David van Veen, MBA — Senior Vice President, Branch Manager, Investment Advisor

Born to a dairy farming family, David is no stranger to the business of agriculture, the entrepreneurial spirit and hard work. He graduated from the University of Guelph with a B.Sc. in Agriculture and a Major in Economics. A believer in life-long learning, David later completed his MBA long distance through Dalhousie University to augment his grasp of finance and business.

David had taken a commodities trading course at Guelph and fallen in love with the investment business. He had the good fortune to be recruited right out of university by Midland Doherty in 1987. Joining the industry in the late eighties was a blessing and a curse. David witnessed the stock market crash of the late eighties and it left an indelible mark on him, helping to forge his proactive, disciplined approach to investing. He learned early to prepare defensive, proactive portfolios that are prepared to perform well under any eventuality, rather than vulnerable ones that require quick posturing to counteract volatile markets. David also learned that standing firm in times of adversity is not just about watching the metrics — it’s about observing human nature and capitalizing on knowing what people are going to do and not do.

In 1994, David opened a Guelph office for BMO Nesbitt Burns, which he managed for ten years. In the fall of 2007, David joined Blackmont Capital and subsequently became the Branch Manger in 2008. He was impressed with our firm’s client-first focus, entrepreneurial spirit, practice of providing truly customized investment and marketing solutions, lack of bureaucracy, sincere appreciation for our employees, and enormous potential. As Branch Manager of our Guelph office, David looks forward to building on a culture that is unique and exciting, in which our clients’ needs are well served before our own and Investment Advisors are free to get the job done.

Both personally and professionally, David is deeply dedicated to serving his community through causes such as The Rotary Club of Guelph. He lives in a century schoolhouse and enjoys spending time with his wife and young son.