2022
VOICES OF RPIA
RPIA
www.rpia.ca
General Line: +1 647 776 1777
39 Hazelton Ave. Toronto, ON M5R 2E3
Investor Services: +1 647 776 2566
It is wonderful to see the power of passionate people working together to produce great results - both in their work and in their personal lives. Our goal has always been to foster a culture that harnesses the enthusiasm and talent of the incredible people at our firm. - Dannielle Ullrich Principal, Chief Financial and Operating Officer
CONTENTS
About Us | Core Values
2
A Letter From Our CEO
3
In Our Firm
4
RPIA Elevate
6
Our Events
8
In Our Work
10
Engaging the Next Generation
12
Developing Impactful Partnerships with Institutional Investors
14
Using Technology to Build Better Portfolios
16
In Our Community
20
Charitable Giving
22
RPIA ACE Program
24
Quinn Family Future Foundation
26
RPIA Has Talent
28
Voices of RPIA
2
ABOUT US
RPIA is a specialized fixed income manager with deep expertise in corporate bonds and active interest rate management. The firm was founded in 2009 by a highly experienced team that previously ran the global fixed income arm of Canada’s largest bank. Based in Toronto, RPIA now has over 80 employees including investment and risk management professionals with a collective experience set complementary to that of our founders. More than ten years in, we are now managing over $6.5 billion for a broad investor base of institutions and private investors. RPIA remains independent, privately owned by employees who have $170 million invested alongside our investors. We take an active, innovative approach to fixed income to offer our investors what we believe is a better way to meet their objectives.
CORE VALUES
Partnership Unwavering alignment of interests with our investors. We are invested alongside them.
Excellence High-quality work produced by talented, driven people.
Transparency Complete accessibility to our investors. We want them to understand and feel comfortable with their investments with us.
Community Creating meaningful change through ESG, philanthropic giving, and active volunteerism.
Integrity A steadfast commitment to honesty and accountability. We believe this is the path to lasting success.
3
Voices of RPIA
A LETTER FROM OUR CEO
Richard Pilosof Principal, Chief Executive Officer
Looking back on 2022, I am immensely grateful to our investors and our employees for what we’ve accomplished during the past 13 years, especially with the unique economic conditions we were faced with this year. As a firm, we have experienced incredible growth over the past year, and I am proud of our highly talented professionals who work tirelessly to help our investors. As we continue to grow, my partners and I, along with the rest of the leadership team, have maintained our belief in preserving a flat corporate structure that enables better collaboration, mentorship, and professional development. As the way we work has changed since the pandemic, we are proud of the environment we have created where our team can bring their best every day and have the opportunity to learn from one another when they come into the office. 2022 brought so many exciting new initiatives to RPIA, and I am pleased to highlight a few of them: • Great Place to Work: We are proud to be GPTW certified this year! We had an amazing 94% response rate from the team, allowing us to gain valuable feedback. • RPIA Elevate: Our internal employee engagement program has launched many valuable initiatives that relate to our four pillars: leadership, empathy, accountability, and development. • RP Broad Corporate Bond (Fossil Fuel Exclusion): We launched this strategy as part of our continued partnership with investors to develop bespoke solutions for their investment goals. • Engaging the Next Generation: We hosted an event called The Art of Legacy: Navigating Generational Wealth at the Art Gallery of Ontario featuring Patricia Saputo. • RPIA ACE Program: We launched this program as a complement to our charitable giving. The program stands for Academic and Community Empowerment, and we launched our first scholarship program under this banner. Our goal continues to be developing partnerships with our investors, serving them with excellence, integrity, and transparency as they entrust us with their capital. Our teams help bring this mission to life with a strong dedication to their roles as we continue to think ahead and adapt to the evolving world around us. We believe it is our duty to support and enrich our community, not just with our money but also with our time, talent, and voices as we volunteer, educate, and speak up for what matters. This publication illustrates RPIA’s passion for having an inclusive and open culture, doing good through our work, and empowering our employees as they become leaders in the causes they care about. I hope you enjoy learning more about what we do and how the many voices of RPIA are embracing their talents and speaking up for what they believe in. Best Wishes, Richard Pilosof Principal & CEO, RPIA
