About Us – ECC

About - ECC Group

Who we are

Executive Compensation Consultants ( ECC ) is one of Canada’s oldest fee-based financial planning firms. Located in Toronto’s financial core, ECC has been providing financial advice to thousands of Canadians since 1974 with the partnership of top investment advisors, accountants, lawyers, and other third-party professionals throughout North America and internationally.

Our Mission

To provide superior, objective and professional financial and investment advice to our clients.
To provide superior implementation, monitoring and administrative services on an on-going basis.
To continually meet (and often surpass), client expectation levels, assist them reaching their financial objectives and make a positive difference in their lives.
To do this in a manner, which is fair and rewarding to clients, employees, associates, affiliates and ECC.

Our Vision

That ECC will be an organization that provides the most ethical, comprehensive, and high-quality personal financial advice and service to individuals and families. In the process of providing this advice:

We retain 99% of our clients.
Obtain referrals to other family members, associates and friends.
ECC Group is continually the firm of choice for those seeking financial advice.

Our Employees Are:

Excited about their work.
Take an active part in the realization and preservation of our vision.
Manage themselves prudently, honestly, responsibly and support each other.
Continue to improve themselves on a personal, as well as, professional level.
Are focused on helping our clients reach their financial objectives.

Our Beliefs

Investment advice should be given within the context of a total financial plan.
Asset mix is the single most important factor in determining your overall rate of return.
Return on investment will be maximized if money is professionally managed.
A balanced portfolio will hold a variety of investment vehicles that are diversified by:
- Investment type: stocks, bonds, real estate and mortgages
- Geographical distribution: Canada and International
- Investment style: growth, value, small cap
- Length of time to maturity on debt instruments (bonds, GIC=s)
- Managers
In the long run, equity investments will outperform bonds, which in turn will outperform cash. However, at any given time, one class of assets may outperform another class. But it is unlikely that all classes of assets will perform strongly or poorly at once in a given timeframe.
It is normal for share values and stock markets to fluctuate; market timing is not normally appropriate and often turns investing into speculation.
The best results are obtained from managers who specialize in choosing good companies and who minimize their attention to market fluctuations.
To create wealth, clients need a long-term, systematic approach to accumulating,holding and managing assets.
We believe in building long term relationships with our clients.
Investors should be comfortable with their investments, understand their investment mix and should have a reasonable expectation as to return. We believe that realistic expectations can best be achieved by an ongoing dialogue between ourselves and you, the client.

Service above self

Chairman, Chris Snyder is a very active members of The Rotary Club of Toronto.

The Rotary motto “Service Above Self” is a guiding principle in their work and that of ECC. They are also great believers and practitioners in the 4-way test.

Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?

Their Rotary involvement has lead them to be active in a number of organizations.

Chris has been a member for over 30 years and currently is on the board of the Canadian Landmines Foundation, Street Kids International, Healthy Beginnings, the Rotary Club of Toronto and the Nature Conservancy of Canada (Ont.) and is the coordinator of Sweat Equity trips to the developing world most recently to Tanzania. Chris is a recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Award as well as Rotary’s highest honour, the Service Above Self Award.

Our Consultants

Our consultants have completed a wide range of financial and investment courses and have achieved a wide range of relevant accreditations including: CFP, RFP and CFA. All of our consultants are seasoned professionals with the ability to quickly focus upon your financial concerns and help you reach your goals. Brief biographies of ECC team members:

J. CHRISTOPHER SNYDER, RFP (Chairman)

Co-founder of the ECC Group in 1974 and one of the early pioneers of the financial planning business in Canada. Chris is a former Director of the Canadian Association of Financial Planners, winner of the CAFP Member of the Year Award in 1991, Regent of the Canadian Institute of Financial Planning (CIFP) and Trustee of the Institute of Advanced Financial Planning (RFP). Chris is the author of many articles and several books on financial planning including the best selling It’s Your Money (Stoddart); Teaching Your Children About Money (MacMillan); Financial Planning for International Executives and How To Be Sure You Have The Right RRSP (MacMillan). He consults to senior executives, professionals and owner managers in all areas of personal finance, specializing in retirement, termination counseling, inter-generational planning, international transfers and investment planning. He spends considerable time doing not-for-profit work and is listed in Canada’s Who’s Who.

VICKI LUNGU, CFP (President)

A Bachelor of Science graduate from the University of Bucharest, Romania, Vicki moved to Canada with her daughter in 1995. She joined the ECC Group in 1999 and since then she has obtained the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation.

EDUARDO FERNANDEZ, CFA MBA

Eddy joined ECC Group in 2019 and brings over a decade of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining ECC he worked at CI Global Asset Management for 11 years, the last 5 as Vice President. He has a passion for understanding financial markets and is a CFA charterholder. He is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University and holds a Masters degree in Business Administration and Finance.

GYUSZI BERKI

Joined the ECC Group in 1990. Gyuszi is responsible for all aspects of our accounting department as well as processing client income tax returns. In his spare time, he volunteers with the St. John Ambulance and shares his interest in architecture and things historical with his wife, Nilma and their son.