Knowledge First Financial
| ISIN | 🆔 |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial Services |
| Founded 📆 | 1996 |
| Founder 👔 | |
| Headquarters 🏙️ | , Mississauga, Ontario , Canada |
Area served 🗺️ | Canada |
Key people | George Hopkinson, President & CEO (2009 - Present)
Darrell Bartlett, Chief Compliance Officer (2014-Present) Stuart H.B. Smith, Chairman (2006 - Present) |
| Products 📟 | Registered Education Savings Plans |
| 💎 AUM | CAD$3.3 billion (2014) |
| Members | |
Number of employees | |
| Parent | Knowledge First Foundation |
| 🌐 Website | http://knowledgefirstfinancial.ca/ |
| 📇 Address | |
| 📞 telephone | |
| Footnotes / references https://www.bbb.org/kitchener/business-reviews/scholarships-and-financial-aid/knowledge-first-financial-in-mississauga-on-3125 http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=4566496 | |
Knowledge First Financial Inc. is an administrator, distributor and investment fund manager of group and individual Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs).[1]
The company is registered as an investment fund manager and scholarship plan dealer with the provincial and territorial securities commissions across Canada and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Knowledge First Foundation.[2]
The Knowledge First Foundation, a not-for-profit Canadian corporation, sponsors and promotes various education savings plans[3]
History[edit]
Established as Scholarship Consultants of North America in 1965, Knowledge First Financial is an administrator and distributor of scholarship plans,[4] and was previously known under the name USC Education Savings Plans Inc.[5]
The company was founded as a scholarship plan dealer to distribute education savings plans sponsored by the International Scholarship Foundation.[6] The Foundation consisted of a small group of educators and professionals based in Alberta.
When it assumed responsibility for administering as well as distributing RESPs, the name was changed from Scholarship Consultants of North America to USC Education Savings Plans Inc. In 2011, the company changed its name to Knowledge First Financial.[7]
Services[edit]
Knowledge First Financial distributes education savings plans through a national network of commissioned sales representatives.
As an RESP distributor, Knowledge First Financial applies for available grants on behalf of its customers once their education savings plans are registered.[8] Currently the company offers the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG), Canada Learning Bond (CLB), and Quebec Education Savings Incentive (QESI). In 2015, the company will begin offering the Saskatchewan Advantage Grant for Education Savings (SAGES) and British Columbia Training and Education Savings Grant (BCTESG), if made available by the Province.
Since 1965, Knowledge First Financial has paid out $3.0 billion CAD in RESP payments to customers and students.[9]
The company has contracted with third parties to manage the assets of its plans. Portfolio managers include: Fiera Capital Corporation; Guardian Capital LP; TD Asset Management Inc.; Baker Gilmore & Associates Inc.; Connor, Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd.; BMO Asset Management Inc. and Burgundy Asset Management Ltd.[10]
Corporate Governance[edit]
President & Chief Executive Officer: George Hopkinson (2009–Present)
Chairman: Stuart H.B. Smith (2006–Present)
Board of Directors: Lili de Grandpré, Michael MacMillan, Donald Hunter, Yvonne C. Jerred, William Terrence Wright, Karimah Es Sabar, John B.M. Moore.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Donald Hunter, FCPA, FCA, ICD.D appointed Chair of the Board of Directors, Knowledge First". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
- ↑ Deeks, James (10 April 2012). "Notice and Request for Comment on Proposed Multilateral Policy 31-202" (PDF). RESPDAC. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ↑ Commission, Ontario Securities. "Amended Settlement Agreement: In the Matter of Knowledge First Financial Inc". Ontario Securities Commission. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
- ↑ "BBB Business Profile | Knowledge First Financial". www.bbb.org. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
- ↑ respdac-admin. "» USC Education Savings Plans Inc. will officially change its name to Knowledge First Financial". Retrieved 2017-01-27.
- ↑ "Application to Authorize CST" (PDF). Province of Quebec, District of Montreal. 16 July 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ↑ George, Mark (19 December 2002). "Proposed Name Change" (PDF). Scholarship Consultants of North America Ltd. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ↑ Orlans, Author Warren (2016-10-21). "Guest Post Thursday: Knowledge First Financial". inTAXicating. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
- ↑ "Knowledge First Financial". The Canadian Business Journal. 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
- ↑ "Sales Representative Proficiency Course" (PDF). RESP Dealers Association of Canada. 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
Categories[edit]
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