"A History of MSC" - NAPFA Advisor (August 2000 - PDF)

Macdonald, Shymko & Company, and arguably fee only financial planning itself, can trace its origins to Vancouver, and a couple of business graduates who identified a need for comprehensive, objective personal financial advice for individuals. Independent fee only financial planning was born in 1972 when Doug Macdonald and David Shymko determined that Canadians needed comprehensive financial advice to go with their investment and financial activities.

Doug and David recognized the need for advice but chose not to sell products. Instead they suggested that people would pay for the financial counselling. "Something for nothing is worth nothing,” Doug reasoned. And so, in May of 1972, Doug and David established Macdonald, Shymko & Company. Adrian Mastracci joined the team in 1973 and Larry Jacobson joined in 1975.

While in concept what the firm does has not changed over time, the way we do things certainly has. In 1973 Macdonald, Shymko & Company purchased four HP80 calculators (picture to the left) for approximately $2,500, which was a major purchase at that time. And their early offices, as you can see in the picture on the left, were somewhat sparsely furnished (picture of David Shymko to the left).

Early in 1984, Macdonald, Shymko & Company’s advisors undertook what turned out to be a significant involvement and leadership role in the Canadian Association of Financial Planners (CAFP). To build upon their dedication to raising the standards of the financial planning profession, Macdonald, Shymko & Company made a firm commitment to require all its advisors to attain the professional designation R.F.P. … the hallmark of the Professional Financial Planner in Canada.

In 1990 and 1992 respectively, Macdonald, Shymko & Company expanded its scope and partnered with offices in Calgary and Winnipeg, providing a national focus for its services. The firm continues to meet the needs of clients in different regions, provinces, and in some cases, different countries.

Communication and Education have always been two key focuses for the company. We continue to focus on communicating the importance of financial planning to individuals, through media relations, internal publications to clients, and through continuing participation and involvement with the CAFP. Advisors continue to focus on educational pursuits, and over the years advisors have taken special interests in Real Estate, Mortgages, and Trust and Estate Planning, and some have received their Real Estate licenses and Notary designations. In addition, Macdonald, Shymko & Company is registered as Investment Counsel.

In 1997 Macdonald Shymko & Company celebrated its 25th anniversary. To mark the anniversary, the partners launched the MSC Foundation. At that time the Company committed $25,000 to get the Foundation off the ground. It was felt that through the work of the MSC Foundation, the Company could give something back to the community which had supported its growth and development over the years.

The year 2000 proved to be a significant year as well, with Gina Macdonald, Ian Black and Brinsley Saleken all becoming principals of the firm.

In 2006, we were pleased to learn that Doug Macdonald had been awarded the Advisor's Edge Career Achievement Award. this esteemed award was created to provide peer and professional recognition to an individual whose leadership helped build the financial services industry in Canada and assisted its professionals with skill and ethical development for the protection of consumers. This recognition was profiled in the March 2006 issue of Advisor's Edge by Deanne Gage in her article "Advice by the Hour".

Since the beginning, our organization has expanded and we now have several advisors, assistant advisors and support staff. And, of course, modern computers have replaced the HP80 calculators we once thought so powerful.

The senior advisors are proud of the new partners, and the quality and integrity of staff attracted to the firm. While some of the faces have changed over the years, Macdonald Shymko & Company's mandate has not - to provide independent comprehensive, fee only advice to assist our clients to achieve their financial goals...

....while growing, learning and having some fun along the way.