Testimonials
Stories From Those Who’ve Come Along for the Ride*
Full Testimonials
Dr. Haritos Choriatis, DDS, General Dentist
“Working with North Road has been a great experience for our family. They take the time to understand our family, our personal priorities and our professional goals as a whole picture. Their communication is tailored like a well fitting suit. The conversations I have with Marshall sound different from the conversations he has with my wife and different again from the conversations we have when all three of us are together. That kind of care makes complex financial topics much easier to understand and act on and our planning feels clear, calm and goal oriented.
Our plan also feels alive. It changes with the different phases and stages of our life instead of being something that is set once and then forgotten. North Road provides full scope investment counsel, financial planning and coordination. They work closely with our accountant and estate planning team so everything lines up. What I enjoy most is that we do not feel like clients. It feels more like having a trusted friend on our side who has the expertise to guide us and wants us to reach our goals. The anxiety I used to feel around financial planning is gone because there is real trust now. I would be very comfortable sending a family member, friend or colleague to North Road knowing they would be listened to, understood and supported in the same way.”
Esther Link, FCPA, FCMA, Retired
“There is an emotional component to finances that most professional money managers do not address. Even as an accountant and a logical thinker I was not fully aware of my angst regarding living off our investments in retirement. The numbers worked and yet I was worried. Through the guidance of Marshall McAlister and the team at North Road, they walked with us through this concern, showing us that we have won the race and now we just need to enjoy the fruits of our labour.”
Kelly Detheridge, P.Eng, Retired
“Throughout my life I understood the value of savings and the power of compound interest. And this certainly comes into focus during your peak earning years. But now that you’ve accumulated significant wealth, who do you trust to support you during your retirement years?
In an ever-changing world, it’s more then just selecting a firm with high rates of return. I’ve invested with Marshall McAlister for 20 years, followed on his journey across various investment companies, and experienced the growth of his financial planning knowledge and skills. North Road is a company that was created from this backbone, and I can see how each partner and staff member was hand picked as best-in-class, applying sound financial models and state-of-the-art software tools to help clients like me achieve our investment goals. Over the years, I’ve experienced the benefits of Marshall’s foundational philosophy, built on the investment knowledge of decades of university research, diversification across several investment opportunities, and minimizing risk within those investments. As a North Road client now, I’m happy to see this philosophy continue, and to see the team take the time to explain the North Road investment process.
Our decision as a family to invest with North Road Investment Counsel was the right decision for us.”
Dr. William Gurel, DDS, Retired
“I have profound confidence in the team at North Road Investment Council.
My wife and I transferred our investment portfolio to Marshall and his team about ten years ago. We did not feel the communication or reporting from our previous investment advisor was adequate, that we were getting closer to financial independence, nor that we were anything more than cogs in a bigger machine. We appreciated Marshall’s rational and measured philosophy to investing and the openness of his communication and reporting. Over the past decade we have gotten to know most of North Road’s team members and respect the hard work they do on our behalf, namely to safeguard our retirement. North Road takes the time to ensure we understand what they are doing with our investments and why.
The level of diversification in our portfolio is extraordinary. That means that world events, be they political, financial, or global pandemics, have not caused us to ever lose sleep at night. Annual reassessments ensure our portfolio remains aligned with the evolving personal needs of our household which is an important personal touch.
Assistance with our professional practice and planning its eventual sale was extremely helpful. As self-employed professionals my wife and I did not have pensions to rely on in retirement. North Road provided a comprehensive analysis of our investment portfolio and how it would perform with different variables of time, returns, and amount of retirement withdrawals. Knowing we were secure in retirement was transformative in actually making the decision to retire. This was a position we had not been able to contemplate a decade earlier.
Advice on, and referrals for, estate planning have also provided peace of mind knowing our estate will be dealt with according to our wishes.
I enthusiastically recommend the team and services of North Road Investment Council.”
Réal Malo, P.Eng, PMP
“The team at North Road excels in explaining financial topics in a simple, understandable way, helping clients grasp investment philosophy and market impacts. Their approach tailors investment portfolios to your risk tolerance, focusing on minimizing losses and improving your net worth over time. North Road’s down-to-earth approach treats clients as families, prioritizing relationships and avoiding pressure to buy specific investment products. They provide transparent performance reporting and have delivered steady growth that exceeds my retirement targets.”
Gerry Sinn, Retired Partner at BDO Canada LLP
“North Road is different. When Barb and I first met with Marshall and Cary we had a great first meeting. Then we had a second meeting. And then the third meeting. At the time I thought how many meetings do we really need! But then I realized it was important to go through these steps because that laid the foundation of the investment strategy for Barb and I. Nobody else I’ve ever worked with has done this kind of due diligence.
The other thing that’s different about them is they provide other services like the recently introduced cyber security service. How awesome is that!”