IN OUR FIRM
Voices of RPIA
6
In Our Firm
LEADERSHIP
|
EMPATHY
|
ACCOUNTABILITY
|
DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVE INITIATIVES
Allyship Committee & RPIA Community Giving Our Allyship Committee was created in 2020 to promote grassroots volunteerism, social activism, and charitable giving. Through monthly learning sessions and activities organized by our volunteers, we promote education and open discussion on inclusive thinking and behaviours, both in our professional and personal lives. Mentorship Program RPIA’s Mentorship Program pairs mentees with senior mentors each year and follows traditional mentorship best practices to foster meaningful relationships and cultivate a sense of community and mutual empowerment within our firm. The organization’s flat structure creates a unique opportunity for junior and mid-level team members to access the knowledge and expertise of senior leaders. Listening Forums RPIA’s Listening Forums were launched in 2021 and are a passion project initiated by our COO, Dannielle Ullrich. During these sessions, she engages with small groups of employees to seek out feedback regarding the employee experience at RPIA. The information collected during these candid conversations has been instrumental in refining our firm culture and enhancing employee engagement.
The Elevate Program was created based on feedback from RPIA’s Listening Forums and developed with the purpose of elevating our collective learning through inclusive leadership, empathy, and accountability. The program’s 4 pillars (the LEAD pillars) that drive our initiatives have been modeled after the values we want to instill in our culture and be recognized for in our industry. At RPIA we believe it is our responsibility to provide personal and professional learning opportunities for the future leaders of the firm.
7
Voices of RPIA
In Our Firm
UPCOMING INITIATIVES
• Career Pathways • Connected Communication • Tutoring Program (For employees, investors, and the next generation) • Investor Education Videos • Classes/Speakers/ Clubs
Feedback, Recognition & Celebrating Wins At RPIA, we believe employee recognition and open dialogue are key to fostering healthy team dynamics and motivating teams to achieve great results. Through regular team Check-Ins, Employee Recognition practices, and Peer Feedback cycles on our employee platform 15Five, managers are better able to coach and mentor their teams on their journey of continued growth and development.
Executive Leadership Training (Partners) We believe that a leader’s learning journey is never done, and this philosophy extends to our Executive Team. By engaging in Empathetic Leadership training and coaching, they enrich their understanding of what it means to lead by example, which enables them to directly impact the success of our teams. Leadership Skills Workshops (“LSW”) & Cohorts The Leadership Skills Workshop program was launched with the purpose of supporting the development of current and future team leaders. Each of the program’s nine modules explores leadership concepts and focuses on critical management competencies such as: conflict resolution, mindful leadership and how to be more inclusive and empathetic leaders. Learning cohorts support one another as they implement new knowledge and tools to engage and motivate their teams effectively. Innovation Teams As a people-centric business, generating ideas and innovations from the experiences and abilities of our people is crucial to remaining a well-regarded competitor within our industry. The Innovation Teams initiative was designed to capitalize on the specialized knowledge and expertise of some of our most motivated and natural-born leaders. The teams are cross- functional and their objective is to incubate innovations that will propel our business practices and operations forward.
Voices of RPIA
8
In Our Firm
OUR EVENTS
Earth Day 2022
RPIA celebrated Earth Day 2022 by organizing a clean-up at a local park in Toronto! We gathered a team of 20 employees and spent the afternoon picking up garbage at Ramsden Park and surrounding areas. At RPIA, we understand the importance of sustainability and we remain comitted to reducing our environmental footprint. We demonstrate this commitment by reducing waste, using resources responsibly, and improving energy efficiency where possible.
