Advocis Banff School Faculty
The Advocis Banff School has always been known for its amazing Faculty. Did you know that in the 68 year history of the Advocis Banff School that we've never paid any of these amazing folks?
They come out and speak of their own accord because they believe in the school, and they believe in supporting those Advisors who are willing to invest in themselves by attending.
This year's Faculty is another amazing lineup of experts. Get ready to learn and be inspired!
Robert McCullagh
2026 Banff School Emcee. CHS, CFP, CLU, CHFC Mutual Funds Representative, Manulife Wealth. Life Insurance Advisor, Benefit Planners Inc.
Robert began his career in the financial services industry more than 35 years ago, starting at a career agency. In 1999, he became an independent advisor and joined Benefit Planners Inc., where he built a successful practice serving individuals, families, business owners, and entrepreneurs.
Robert’s areas of expertise include risk management, group benefits, and wealth management, with a strong focus on wills and estate planning, powers of attorney, trusts, tax-planning strategies, and business succession planning. In 2011, he further expanded his practice by investing in and acquiring his partner’s firm.
From 1997 to 2015, Robert taught the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) program and other financial planning courses at Mount Royal University and the University of Calgary, reflecting his long-standing commitment to education and professional development within the industry.
Industry involvement has been a cornerstone of Robert’s career. He has held numerous leadership roles with Advocis, beginning in 1992, including serving as President of the Calgary Chapter in 2004. He has also been an active member of the TFAAC Board of Directors, serving as Chair in 2011. Robert is a past Chair of the Advocis Banff School and a member and past Chair (2023) of CALU (Conference for Advanced Life Underwriters). He is also a Top of the Table (TOT) as well as a Life and qualifying member of MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table).
Currently, Robert serves as Chair of Advocis’ National Legal & Regulatory Policy Committee. His community and academic involvement includes serving as past Chair of the University of Calgary Insurance & Risk Advisory Board and as a Director of UniWater, an educational organization.
Robert and his wife, Carla, are the proud parents of three adult children: Jordyn, Sam, and Sara.
Karl Krokosinski
George Sigurdson
Jane Blaufus
CLU, Bestselling Author | International Speaker | Business Coach
Jane is the author of the third edition of WITH THE [STROKE] OF A PEN: Claim Your Life. Her book and comprehensive planning binder have become acclaimed as two of the most actionable, personal and financial planning resources available today for families, individuals and business owners alike. She is on a mission to help advisors to get the ‘Courageous Conversations’ started with their clients to become their ‘advisor for life’.
An international keynote speaker, Jane has delivered highly rated sessions at four MDRT conferences around the globe along with numerous keynote speeches across North America.
She brings to the table 25+ years of insurance expertise as a financial advisor, sales manager and corporate executive. Today she is the Principal of The Blaufus Group Inc., based in Toronto, Canada and consults extensively into the financial services industry. Jane is a frequently sought after guest expert on Television, Radio and Podcasts. Her reputation and expertise make her an influential business coach to many financial services professionals around the world.
(pronounced PHRASE)
Froese has coached over 1000 families helping decrease their anxiety over the uncertainty of their future. She has authored 5 books, and written a column for 30 years in Grainews,
She’s a Wilson Loree Excellence in Farm Management award winner, who provides practical tools and roadmaps to find fairness in farm transition and navigate conflict with positive behaviour.
Froese Family Farms near Boissevain in Southwestern Manitoba is her home base, where she farms with her husband, son, and daughter in law. Their certified seed farm of 5000 acres is also home to Boissevain Select Seeds, a certified seed company now owned and run by son Ian.
Elaine runs Farm Family Coach Inc. with her business partner Lydia Carpenter who manages the coaching practice while Elaine focuses on speaking and the membership site which is a subscription to group coaching for over 40 families across North America and the UK.
Elaine understands the culture of agriculture and is gifted at helping folks see great outcomes and workable paths for their family farms. Visit www.elainefroese.com and the podcast www.farmfamilyharmonypodcast.com
Elaine and her team refer many farm families to financial planners and wealth advisors. She is delighted to share insights with Advocis in Banff!
