Investment Strategies |
TRENT CONTENTS Association President's Message The Higher Cost of Higher Education Are You Being Served? Discounts and benefits for alumni Course profile - Women in the Greek and Roman World Alumni Staff Profile - Doug Brown '71 Which Way Is Up? - Investment strategies in difficult times |
An interview with David Grand '79 Think about your time horizon," said alumnus David Grand '79, when asked last October for advice on investing. "If you choose a sound investment, which you've researched and have full knowledge of, don't panic at the slight sways up and down." David is Vice President & Director, Retail Sales Manager at Thomson Kernaghan & Co. and remains active as a Senior Investment Advisor managing client portfolios. He's been "in the business" for 15 years and, before heading to Thomson Kernaghan & Co., worked for Midland Walwyn, TD Evergreen and Nesbitt Burns. "Sit down with your Investment Advisor, go over the types of investments that suit your long-term goals and go from there," he says. But, if all else fails, he says, pray! All joking aside, he recommends a combination of stocks, Þxed income and mutual funds for most of his clients. "This provides diversity for their portfolio and income depending on their cash flow requirements," he explains. "There are limits on certain fixed income and mutual funds," he says, "but you can do a monthly purchase plan to most mutual funds for as low as $50 per month." As a full-service broker, David sits down with each client to go over personal goals, investment time horizon and objectives in order to "tailor-fit" a portfolio that will suit their needs. The volatility of the market over the summer leads David to caution TrenT readers that his advice in this article is dependent on many factors. "It is very hard to predict where the market is headed, but it has rallied a bit in the last couple of weeks," he said. "DeÞnitely, panic sell offs make things worse... they tend to drive the prices down even farther as people try to unload their stock." On the other hand, if you have your eye on a company in which you have confidence because of its earnings potential and other factors, "now is a great time to buy, because you are getting in when the prices are lower." This advice, he emphasizes again, is dependent on many factors; in other words, talk to your broker. David likes the excitement of the job. "It is definitely a very high stress and challenging job that I would say is not for everyone," he says, but he enjoys it. He likes to follow the market and time his ins and outs. David works in conjunction with a large institutional sales force and a team of researchers and analysts; with about 35 brokers working directly under him, he also heads up the retail investment side of the business and recruits advisors who he feels will help "build the company". He attributes his success to a lot of "hard work, sweat and determination," and commends the firms in which he has worked for their superior training programs. A North Toronto native, David chose Trent for its "country setting" and the intimacy of small-group teaching. He studied a variety of subjects during his three years at Trent before leaving without a degree. Fond memories of his time at Trent include playing hockey and "relaxing" at the Pig's Ear. After leaving Trent, David and a girlfriend travelled to Calgary where, for a year and a half, he painted houses and completed the Canadian Securities Course while she waitressed in a cocktail bar. He now lives back in Toronto and has four kids whose ages range from three to 10. David's continuing commitments to Trent include sitting on the Board of Governors and finding sponsorship for and helping to organize the Trent Alumni Golf Tournament. | |
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