Knowledge First Financial

Knowledge First Financial Inc. is an administrator, distributor and investment fund manager of group and individual Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs).
The company is registered as an investment fund manager and scholarship plan dealer with the provincial and territorial securities commissions across Canada and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Knowledge First Foundation.
The Knowledge First Foundation, a not-for-profit Canadian corporation, sponsors and promotes various education savings plans
History
Established as Scholarship Consultants of North America in 1965, Knowledge First Financial is an administrator and distributor of scholarship plans, and was previously known under the name USC Education Savings Plans Inc.
The company was founded as a scholarship plan dealer to distribute education savings plans sponsored by the International Scholarship Foundation. The Foundation consisted of a small group of educators and professionals based in Alberta.
When it assumed responsibility for administering as well as distributing RESPs, the name was changed from Scholarship Consultants of North America to USC Education Savings Plans Inc. In 2011, the company changed its name to Knowledge First Financial.
Services
Knowledge First Financial distributes education savings plans through a national network of commissioned sales representatives.
As an RESP distributor, Knowledge First Financial applies for available grants on behalf of its customers once their education savings plans are registered. Currently the company offers the , , and . In 2015, the company will begin offering the and British Columbia Training and Education Savings Grant (BCTESG), if made available by the Province.
Since 1965, Knowledge First Financial has paid out $3.0 billion CAD in RESP payments to customers and students.
The company has contracted with third parties to manage the assets of its plans. Portfolio managers include: Fiera Capital Corporation; Guardian Capital LP; TD Asset Management Inc.; Baker Gilmore & Associates Inc.; Connor, Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd.; BMO Asset Management Inc. and Burgundy Asset Management Ltd.
Corporate Governance
President & Chief Executive Officer: George Hopkinson (2009-Present)
Chairman: Stuart H.B. Smith (2006-Present)
Board of Directors: Lili de Grandpré, Michael MacMillan, Donald Hunter, Yvonne C. Jerred, William Terrence Wright, Karimah Es Sabar, John B.M. Moore.

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