Wayne Deans, BComm 68, chairman and CEO, Deans Knight Capital Management Ltd., Vancouver
Doug Knight and I founded Deans Knight Capital Management Ltd. in Vancouver in 1992. I’m pleased to say that we are in the 25th year of business — in the investment world, that’s a long time. Our firm oversees $1 billion in investments for our 400 private clients located across Canada, the United States and around the globe.
Success comes from investing in quality businesses — companies that have trusted leadership and a strong corporate culture, and present a competitive advantage to their peers. Family businesses often perform exceptionally well, as a shared understanding is passed from one generation to the next.
I worked for 10 years at the Bank of Canada in the 1970s. At the time, I think they had the best economic research group in the country. I was rubbing shoulders with them, watching them practise their craft. That same constructive learning characterizes the Kenneth Woods Portfolio Management Program in Concordia’s John Molson School of Business (JMSB).
The program provides a select group of JMSB undergraduate students with hands-on training in investment management by working with a real-life portfolio of over $2 million. It bridges the gap between academia and the business world. Kenneth Woods, MBA 75, launched the program with a $1-million gift to Concordia in 2000.
I contribute to the program financially, and also present to its students once a year. It’s a great opportunity for conversation, questions and the exchange of ideas. Students teach me just as much as I encourage them. Though my passion is found in the business world, it’s equally as important to support the arts, so I also fund an annual scholarship at Concordia’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema.