The Westward Team

Our objective is to design a customized tax and estate plan involving the use of life insurance that is integrated with your overall estate planning and/or business succession goals.

The Advisory Group

Rob Darnbrough

Insurance and Estate Planning Consultant, Vancouver

Rob Darnbrough is an Insurance and Estate Planning Consultant specializing in advanced markets for wealthy individuals and shareholders of privately held corporations. Rob has an advanced understanding of insurance products, the underwriting process and the advanced use of life insurance in estate tax planning.

Rob is the President of Westward Capital Management Group Ltd. and a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), Advocis, the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFÉ), and Top of The Table, a distinguished group of life insurance professionals drawn from members of the International Million Dollar Round Table organization.

Darren Lee

Insurance and Estate Planning Consultant, Vancouver

Having almost 20 years experience consulting with independent advisors, Darren’s primary focus is working with accountants and lawyers to assist their clients through the LifeStep Process. Specializing in advanced markets for wealthy individuals and shareholders of privately held corporations, Darren effectively communicates insurance and estate planning ideas through creative, high-level presentations. He has recently became a non-voting member of the Insurance Council of British Columbia.

Zachary Goldman

Insurance and Estate Planning Consultant, Toronto

Based in Toronto, Zachary works with business owners, accountants and lawyers to assist them through The LifeStep Process. He is a member of Advocis (The Financial Advisors Association of Canada) and has achieved Court of Table, an honor drawn from members of the International Million Dollar Round Table organization. In 2005, he completed the CAFÉ Family Council Facilitator program.

Brent Peacock

Insurance & Estate Planning Consultant, Kelowna

As an active and passionate entrepreneur himself, Brent focuses on designing insurance solutions for some of the most successful professionals and business owners throughout the Okanagan. He expertly implements customized financial products and strategies for his clients, while providing them with both short and long term financial planning direction. Brent acts as quarterback within his clients’ professional advisory teams, ensuring their aspirations and goals are achieved. An SFU graduate and Financial Services industry veteran, Brent’s entrepreneurial aptitude has helped him establish the Peacock Sheridan Group in Kelowna along with partner Grant Sheridan.

Brent holds the industry designation of Registered Health Underwriter, and is a member of Advocis.  Brent is an achieved lifetime member and Court of Table qualifier of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), the international organization that sets the standard for sales excellence in the life insurance and Financial Services business. He volunteers his spare time to sitting on the Kelowna Hospital Foundation’s Board of Directors.  

Grant Sheridan

Insurance & Estate Planning Consultant, Kelowna

Co-founder of Kelowna’s Peacock Sheridan Group, Grant leverages over 15 years of experience in providing exceptional service to his clients. Through unbiased product and concept analysis, he enables them to make well-informed decisions based on their individual financial needs and goals. Specializing in corporate insurance, estate, and retirement planning, Grant seeks to educate and empower business owners and professionals while developing comprehensive solutions.

Grant is both a member of Advocis and a MDRT repeat qualifier. His extensive knowledge includes an economics and finance degree from the University of Calgary, formal training as a Registered Health Underwriter, and considerable experience working with a major international insurance firm. 

The Tax Group

Roland Parker, CA

Tax Partner

Roland specializes in personal and corporate taxation and estate planning for privately held businesses and their owners. His professional memberships include:

• Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia
• Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants
• Canadian Tax Foundation

Most recently with Ernst & Young, Roland has been practicing as a chartered accountant in public accounting firms for more than eight years. Roland joined Westward Capital Management Group in 2005 and facilitates the development of unique, sophisticated tax and estate strategies with the use of life insurance.

An avid sports enthusiast; Roland commits two nights a week to the North Vancouver Boys and Girls Club coaching the floor hockey team. The two-time league champions have yet to be defeated this season and they are shooting for a three-peat.

Wayne Stone, CA

Tax Partner

Wayne brings to Westward an expert understanding of the Income Tax Act as it applies to the use of life insurance in estate planning and wealth management. He often speaks publicly, most recently delivering presentations to the Vancouver Chapter of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners and the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC.

Before joining Westward, Wayne spent 13 years practicing as a chartered accountant for public accounting firms in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver where he provided tax and financial advice to private corporations and their shareholders. His professional memberships include:

• Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia
• Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants
• Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
• Financial Planners Standards Council * Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting
• Canadian Tax Foundation

Byron Tan

Tax Supervisor

Byron recently graduated from the University of British Columbia and is the newest addition to our tax group. A finance major, Byron brings to Westward a degree in commerce. He is responsible for analyzing personal and corporate financials to assist in the development of comprehensive schedules and presentations for our clients and advisors.

Michael Li

Tax Associate

Michael brings to Westward a B.A. in Economics along with an Advanced Accounting & Information Technology Diploma from Vancouver Community College. His extensive professional development includes a Financial Management Diploma from Vancouver Community College as well as the H&R Block Taxation Course, and he is currently a student at the final level of the CGA Program of Professional Studies.

Michael has worked previously as a Tax Associate with H&R Block and as a loan officer at China Construction Bank. At Westward, he is responsible for preparing annual reviews for clients and building presentations for client meetings. He also ensures timeliness and accuracy of information while organizing internal meetings within the Tax Group.

The Corporate Group

Grant Twitchett

Director of Corporate Affairs

With close to ten years experience in the financial sector, Grant’s management skills have become vital to the organizational model of Westward Capital. Responsible for seeing all corporate projects to completion, Grant’s structured approach has proven crucial to our success; he has been influential in customizing The LifeStep Process™; a unique process that utilizes life insurance to help clients and their advisors achieve a complete tax and estate plan. Grant is also a licensed insurance agent.

Active in the nonprofit community for many years as a volunteer for Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver and as a board member of The Wish Cup Sports Society; Grant was instrumental in delivering The Community Volunteer Experience™.

Trina Bennett

Director of Client Services

Since joining the company in 1997, Trina has played an instrumental part in Westward’s corporate development. With experience in every area of operations, and as a licensed insurance agent, she is an invaluable resource to both colleagues and clients.

Trina holds a degree in Business and Marketing which, along with strong interpersonal skills, has served as a foundation for building and preserving relationships with Westward Capital’s clients and Strategic Partners. In her current role as Client Services Manager, she provides critical operational support during both The Strategic Implementor™ and The Performance Optimizer™ stage of The LifeStep Process™. She also manages every aspect of medical and financial underwriting within the Valued Client™ stage and facilitates communication between all involved parties. Socially conscious, Trina contributes to the local community as a volunteer for the BC Cancer Agency.

Alfred Tolentino

Underwriting Associate

Alfred is no stranger to the life insurance industry, having spent years as a health coordinator taught him wealth experience in health management and financial services sector which makes him an important candidate to Westward Capital. Before joining Westward Capital, Alfred has also worked many years for a diverse range of organizations where he gained solid background in customer service.

Alfred provides critical operational support during both The Strategic Implementor™ and The Performance Optimizer™ stage of The LifeStep Process™. He also manages every aspect of medical and financial underwriting within the Valued Client™ stage and facilitates communication between all involved parties. Alfred is a dedicated underwriting specialist at Westward Capital Management who will be the main contact throughout the Valued Client stage of The LifeStep Process.

Ben Tan

Tax and Underwriting Associate

Ben has over 12 years of customer service experience in multiple business sectors. His experience as a team leader for an insurance paramedical company has given him invaluable understanding of medical underwriting procedures. He has supplemented this hands-on experience with formal training in business and accounting related courses at Capilano College, Kwantlen University College, and BCIT.

Ben assists the tax group in building presentations and preparing schedules and memos for client meetings.  As a valuable part of the Underwriting team, he is also responsible for booking medical appointments and assembling various underwriting packages. A multilingual ‘people person,’ he speaks English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Hokkien.

Harjot Gillan

Office Supervisor

Harjot graduated from York University in April 2006 with a Bachelor of Administrative Studies (BAS), specializing in General Management.

As administrative assistant, her responsibilities include reception duties, coordinating incoming and outgoing courier service, quarterly meeting logistics, and general office administration.  Her exceptional organizational and time management skills aid her in assisting Grant with Strategic Projects designed to improve the efficiency of corporate operations.

Rose Yan

Executive Assistant to Wayne Stone

Rose has earned both a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a Diploma of Technology in Marketing Management from BCIT. These credentials, along with practical marketing and accounting experience make her a knowledgeable resource to the rest of the team. A strong communicator, Rose excels in public speaking and is fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin.

In addition to general office management and bookkeeping, Rose takes charge of planning and overseeing various projects and events.