History of the Corner Group 

A LIFELONG FRIENDSHIP SINCE 1966

Keith Goddard (left) and Ian Cubitt (right), the founding partners of the Corner Group, met at Yorkshire and Pacific Securities Limited (a former securities firm).

Keith was a salesman and Ian worked in research, and together they realized their potential. In 1966, their partnership was formed with a handshake.

CORNER GROUP ESTABLISHED AT
ODLUM BROWN (1971)

After hearing about Odlum Brown Limited in the 70s, Keith and Ian were the first partnership to join the firm. Committed to a “clients first” philosophy, they began to grow their business from the ground up. During this decade, Keith frequently traveled to Victoria, Campbell River, Quesnel and Powell River to meet with clients.

FIRST RRSP SEMINAR (1972)

Keith had a natural ability to build relationships with his clients for the long-term. As a proponent for financial education and retirement planning, Keith held his first retirement seminar at Capilano College. Over time, he helped retirees from MacMillan Bloedel (Weyerhaeuser) and Canadian Airlines (Air Canada), among many other companies and firms.

THE COMMENT NEWSLETTER (1974)

Focused on market research, industry trends and innovative investment ideas, Ian worked to create the duo's investment philosophy and strategy. After the crash of '74, Ian began writing The Comment,a market commentary for portfolio managed clients.

JAN MAGNOLO JOINS THE GROUP (1988)

Jan Magnolo joined Keith and Ian as the third partner. Having joined the firm in 1972 from a trust company, Jan was both experienced and knowledgeable. With the exponential boom of mutual funds in the 90s, Jan specialized in providing mutual funds as an investment option when interest rates tumbled.

A PERIOD OF RISING INTEREST RATES

We saw interest rates rise to over 20% in the 80s. As we believed that interest rates would eventually fall, we invested in 10-year government bonds and long-term government stripped coupons, which were first brought to market at that time, in RRSP accounts. When interest rates decreased, many of our clients benefitted from our strategy.

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS

In 1991, the Corner Group was featured in The Financial Post for its 25^th Anniversary. A quote from this article titled, “An enduring partnership,” aptly summarizes the longevity of the team:

"Formal partnerships within brokerage firms are not unusual, but few in Canada have lasted as long as that involving [the] brokers at Odlum Brown Limited, Vancouver... the firm is one of the few Canadian securities firms that may have emerged stronger from the industry turmoil of the past five years."

EXPANDING OUR TEAM OF ADVISORS

Photo circa 2000. Front row (left to right): Keith Goddard, Jan Magnolo, Ian Cubitt

Back row (left to right):
• Charlotte Faulkner joined in 1993
• Mike Henry joined in 1999
• Anita Celio joined in 1998
• Dan Sambolec joined in 2000

RETIREMENT MILESTONES

 
Congratulations to both of you!

Long-term thinking is as much ingrained into our investment philosophy as it is within our client relationships. When Keith retired in 2004, Mike Henry, who had worked along-side Keith for many years, ensured that our clients received the same attention and service excellence as they were accustomed.

When Jan Magnolo retired in 2009, our succession planning led to another smooth transition. Together, Anita Celio, Dan Sambolec and Mike Henry attended to the investment needs of all of Jan’s clients during the recent Financial Crisis, helping them to create and protect their wealth for generations.

EXPANDING OUR TEAM

The Corner Group welcomed four exceptional members to the team between 2011 and 2016:
▪ Rajeena Minhas joined in 2011
▪ Matthew MacGrotty joined in 2014
▪ Kyle Thompson joined in 2014
▪ Pamela Starek joined in 2016

CELEBRATING OUR 50^TH ANNIVERSARY

The Corner Group celebrated 50 years in style and with good company: our clients!

This summer evening was a perfect combination of Bard on the Beach and great storytelling.  

IAN’S RETIREMENT 

On June 30, 2021, after 50 years at Odlum Brown, Ian Cubitt retired!

Ian started his career at Yorkshire Securities as a Research Analyst in 1966 when he met Keith Goddard. From there, they formed a partnership (over a beer and a handshake) which has kept growing and evolving into what we know as the Corner Group today. Ian became a Portfolio Manager in 1986 and was elected to the Board of Directors in January 2000. Leading up to his retirement, Ian and his clients worked closely with Rajeena Minhas, Kyle Thompson and Matt MacGrotty. This trio continues the tradition of contrarian investing and superior client service. In retirement, Ian is looking forward to travelling more with his family.

We are forever grateful for the insightful forward thinking that Ian has brought to the Corner Group.

INVESTING FOR GENERATIONS

The Corner Group has grown to a dedicated team with over
$1.4 billion in assets under management.

Investing is forward looking by nature. There are always new financial crises, opportunities and strategies as well as new generations of clients with changing needs – everything from paying for their children’s education, planning for their own retirement or even leaving a legacy. In fact, we work closely with the next generation of our clients who choose to invest their inheritance for the long term.

We appreciate the trust and confidence our clients have placed in us in the last five decades and look forward to assisting them for many years to come.