Pride Month | LGBTQIA+ Allyship
In honour of Pride Month, we hosted an informative workshop on LGBTQ+ awareness. The workshop was hosted by TJ Jones from Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC). The CGLCC is an organization designed to elevate LGBTQIA+ businesses and foster greater diversity and inclusion across Canada’s economy, as well as serving businesses looking to form more inclusive cultures or programming. TJ Jones shared his personal experiences and helped us expand our knowledge on how best to support and be allies of LGBTQIA+ folks within the workplace.
9
Voices of RPIA
In Our Firm
Multiculturalism Day
In celebration of Multiculturalism Day, our Allyship Committee hosted a week-long potluck where team members brought delicious traditional foods representing their cultures from around the world! Multiculturalism Day honours the many cultural communities that contribute to developing a strong and lively Canadian society. We used this occasion to celebrate the cultural diversity that enriches RPIA and reaffirm our commitment to equity, inclusion, and mutual respect.
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
To commemorate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, our firm was fortunate to have Trevor Stratton from CAAN (Communities, Alliances & Networks) join us for a heartfelt and informative discussion. Trevor shared his personal story and shed light on the many social issues that disproportionately affect Canada’s Indigenous communities and the effects of multi-generational trauma and Indigenous-settler relations. After the presentation, we had an open discussion and Q&A session about the actions we can take to achieve equity for these communities.
IN OUR WORK
Voices of RPIA
12
In Our Work
ENGAGING THE NEXT GENERATION
13
Voices of RPIA
In Our Work
THE ART OF LEGACY NAVIGATING GENERATIONAL WEALTH WITH PATRICA SAPUTO
On October 13th, 2022, we hosted an event at the Art Gallery of Ontario focusing on family legacy, featuring Patricia Saputo from Crysalia and RPIA’s Kripa Kapadia.
Patricia Saputo, a next-generation member of one of Canada’s most successful families and the Co-Founder and Executive Chairperson of Crysalia, shared her views and ideas on how family members can grow as individuals, connect as a family, and live purposefully for generations. The evening also included a session by the RPIA team on navigating corporate bond markets. It was an insightful event that inspired timely conversations about family dynamics and how to successfully create a legacy that can be sustained for generations to come.
Voices of RPIA
14
In Our Work
DEVELOPING IMPACTFUL PARTNERSHIPS WITH INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
What Institutions Are Looking For
For institutions who are liability- sensitive, like pensions, need fixed income strategies that manage interest rate risk. Their return objectives are typically benchmark- relative.
Institutions such as foundations or endowments are focused on exceeding their disbursement quota. They seek strategies with limited downside, that aim to provide strong positive absolute returns.
15
Voices of RPIA
In Our Work
Where RPIA Fits
We serve a broad range of investors through a variety of solutions catering to their unique investment goals. We apply our differentiated active skillset in all our strategies, which vary from low-risk to higher-risk. Although our toolkit and risk/return levels vary across our suite of products, our credit expertise, proprietary technology, and rigorous risk management are applied throughout. We have collaborated closely with institutional investors in developing several of our strategies to ensure that the portfolio mandate aligns with their long-term investment objectives.
Hurdles Facing Foundations
The Government of Canada is increasing the disbursement quota for foundations, which presents a particular challenge for institutions that now need to make at least 7% per annum to meet their spending commitments and preserve the real value of their asset base. This comes as foundations are already facing return challenges given the expected investment returns across many asset classes will be lower going forward as monetary and fiscal policy are scaled back. In light of this problem, we believe foundation executives and trustees should look to “Active Credit” to improve the return potential of their fixed income allocation.
