Member Classification Update - Andrew Oswald
Andrew is currently a consultant with Investors Group Financial Services.
He started with Investors Group in March 2008, and promptly had the pleasure of experiencing one of the worst market downturns since the great depression. Despite the obvious challenges that it presented, he survived the first few years in the industry and was awarded with the Investors Group Edmonton Metro Office, Rookie of the Year award for the 2008/2009 year. For the 2009/2010 year he was awarded the Investors Group Edmonton Metro Office, Top New Business for Consultants in years 1-4 award, as well as the Investors Group Pillar award, a National Award which recognizes approximately the top 10% of the company. Despite the challenges, he has greatly enjoyed his time with Investors Group and looks forward to many more years in the financial industry.
Andrew is married to Pamela and they will be celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary in April 2012.
Pamela and Andrew welcomed Anthony to the family on May 7th 2010 and have not had a good night sleep since. Although Anthony is starting to sleep better, the whole thing will be starting over again in February 2012 as Pamela is expecting their second child. Both Andrew and Pamela love being parents and are looking forward to another addition to the family.
Andrew joined Rotary in 2008 after meeting Peter DeNooy at the Rotary Club of Sherwood Park Golf Tournament. He had been considering the Sherwood Park club, when Peter invited him to come as a guest to the Rotary Club of Edmonton-Strathcona. Not being one to turn down a free lunch, he attended as a guest the following Tuesday and has never left.
After a year and a bit on the back benches of the club, Andrew finally joined the board for the 2010/2011 year and was responsible for organizing guest speakers for the weekly meetings. He has resumed that role for this year and with much help from other club members, is actively scheduling speakers for the meetings.
As well as being a member of the Board, he is also involved with the Big Bin Event, and has volunteered to help with assembly, distribution and collection of flags for the Canada Flag Project.
Andrew is an active member of his church and is also involved with the Edmonton Chapter of the Canadian Huntington Society. In 2010 he took advantage of his Rotary connections and convinced several members of the club to help transport delegates of the Canadian Huntington Society, from the Edmonton International Airport to the Sutton Place Hotel for the annual Huntington Society National Conference. This challenge was completed relatively without flaw and for which there were many positive comments. It was an undertaking that took many hours on the part of many volunteers and he is grateful for the support he received from his fellow Rotarians.
When he’s not working or taking part in Rotary Events, Andrew likes to spend as much time as possible at one of two family lake properties. His parents have a place at Lac Sante (near St. Paul, AB) where he spent every summer and most weekends as child. Pamela’s parents also have a place at Shining Bank Lake (near Edson, AB) where she spent much of her childhood. They don’t get out to either cabin as much as they’d like, but they’re hoping that as their children grow, they’ll be able to enjoy as much time at the cabins as did their parents.
Andrew was once and avid traveler having spent an extended period of time working in Wales and studying French in France and Quebec. He has also had several shorter recreational trips to England, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Mexico, Dominican Republic, the U.S. and other parts of Canada. Although time for travel has all but disappeared over the last few years he hopes to resume his traveling once his financial planning practice is more established and his children are old enough to appreciate the wonders of the world.
Andrew enjoys the community spirit of Rotary and appreciates the fact the all Rotarians are working towards the same (or similar) goals. He respects the history of Rotary and the International focus of the organization. He has enjoyed being part of the Rotary Club of Edmonton-Strathcona and looks forward to many years to come.