About John
Earning his Bachelor of Business Administration, Honours, from Wilfrid Laurier University, John is also a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario and a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants. His astuteness to mitigating risk, as well as early detection of issues, results in highly curated solutions for his clients. John has assisted many in negotiating tax-effective solutions on strategic acquisitions and divestitures of business involving share and asset transactions. His expertise also extends to planning for real estate transactions with an emphasis on tax minimization.
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Employing a hard work ethic and long-term planning, two values instilled in him by his parents, John believes the financial decisions you make today will impact you tomorrow. That’s why planting and fertilizing seeds by thinking of the future needs of his clients is critical to their wealth planning. With excellent precision, John helps businesses navigate the decisions needed to transfer a business to the next generation.
Deeply rooted in the Slovenian community, John is the Honourary Consul General for the Republic of Slovenia, an honour that he calls one of the proudest accomplishments of his life. John has worked with the European Chamber for several years and as a result of his guidance and dedication to his efforts, John was named a Director of the Board and Treasurer for the EUCCAN (European Union Chamber of Commerce in Canada) in 2021. He is a past Director of Green Energy Co-operative, Director and Chairman of the Canadian Slovenian Chamber of Commerce, and a co-founder and Director of the Canadian Slovenian Scholarship Foundation. He’s been awarded Slovenia’s Horus Award for Social Responsibility and Canada’s Sesquicentennial Citizenship Award for his contributions to the community of Burlington, and the Slovenian-Canadian Scholarship Award for his exceptional volunteerism.
When asked what he likes best about his career, John says it’s the people. He’s driven by mentorship and watching his team members and clients succeed, empowering both to build and use their own strengths. John is equally driven by his family. He credits his wife, Margaret, for much of his success. Together they have four adult children and four beautiful grandchildren.
Education & Credentials
Education
- Bachelor of Business Administration Honours Wilfrid Laurier University 1984
Professional Membership
- Member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario 1987
- Member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants 1987
Current Positions
- Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Slovenia
- Director of Green Energy Co-operative
- Director and Chairman of the Canadian Slovenian Chamber of Commerce
- Director of the Canadian Slovenian Scholarship Foundation
- Director/ Presenter Toronto International Business Academy
Past Positions
- Independent Review Committee
- Member of AIC Investments funds and Portland Holdings Inc.
- Volunteered in youth sports including coach and manager of Rep Soccer and Hockey teams
Awards and Recognition
- Elected Fellow Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario 2017
- Horus Award (Slovenia) for Social Responsibility 2016
- Sesquicentennial Citizenship Award 2017 for the Contributions to the Community of Burlington
- Slovenski Dom and Slovenian Canadian Scholarship Award for Exceptional Volunteer