How Active Credit Can Help
Canadian foundations have an average of 30% allocated to fixed income, which has served foundations well over the last decade. However, given the outlook for fixed income returns, this allocation will drag foundation portfolio returns in the coming years. The silver lining is that foundations are blessed with much more investment flexibility than other institutional investors, such as pension plans and insurance portfolios. Therefore, CIOs and foundation board members can “get creative” to meet this return challenge. We believe the most logical first step is to explore ways to adjust the fixed income allocation to ensure a better balance between risk and return. Active credit strategies can be a key part of the solution for foundations because they can deliver additional returns from fixed income without taking undue risk. Credit markets are inefficient, making it possible for a skilled manager to add excess returns while still maintaining the traditional defensive characteristics that investors require from their “safe” assets. Therefore, allocating active credit strategies can be a quick and effective solution to help move a foundation’s expected returns toward the higher Disbursement Quota. Furthermore, active credit strategies can make an ideal complement to government bonds or private debt allocations. Foundations were already facing a return challenge in a lower return environment, which is now compounded by requiring a higher return target. In our view, it is incumbent on fiduciaries to take a fresh look at the risk-reward of the fixed income allocations in place. At this point in the cycle, an incremental change can be better placed than materially increasing portfolio risk. We believe active credit strategies are a key part of the solution.
USING TECHNOLOGY TO BUILD BETTER PORTFOLIOS In this information-rich age, it is crucial to combine cutting-edge technological tools with the hands-on expertise of the investment team in order to identify the best investment opportunities for our portfolios. SANTA (“Structuring Analysis and Trading Assistant”) is a proprietary tool we developed to guide our allocation decisions. Once our research team has identified opportunities based on credit fundamentals, our execution and structuring teams use SANTA to evaluate and identify the most attractive security to invest in. SANTA allows us to sift through the bond universe and find mispriced securities quickly and efficiently.
Example: European Banks and Barclays Bank PLC
The Credit Research Team, working in conjunction with the Portfolio Execution Team, believed the European banking sector was priced attractively for the risk profile. European bank balance sheets have improved in quality given the health of corporate and consumer exposures, and many of these institutions have also demonstrated prudent risk and capital management. These improving fundamentals were not reflected in credit spreads, which in many cases, were at stressed levels. Each portfolio has a certain target weight for sector exposure based on what is reflected in credit spreads. When our team identifies an attractive opportunity through inefficiencies in the market, we manually override the target weight for the relevant sector.
We leverage an enriched dataset with cutting- edge technologies in the portfolio management lifecycle: from aggregated trade idea generation to best execution via real-time liquidity discovery, and from portfolio structuring via mandate-specific optimization to robust and sophisticated risk management. The focus is always to make our investment process more efficient and optimized so that portfolio managers can make decisions based on the most timely and accurate information, which is especially important in a volatile market environment. - Ray Cao, Portfolio Manager
In the first wave of technological development at RPIA, the primary focus was on replacing the mechanical tasks with tools that could help perform tasks faster and with greater breadth and depth. This allowed people to forego laborious and mundane tasks in favor of more creative ones. The next wave is an exciting one! Now, we are going to use technology to enhance those creative tasks. The system will suggest strategies, trades, and risk mitigation options that can be screened for viability. I believe this will further increase RPIA’s edge in the marketplace. - Graham Chubb, Financial Engineer
How SANTA Works
1
Selecting a corporate bond issuer that illustrates the theme
Given the analysis outlined above, the Portfolio Structuring Team increased the target weight for European banks in a number of our portfolios.
