Cara Boston, Certified Financial Planner® Email & Phone Number

Halifax Regional Municipality, Ns, Ca

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Canada

Halifax, Canada Area

Halifax, Canada Area

Manage 50+ Group Benefit Plans (Health & Dental and Savings) for small business in NS, NL and ON.Assess financial needs (insurance & investment) for individuals and business owners and work to develop a plan for short and long term goals.Advice for individual clients:-Investment Planning (Retirement Planning & Education Savings)-Life Insurance-Income Replacement Strategies (Critical Illness & Disability Insurance)-Personal Tax, Estate Planning & Generational Asset Transfer-Long Term Care -Travel Insurance Business Client offerings:-Corporate Tax, Estate Planning & Generational Asset Transfer -Shareholder Agreement Funding Strategies (Buy-Sell Insurance)-Creditor & Key Person Life Insurance -Critical Illness (To Protect Your Business & Yourself)-Investment Planning (Corporate Savings Plans, Pension Plans & Group RRSP's)-Group Medical & Dental Plans-Income Replacement Programs (Long Term Disability Benefits)

Halifax, Canada Area

Acquired by Manulife Financial as of January 2015, Standard Life is one of Canada’s leading savings, investment and insurance solution providers with $1.4B in assets under management, 2000 employees and 1.4+ million customers (www.standardlife.ca).● Provided strategy, leadership and end-to-end management of all sales, business development and client service as Wholesaler for Group Savings & Retirement solutions across Atlantic Canada; ● Oversaw a portfolio of 155+ accounts (organizations, business owners and executives) and supported 100+ advisors, brokers and consultants; ● Planned and lead regional sales campaigns for all products and lead event marketing, quotation and presentation processes; ● Implemented controls to mitigate financial and operational risks and ensured compliance with regulatory requirements and policies. ● Represented sales as part of the Client Integration Quality Improvement Project team (to improve quality, simplify processes and reduce implementation turnaround time) and the Pricing Illustration Committee (with a mandate to revamp pricing strategies, tools and RFP processes to improve competitiveness across multiple regions).ACHIEVEMENTS: ► From start-up - without the benefit of existing distribution, representatives or even a database of brokers/consultants - built business, created a distribution network and developed advisor network/relationships throughout Atlantic Canada to achieve substantial market status ► Achieved 100% of business plan in 2014, 241% in 2012, 213% in 2011 and 117% in 2010 ► Led RFP responses and presentations to secure contracts that generated up to $10M in annual premium equivalent ► One of only 8 employees (out of 2,000 in Canada) chosen by Standard Life for the 2013 Emerging Leaders Development Support Program to accelerate the development of high potential leaders in support of future company/business growth ________________________________

Halifax, Canada Area

With 1,100 employees and offices in 13 cities across Canada, Marsh Canada is a division of the world’s largest risk consulting and insurance brokerage firm (www.marsh.ca).● Prospected and closed new business for risk consulting and commercial insurance solutions with mid-to-large sized companies across Atlantic Canada; ● Managed sales pipeline and all phases of a lengthy, complex sales cycle; ● Supported ongoing account management;● Assisted with on-site risk analyses and consulted with clients to convey the impact of risk on corporate strategies, capital structures and operational performance. ACHIEVEMENTS: ► Significantly improved territorial coverage/presence and earned Assistant VP level of leadership within 18 months ► Secured new accounts that generated up to $100K each in revenues from premiums by sourcing new business in sectors that included transportation, manufacturing, construction and real estate ► Developed an improved prospecting and presentation tool that was adopted by business development leaders nationwide ► Prospected and developed an unserviced Transportation industry group to increase Marsh’s visibility and win business that had long been held by the competition________________________________

Halifax, Canada Area

Talvest was a mutual fund corporation that held over $4.2B in assets at the time until it was restructured by CIBC Asset Management and offered under the Renaissance Investments brand of portfolio solutions and mutual funds (www.talvest.com).● Led all facets of business development, sales, account management and distribution network expansion across Atlantic Canada;.● Supported 150+ advisors on value selling, account management and client service.● Led pitches, presentations, training and correlation analyses to win business and support the incorporation of funds into portfolios;● Represented the company as guest speaker at road shows and events.ACHIEVEMENTS: ► Closed contracts up to $1M and achieved positive net sales for three consecutive years in a declining stock market ►Developed a new portfolio analysis tool that was adopted organization-wide (with attempts by competitors to replicate it). ________________________________

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

With 77,000 employees serving 18 million clients, RBC is Canada’s largest bank and one of North America’s leading diversified financial services companies (www.rbcroyalbank.com).● Managed all aspects of branch sales, customer care, performance management, risk mitigation, staff reward/recognition, FTE & controllable expenses, service partner agreements, pricing/fees and financial advisement at the Woodside branch; ● Directed a team of department leaders through all phases in the closure of a long-standing bank branch;● Oversaw service to 6,500 customers and actively managed the accounts of the branch’s most valuable clients; ● Maintained efficient unit operations by scheduling and directing the day-to-day activities of 11 staff; ● Oversaw hiring and led training on matters of consultative selling, client relations, product positioning and financial planning.ACHIEVEMENTS: ► Achieved 120% of the branch business plan across performance metrics that included new sales, profitability, retained sales, visa cards enrolment, customer service levels and more ► Implemented strategies and maintained staff productivity to achieve the annual business plan and all closure objectives during cessation activities ► Retained and transferred 99% of clients to another branch ► Successfully repositioned all employees. ________________________________

Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

● Built, maintained and retained business by providing financial advice and guidance to a portfolio of 200 high-value retail banking customers.● Managed and trained 12 staff and 3 direct line sales professonals and implementated national sales programs.● Excelled as a senior advice provider and the primary contact and resource for large/complex investment and credit needs.● Served as Mutual Fund Compliance Manager for the branch.ACHIEVEMENTS: ► Exceeded annual sales targets by approximately 130% and earned rapid promotion to Branch Manager________________________________

Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

● Planned and led all aspects of account management and customer service to a select group of 200 high-value clients in a face-to-face, entrepreneurial senior sales role; ● Managed a 4-person sales team; drove revenues and growth in the customer portfolio though financial needs assessment, consultative sales, referrals and cross-selling.________________________________ADDITIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

Newfoundland, Canada Area

Bedford, Nova Scotia

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba), Sociology

Dean's list

Business Administration Diploma, 1993, Business

Education record