Her mission is to help families find harmony through understanding.
If you need a higher resolution photo, please reach out to Brenda Funk, copied above. Thanks
Hope that is all you need for now,
Elaine
Elaine Froese
Jamie Golombek
Jamie Golombek is Managing Director, Tax & Estate Planning with CIBC in Toronto. As a member of the CIBC Private Wealth team, Jamie works closely with advisors from across CIBC to support their clients and deliver integrated financial planning and strong advisory solutions. Jamie is quoted frequently in the national media as an expert on taxation, writes a weekly column called “Tax Expert” in the National Post, has appeared as a guest on BNN, CTV News, and The National and has been a regular personal finance guest on The Marilyn Denis Show.
He received his B.Com. from McGill University, earned his CPA designation in Ontario and qualified as a U.S. CPA in Illinois. He has also obtained his Certified Financial Planning (CFP) and Chartered Life Underwriting (CLU) designations.
In 2023, Jamie was named a CPA Ontario Fellow. The FCPA is the highest distinction that can be bestowed upon a CPA who brings distinction to themselves and to their profession through leadership and achievement in their professional, community and/or personal lives.
Karl Krokosinski
Karl has dedicated more than five decades to the financial services industry and is widely regarded as a leader, educator, and mentor within the profession. He is a Life and Qualifying Member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) with over 40 years of membership, earning 34 Court of the Table and 27 Top of the Table honours. He is also a past board member of the Canadian MDRT Foundation, where he achieved the distinguished Legion of Honour – Excalibur Knight recognition.
A sought-after and accomplished speaker, Karl has presented on five continents at both industry and non industry symposiums. He was the longest-serving moderator of the Life Underwriters Association, now known as Advocis, and has addressed a wide range of audiences — from universities, charities, trust departments, and professional associations to classrooms of Grade 4 students — reflecting his exceptional ability to connect across generations and disciplines.
Professionally, Karl specializes in estate and succession planning strategies for businesses, individuals, and multi-generational family enterprises. He is deeply committed to the development of insurance professionals and financial advisors, serving as a trusted trainer, educator, and coach throughout his career.
Karl is the Founder and CEO of Customplan Financial Advisors Inc., the largest independent financial planning firm in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Most recently, he completed his 100th associate transition plan — a milestone reflecting his long-standing commitment to continuity, mentorship, and sustainable practice building.
He is a founding member of the Canadian Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies and has been recognized annually with GAMA’s Global Canada Awards for National Management, National Agency Builder, and National Achievement.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Karl has served on numerous public and private company boards, charitable foundations, and financial institutions. He is a past President and Chairman of a credit union and a past President of the West Vancouver (Sunrise) Rotary Club, where he earned the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow Award. He also served for several years as a sessional instructor at Mount Royal University and, in his downtime, became a certified ski instructor.
Above all, Karl is known as a mentor and coach to many within and beyond the financial services profession. He lives by his enduring mantra of “Paying It Forward,” a philosophy that continues to shape his work, his relationships, and his legacy.
Jacky Kuk
Jacky is an experienced Financial Planner and Financial Advisor Coach based in Vancouver, with over 13 years in the financial industry. Over the past 3 years, he has coached successful advisors across Canada and helped them scale their businesses through modern systems and marketing.
Since COVID, Jacky has leveraged AI, automation, and social media to grow his practice, expanding his YouTube channel to 32,000 subscribers and generating 150 new clients from online content alone. He has also developed a custom automated onboarding system that achieves a 95% conversion rate and reduces his day-to-day workload by half.
In addition to serving his own clients, Jacky coaches other advisors on business structure, operations, social media strategy, and automation. His methods consistently deliver measurable success—one student generated 1–2 million video views and 60 new clients in a year, all managed through the automated workflow Jacky helped design.
Jacky specializes in content creation, AI-driven automation, and scalable business systems, empowering advisors to improve efficiency, strengthen client acquisition, and accelerate long-term growth.