Without SANTA, this would be a largely manual process that cannot cover the breadth of the bond market. Empowering our experienced portfolio management and research teams with sophisticated, multi-faceted tools allows us to unlock value more effectively than what was previously possible. We aggregated trading liquidity information for this security and, using customized alerts setup in SANTA, mapped out and tracked trading opportunities in the security. This ensures that we minimize transaction costs in the acquisition. 3 Using the defined subset of banks selected by the Research Team, our Execution Team utilized SANTA to identify Barclays as an issuer that is attractively valued relative to credit fundamentals. By analyzing every security in Barclays’ credit curve, we identified a specific Barclays bond that was particularly attractive. This security was issued in the USD market, as shown in the diagram on the next page. 2 Selecting the right bond from the issuer Pursuing the best execution for the selected bond
Voices of RPIA
18
In Our Work
An Overview of the Process on SANTA
Structuring the portfolio with a new target weight for European Banks 1
2
Finding the right security based on liquidity and credit curve analysis
Setting up alerts for the selected security to capture the most advantageous trade
3
IN OUR COMMUNITY
CHARITABLE GIVING
ART & CULTURE
CHILDREN & YOUTH
CIVIL RIGHTS
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH
HEALTH CARE
HOMELESSNESS
JEWISH COMMUNITIES
RACIAL EQUITY
MENTAL HEALTH
EDUCATION
ENVIRONMENT
FOOD SCARCITY
IMMIGRATION
HUMAN RIGHTS
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
SPORTS
WOMEN’S RIGHTS
WATER & SANITATION
Voices of RPIA
24
In Our Community
RPIA ACE PROGRAM
The RPIA ACE Program stands for Academic & Community Empowerment and aims to provide a wealth of opportunities to disenfranchised groups either through academic or community driven initiatives. The program will focus on supporting the next generation of leaders in Canada through a variety of programs including scholarships, internships, mentorship, and financial literacy. As a firm, we are committed to empowering and nurturing the unlimited potential in our community. The RPIA ACE Scholarship in Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto RPIA has pledged $5,000 CAD per year for a non-renewable expendable scholarship for an upper year student in the Rotman Commerce Program who self-identifies as either Black or Indigenous to Canada and maintains good academic standing. Although not required, preference is given to students with an interest and/or completed coursework in Finance.
25
Voices of RPIA
In Our Community
Our aim with the RPIA ACE Scholarship is to have a strong impact on a student’s life as they launch into their career. Our conversations with the university revealed the increased tuition for upper year students and the university’s desire to improve support for Black and Indigenous students in the program. The result was the RPIA ACE Scholarship, which we hope will help bridge the existing gaps and help a new student every year. In addition to financial support, we hope to include every year’s recipient in our firm’s internal Mentorship Program where they can learn from industry leaders and gain valuable insights and advice for their career growth.
Upcoming Initiatives
I am very excited about the launch of the RPIA ACE Program! Giving back to the community has always been an important part of our culture, and I can’t wait to see how we can impact young people in Canada and empower them to become strong leaders.
RPIA ACE Internship
The ACE Program will be launching a paid summer internship on the Investment Team for an upper year university student enrolled in one of the three business schools in Toronto, starting in Summer 2023. This student will have the opportunity to work closely with members of the Portfolio Management, Credit Research, and Risk teams on a day-to-day basis, and the internship program includes the opportunity to spend some time on the client side of the business and also contribute to some strategic initiatives on an innovation team project. At the end of this internship, our hope is that this individual will gain valuable experiences for their career, receive insightful mentorship, and feel proud of their achievements and contributions within the firm.
– Richard Pilosof Principal & CEO
Voices of RPIA
26
In Our Community
QUINN FAMILY FUTURE FOUNDATION Mike Quinn is the Co-Founder of RPIA and is currently a Principal and Senior Advisor at the firm after 13 years as the firm’s Chief Investment Officer. To help give back to the community in a more organized and thoughtful way, Mike and his wife, Francisca, set up the Quinn Family Future Foundation. The foundation is guided by these four focus areas: poverty relief, access to education, improving the natural environment, and building strong communities.
At the heart of all the work they are doing through the foundation, Mike and Francisca believe that education is the key ingredient for effecting change in every other area. They believe there is a huge need for equitable access to education and closing that gap is crucial for lifting youth out of poverty and enabling them to have equal footing. Mike recounts how years ago, he and his friends were able to pay for their university education just through summer jobs. Today’s education costs make this almost impossible even with the best of summer jobs, which just widens this gap and makes it harder for young people below a certain income level to have the time and money to pursue their goals.
