April 29, 2016
Women on the Peninsula
Page 17
LocaL women making a diffeRence
Helping to inspire others Viola Van de Ruyt National Bank Financial
A
s retirement looms, many people wonder about whether they will be able to enjoy life after work and it becomes a very real concern. Viola Van de Ruyt of National Bank Financial Wealth Management, a brokerage and wealth management firm, has been working with people on those very issues for more than 30 years. Based in Sidney, Van de Ruyt says many people reaching retirement rely on their investments and upon their financial advisor to help ensure their income will be sufficient to last throughout their retired years. Among women, that concern is very real. Van de Ruyt says her focus of the years has turned to working with women
from the Baby Boomer era. She says they make up a large segment of the population and many are on their own, following the death of a spouse or divorce. “When they go looking for a financial advisory, they are looking for someone they can trust. Many times, they are worried about having enough money for their retirement, or about outliving their money.” That’s where her expertise and skill comes in, having made women’s financial well-being a priority for years. “Anyone working with women has to have patience, as in many cases, as they reach retirement age, they have gone through a loss. They want to know that you have a plan to help ensure they are going to be okay. And it’s all about creating that relationship.” And more than just accumulation of wealth, Van
de Ruyt says preparing for retirement means making sure someone has the security and freedom to try new things once their working career is over. Van de Ruyt is also the President of the Saanich Peninsula Community Foundation, an active organization that helps other groups through their annual grants program. Stepping up and being involved in the community is not a competition, she says, but an important role for anyone who wants to see their community grow and improve. To be leaders, she says people have to be willing to step up and contribute. “The Peninsula is growing in so many ways, wineries, distilleries, agri-tourism … it’s becoming a destination for people from all around Greater Victoria. Over the years, it has been going from strength to strength.”