in Sinology, as well as various courses in social psychology. Ewa is fluent in Polish and Mandarin. She is also a volunteer Leader for Scouts Canada.

Brian Evans, Chair of the Board of Directors for the RDBA.

Brian’s association with the RDBA began almost 25 years ago and he has been connected to the management of the organization for most of those years. Developing a strong Canadian deposit industry in this changing environment for current and future brokers and agents continues to drive his involvement in the association.

Brian is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and manages a financial services business started by his father, W. Laurence Evans in 1965. Deposit products maintain a vital place in the services offered through the financial planning process at Brian J. Evans Financial Services.

Brian and his wife Luanne have six children, all of whom are now married. Family holds a special priority for the couple and should you talk to them, you might have to endure stories of their children and their many grandchildren! Brian is involved in various volunteer opportunities throughout his hometown including his church. Throughout his life, music has held an important place for Brian. As part of the male gospel music group called Reflections Trio, he continues to present music programs at churches, events and senior’s residences throughout the GTA.

Mary Rygiel has been a proud RDBA member since 1986. She has served as a director on the RDBA Board for over 20 years, including 5 as Board Chair.

She started in the financial services industry in a managerial capacity with the banking sector. In 1985 she decided to offer independent, low cost, financial advice to the conservative investor and continues to provide her services in this capacity.

Bill has been a RDBA board member since 2012. With over 35 years in the financial services industry, Bill continues to be fascinated with the ever-changing landscape and how each and every person is impacted by financial issues.

Bill’s experience encompasses loans, mortgages, and investment advice in areas of mutual funds and insurance. He founded GICdirect.com Financial Services Ltd. in November 1999 and launched the first GICdirect.com website in June 2000. Bill was President at GICdirect until 2022, when his company merged with Monarch Wealth to form Monarch Wealth GIC Services Inc. while keeping the GICdirect brand.

Brandon’s extensive financial services experience, coupled with his post-graduate studies in Marketing and Finance make him a valuable addition to the RDBA Board of Directors.

After graduating with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the Schulich School of Business, Brandon gained valuable experience working with one of Canada’s largest consulting firms before moving into the financial services industry.   Now with over 15 years of financial services experience, Brandon brings valuable insight into the challenges facing deposit brokers, and their clients.

Joseph has over a decade of experience in the Financial Services and GIC Administration business.  As Community Trust’s Account Manager, Deposit Services, he has helped lead the company to more than triple their assets under administration by bringing them together with new resources, brokers and technologies. He has also been heavily involved in keeping Community Trust Company aware of developments in the industry, including those of the RDBA. Before pursuing a career in financial services, he ran a small business promoting travel destinations with a partner to whom he sold the business.

Joseph has been active in volunteer opportunities such as the Canadian Blood Donor Clinic and was even recognized in the Mississauga Times news after his 50th donation over a 20-year period. He has also set up group blood donations through work, friends and family. Joseph plays softball weekly in the summers in a men’s league to keep active and he has regularly taken part in events to benefit Sick Kids, including their outdoor volleyball tournament HEAT WAVE.  Joseph has also been recognized by Google Inc. for contributions to Google Maps by becoming a recognized Local Guide and sponsored by Google for attending and setting up events for their ever-growing suite of applications.

Richard has over 30-years’ experience in the manufacturing and distribution of Financial Services products. An astute leader and planner he believes, the key to successful distribution is to ensure that your distribution chain is effective and that you are providing valuable products and services to your distributors and end users.

His expertise has been formed through a unique combination of personal, professional and leadership experience. He has focused his career on building profitable distribution networks for Independent brokers. After selling his own insurance and wealth practice he held senior leadership roles at SunLife Financial and AXA Financial. He has also been instrumental in acquiring many Investment Dealer’s and MGA’s.

Richard joined EXOS Wealth Systems in July 2012 as Managing Partner and is currently the largest individual shareholder and Chief Executive Officer of EXOS Wealth Systems Inc. and the Monarch Wealth group of companies. Richard uses his experience as a sales agent, sales manager and executive to help empower Advisors and Brokers to grow their business by engaging technology and providing solutions, products and services that consumers need.

Martone, COO/ CTO is a PEng, MBA and has 30 years of experience in engineering, operations and international business. Don has a successful track record of complex business start-ups in an institutional framework and oversight with focus on compliance, processes and controls.