Quinn Family Summer Internship Program
Through Sinai Health’s SciHigh Program at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, the Foundation has set up the Quinn Family Summer Internship Program, which aims to connect high school students with one of the best biomedical research institutes. The program is open to students who are at least 16 years old in grades 11 and 12 who have completed grade 11 Biology and Chemistry. Students accepted into the program get a paid, full time summer job at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute for eight weeks where they get hands-on lab experience and access to world-leading researchers and mentors. Over the years, students from this program have gone on to become the first members of their family to attend university and some have even gone ahead to attend prestigious medical schools such as the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto and Harvard Medical School. For these students, having this experience in high school helped pave the way for them to continue on a path to success bolstered by the access they got to professionals in the fields they wanted to pursue. Not only will these students change their own lives with their professional contributions, but also the lives of their family members, their community, and the world of medicine.
27
Voices of RPIA
In Our Community
Strong Minds | Strong Kids – Psychology Canada
The lockdowns from Covid-19 were a difficult time for everyone – both young and old. However, when you think about young children learning the fundamentals of their educational career virtually while also dealing with the changes in their home and social environments, the burden becomes a lot heavier. Strong Minds | Strong Kids
started a pilot program that has since become a permanent program through a Quinn Family Future Foundation gift. The gift helps provide virtual counselling that focuses on resiliency, independence, and dealing with the challenges of constant change and uncertainty. In the program, professional counsellors are paired with volunteers to provide these services to children ages 7-10 who need it. The program is offered to all schools; however, it is mostly used by schools from low-income areas, which were impacted more significantly by the social and economic impacts of the pandemic. Now, with the permanent program, students will continue to have access to professional counsellors through any other changes going on in their lives. The program hopes that by learning to cope and build resilience and independence at a young age, these students will be able to overcome the hinderances they experience in their lives and achieve their potential.
We must invest in young people as they are the key to a better society tomorrow, but this means they need access to the right networks and financial goals to reach their potential. For me, stepping into that space and bridging the gap between bright students and the networks they need to succeed is one way of improving equitable access. Bringing diversity of thought into cutting edge professions, whether it’s through different socioeconomic or ethnic and racial backgrounds, is what will help us as a society to evolve and make better decisions for the world around us. - Mike Quinn, Principal, Senior Advisor
Voices of RPIA
28
In Our Community
RPIA HAS
TALENT
Irvin He Analyst, Client Portfolio Management
MUSIC
In Chinese, we have this saying which means that whatever you do and focus on in your spare time defines your life. I really took this to heart and have always strived to work hard and remain dedicated to my hobbies. Growing up in a music-oriented family with my mom playing the piano, my dad the saxophone, and both being in the city choir, so it was no surprise that I too picked up one or
two instruments along the way as my hobbies. As of now, I play the keyboard, piano, guitar, and a bit of jazz drums, and I always love to invite a couple of friends over to host a jam session on a laid-back Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Besides playing instruments, I am also a fan of making lo-fi chill hop remixes using dialogue pieces from movies I like as samples, and mashups on pop songs with similar chord progressions. A good remix piece can sometimes be played on loop for the whole day in my apartment and makes chores and reading at home much more delightful!
29
Voices of RPIA
In Our Community
Tushar Lalwani Manager, Compliance
Sherri Gosse Executive Assistant
PHOTOGRAPHY
COACHING
One of the things I really enjoy doing outside of my work is photography. It has taught me how to view things differently and allowed me to appreciate the candid beauty and uniqueness of everyday mundane activities. I love observing little things around me like colours and reflections and capturing these from my perspective. Photography gives me the ability to show the world my perspective on how mundane things can look exceptional when we are able to capture those candid moments.
Basketball is one of my favourite sports, so I decided over 10 years ago that I wanted to become a volunteer coach for my daughter’s local team when I didn’t see enough female representation. From there, it led to becoming an assistant coach and then a head coach for the same program in Etobicoke. For the last three years, I’ve managed three prep basketball teams, both women’s and men’s where I’ve been given the nickname “the glue”. The teams are based out of at Markham’s J. Addison School and are one of the highest ranked basketball programs in Ontario and are part of the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association. The entire coaching staff is like family to me, which is why I love what I do as they instill the same values with their student athletes as I do with my family.
