St. Thomas’ Favourite Financial Planner: Ellen Luft
Votes, Voices, and Community: One Mom’s Quest for Super Mom For Lindsay Payne, what began as a simple online entry has quickly grown into something much bigger; it is now a community-wide effort fuelled by local support, personal resilience and a desire to share her story.
Being named Favourite Financial Planner in the 2026 Reader’s Choice Awards is a reflection of both expertise and trust, something Ellen Luft has built throughout her career. A Certified Financial Planner and Senior Wealth Advisor with iA Private Wealth, she also serves as an Insurance Advisor, offering a well- rounded approach to financial health. Ellen has been a Certified Financial Planner since 1999, beginning her career as a bank teller before moving into independent financial services. “I felt my clients would be better served through a diversified product offering, allowing me to focus on the integration of financial planning with investment options and advice tailored to meet their personal goals,” she explains. That personalized approach is central to her work. Ellen takes the time to truly understand each client before they even come on board. “A client is not a number or even just a name; they become a friend,” Ellen says, noting the importance of trust and adaptability as clients move through life’s milestones. For Ellen, the reward is seeing those journeys unfold. “I love the personal relationship side of the business and seeing my clients reach their goals,” she shares.
Being recognized by the community is especially meaningful. “I am humbled to be chosen St. Thomas’ favourite Financial Planner for 2026. To those who voted for me, I am honoured to be your Financial Advisor. I embrace your goals, dreams and challenges every day.”
Ellen Luft of iA Private Wealth Ellen Luft of iA Private Wealth Ellen has been active in the Financial Services Industry since graduating from High School. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, Senior Wealth Advisor and In- surance Agent. She provides wealth build- ing solutions for individuals by focusing on all aspects of financial health including saving goals, taxes, estate planning and philanthropy. Ellen takes a very personalized approach to working with her clients, building long term relationships built on trust and a mutual understanding of her client’s goals. Ellen is very active in her community supporting such projects as the Elgin-St. Thomas Community Foundation, Hospice of Elgin, The Art Centre, and local hospitals. People today lead very busy lifestyles. Having someone they trust working on their financial goals allows them to get on with the demands of family, business and taking care of self. iA Private Wealth is a trademark and business name under which iA Private Wealth Inc. operates. iA Private Wealth Inc. is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization. *Insurance products are provided through iA Private Wealth Insurance, which is a trade name of PPI Management Inc. Only products and services offered through iA Private Wealth Inc. are covered by the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.
Lindsay, a St. Thomas mother of two, is currently competing with NewBeauty Magazine for the title of Super Mom. While the competition offers a $20,000 prize and a feature in the magazine, for Lindsay, the experience has become about far more than the potential win. “What started as just giving it a shot has turned into something I never expected,” she explains. “I had no idea when I first started how many people would be involved, or how big this competition really is.” That scale became clear early on. Across North America, thousands of mothers are competing in grouped rounds, with eliminations narrowing the field week by week. “There were 63 people in my group at one point,” she says. “And I remember seeing that in previous years, there were over 140,000 moms in the competition. So truly, it’s everywhere.” Despite the size of the contest, Lindsay’s journey has taken on a distinctly local feel. Businesses across St. Thomas and Aylmer, including The Fritter Shop, Myrtle, The Harvest Table, Grandma’s Oven, and Ruby’s, have opened their doors to help her spread the word.
Page 16 Hometown St. Thomas • June 2026 Ellen Luft, CFP® Senior Wealth Advisor, iA Private Wealth® Insurance Advisor, iA Private Wealth Insurance ellen.luft@iaprivatewealth.ca Ellen Luft, CFP® Senior Wealth Advisor, iA Private Wealth® Insurance Advisor, iA Private Wealth Insurance ellen.luft@iaprivatewealth.ca
519-631-4088 1-866-643-5536 188 Sunset Drive, Unit 2 St. Thomas, Ontario N5R 3B9 519-631-4088 1-866-643-5536 188 Sunset Drive, Unit 2 St. Thomas, Ontario N5R 3B9
To advertise here contact Geoff@VillagerPublications.com
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs