A “Great One” on his own terms

“His answer was just the classiest thing I ever heard,” says Jim Mignault, an executive financial consultant with Winnipeg-based Investors Group Inc. in London, Ont. “I’ve never forgotten that in the back of my head – it’s how I try to look at everything, whether it’s Investors Group or other jobs I’ve held. I’m very blessed and have a wonderful family; I live a great lifestyle. And I want to share my good fortune with others. I learned that from Gretzky.”

Despite the market volatility over the past few years, Mignault is still a staunch optimist, always choosing to look on the brighter side of life. That philosophy has helped to guide him along the path to a number of notable achievements in community-building.

Mignault won his own version of the NHL’s Stanley Cup championship in 2012, when he was selected as the recipient of the Herbert H. Carnegie Community Service Award, a prestigious award given to Investors Group employees who have made substantial long-term commitments to their communities.

“It was humbling and flattering,” says Mignault, adding that he was surprised. “You don’t start 20 years ago and think, ‘If I do this or that, I will win an award.’ I would have done this regardless. If you get recognized, that is just gravy. Giving back is just in my fabric.”

Ever since joining Investors Group 18 years ago, Mignault has devoted his time to an impressive list of causes: he helped to create a children’s safety village in London; he and his wife, Denise Lanteigne-Mignault, a registered nurse, have hosted support groups and annual Christmas parties for families of those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s disease); and Mignault has organized a “breakfast of champions” to promote mental health in the southwestern Ontario region. That last initiative has included such high-profile speakers as TSN’s Michael Landsberg and Sen. Roméo Dallaire.

The focus of Mignault’s community work, however, is on diabetes. “It has always been something so near and dear to me,” says Mignault, who has Type 1 diabetes.

While Mignault was in his early 20s, growing up in suburban Montreal, he lost his cousin, who was only 32 years old at the time, to diabetes. That event would turn out to be the spark that ignited Mignault’s lifelong desire to make a difference. He began by raising money for juvenile diabetes. Then, he says, things snowballed from there.

Mignault likens the first nine years of his career, with Royal Bank of Canada in Toronto, as a “Harvard education in working with people.” Having been in private banking and branch management, Mignault says, he realized his true calling wasn’t working in a branch.

Meanwhile, always one to know what he wants and unafraid to make things happen, Mignault met his wife on a blind date – and they became engaged only two months after they first met. The couple then moved to London, where Mignault joined Investors Group.

“One of the easiest ways to get introduced to the community is by volunteering,” he says. “My wife and I didn’t know anyone else in London, so, we figured, ‘What do we have to lose?'”

Mignault immediately made a beeline to the local chapter of the Canadian Diabetes Association and got involved with its annual diabetes golf tournament. Sixteen years later, he is still a part of that committee.

This past August, the tournament surpassed the $1-million mark in monies raised for diabetes research.

Mignault’s success with the golf tournament was the springboard for many other community activities. He has hosted charity golf tournaments that have been attended by his Montreal Canadiens hockey heroes, including Jean Béliveau, Henri Richard and Yvan Cournoyer.

Mignault also was approached by London’s St. Joseph’s Hospital to spearhead its Memorial Cup golf tournament in 2005, when London was the host city for that Junior A hockey national championship tournament. After this success, he was asked to join the board of directors at the hospital, a position he held for two terms.

Mignault sees the hospital as a repository of both the city’s history and how he fits within it: “It just made sense. That’s where all the kids in London were born for more than 100 years, and it is [the city’s] diabetes centre.”

He also has a personal connection. “I’m a patient. I have my clients there. They want to keep me in good health,” he says jokingly, “so I can look after their money.”

Mignault readily admits he has met many great people during his career. However, he regards Ed Holder, one of Mignault’s former neighbours and the current member of Parliament for the London West riding, as his biggest mentor in volunteerism.

“I just think the world of him,” Mignault says. “I would walk across nails and hot coals [for him] because he has been so good to me and made sure I was welcomed in the community.”

He also credits Holder with helping Mignault to establish his personal and professional life in London: “[Holder’s mentorship] helped me build the relationships that made [my community involvement] possible and helped me build my business.”

Mignault currently has about $70 million in assets under administration and has been a member of Investors Group’s President’s Circle sales echelon eight times in his career.

Mignault also credits his success to both his life coach, John Kanary, with whom Mignault has worked since 1999, and having the stability of a longtime assistant, Kathy Krawec, who has been working with Mignault for 15 years.

“That is always my goal, to be in the top 1% of advisors – and my team knows that,” Mignault says. “If I’m not in front of clients, then [the team] knows that the practice isn’t generating revenue. They know that their job is to handle the rest.”

But given Mignault’s busy schedule, does he ever feel that he is spread too thin? “Never,” he says. “Most people would often just say, ‘Yes,’ and do it half-heartedly. But I want to come in and give 100%. I want to put my stamp on something. I have a good balance and I have loyal clients who support what I do. And I manage my time.”

There’s no doubt Mignault makes full use of his day. For example, while some volunteers might see early-morning board meetings as a chore, Mignault says, it energizes him and makes him more productive in his financial advisory practice: “I’m in the office by 9 or 10 a.m., so it doesn’t take much out of my day and it charges me up when there is lots of stuff to do.”

But regardless of whether Mignault is putting his energy into work or volunteering, his ultimate goal is to be a good role model to his children: “I just want to be a good example for my two teenage daughters. I want my kids to look at their dad and respect what he does, how he helps other people through the community and with their finances.

“In the end, we’d better pay attention to the future because that is where we are going to spend the rest of our lives.”

© 2013 Investment Executive. All rights reserved.