Voices of RPIA
30
In Our Community
I was perched on a rock at roughly 17,000 ft along with one of my three expedition team members, as well as three guides and porters. Just minutes earlier, I’d thrown up – my first and only symptom of altitude sickness during the entire expedition. Mama Lewis must have known what he was doing because within minutes I had my energy back, and once more, we began to ascend the western face of Kili. We were still squarely in the danger zone – the area prone to rock slides - and needed get past it before sunrise. At 10:30 am, we breached the crater rim. We made our way past Furtwangler Glacier, which sits near the middle of the crater. Hosea, our head guide, told me the glacier today was less than a quarter in size versus ten years ago. We were joined by our two remaining team members a little while later at Crater Camp, ate lunch, and then proceeded to the Summit. The 1 km hike took us an hour and a half. I can’t stress this enough – everything you do at 19,000 ft has to be done slowly. The amount of oxygen up there is less than half of what it is at sea level. At 2:45 pm East Africa Time, on September 18, 2022, we made it to the Summit. We’d done it. After seven long, tiring, cold, and breathtakingly beautiful days, we were standing on the roof of Africa. What compels me to climb mountains? I know there’s nothing up there. Quoting Reinhold Messner, perhaps the greatest mountaineer in the world, “ climbing mountains isn’t fun. ” It’s a place where you learn to cope with pain, because it’s painful. I was cold, tired, my head was pounding, and my legs felt like they were going to give with each step. And yet, I kept moving forward. It’s in these moments that we learn what we’re truly capable of. Our bodies have the ability to push beyond the mental barriers we create for ourselves. I also find that doing an all-consuming activity such as this can be meditative.
Arnav Gupta Associate Portfolio Manager
CLIMBING
“ No, I don’t think I can eat any more right now… ” I said to Mama Lewis, our expedition chef. He smiled, broke off another piece of a Cadbury chocolate bar, and fed it to me by hand. It was roughly 6 am, We had been hiking for two hours – well, hiking is an understatement as it had been a scramble over the giant boulders on the western face of Mt. Kilimanjaro. We had started from Arrow Glacier Camp (~16,100 ft above sea level) at 4 am, and were on track to breach the crater rim (~18,500 ft) sometime between 10-11 am. After that, the plan was to hike to Crater Camp (which is exactly what it sounds – a campsite in the middle of the crater), have lunch, and then push to Uhuru Peak, which at 19,341 ft, was the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, also known as the roof of Africa.
31
Voices of RPIA
In Our Community
championship regatta. It was during this time that I fell in love with volunteer coaching and helping athletes develop their technique so they could perform at the highest levels of the sport. As I continued coaching into the summer season, my focus shifted to community outreach. I made it my goal to get athletes who have never seen a rowing shell out on the water rowing in crew boats. Liaising with T.R.A.C.K.S, an Indigenous-led community group based in Peterborough that focuses on programming opportunities in recreation and sport, I was able to lead learn-to-row summer camps on the scenic Otonabee River. Now back in Toronto, I have been able to get involved locally through joining the coaching roster at Upper Canada College and also Toronto Community Rowing, a non-profit boat club created to eliminate financial and class barriers for at-risk youth in the City of Toronto.
Brendan Plymale Associate, Client Engagement
ROWING
In the Fall of 2017, I tried out as a walk-on for the freshman rowing crew at Trent University. It was my third day at a new school in a new city, but from my first 5:00 a.m. practice, I knew that Trent Rowing would shape the rest of my time in university. After a successful fall and spring season competing on the Provincial and National level, I decided to take the skills I learned over the year and give back in the community. I became certified through Rowing Canada’s volunteer coaching program and joined the coaching roster at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary, a local high school in Peterborough, to help their crews prepared for the national
Get to know us better!
RPIA
www.rpia.ca
RPIA 39 Hazelton Ave. Toronto, ON M5R 2E3 www.rpia.ca General Line: +1 647 776 1777 Investor Services: +1 647 776 2566
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker