Meet a Legend – Chris Armstrong – Former CEO of TD Ameritrade
Chris took his MBA in Finance with the help of the GI Bill and spent his formative career years in analytical roles at the Federal Supply Service, Ford Motor Company, and PepsiCo. He got his first “big break” when he became the General Manager of the Pepsi Bottling Group in Dusseldorf, Germany. After Pepsi and a short stint as VP Strategic Planning, The Hertz Corporation, Chris entered the world of retail financial services where he spent 25 years in a variety of senior management and marketing assignments.
Directly before retiring, he was a member of the Office of the Chief Executive at TD Ameritrade where he was responsible for retail and institutional client experience at TD AMERITRADE as well as marketing, mergers and acquisitions, and strategy. Earlier, he was Acting President and CEO, TD Waterhouse USA at the time of the merger with Ameritrade and also served as Chairman and CEO of TD Waterhouse Bank. Other executive experience includes EVP and CMO, TD Bank Financial Group (awarded Canadian Marketer of the Year in 2003); EVP Marketing, First Interstate Bank; EVP, Marketing, MNC Financial Inc.; and VP, Citibank, NA.
Of late, Chris is the co-founder Life’s Next Steps, a company that offers non-financial lifestyle planning workshops for the “generation that won’t settle for an ordinary retirement”. He also serves as a member of the Advisory Board at The Mutual Fund Store®, a nationally branded, independent Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) organization owned since 2011 by Warburg Pincus and is a Senior Advisor for Branded Cultures, a firm focused on helping firms differentiate themselves through leveraging the values and strengths on which their culture is based.
Chris and Suzanne, his spouse, moved to Miami in 2010 and live in Coconut Grove. They are active participants in the condo in which they live, The Grovenor House, where Chris is the head of the Finance Committee. In addition to being co-founders of Life’s Next Steps, Inc., they are heavily involved with their extended family and are the proud grandparents of two granddaughters. Both Chris and Suzanne are involved and active members of PAMM, including being members of the Collector’s Council. Chris speaks fluent Spanish and German and Suzanne, fluent French. They are avid early golfers.
BA, University of Virginia (Latin American Studies); M.B.A (Finance). with honors, American University.
Who Are Builders?
This category was designed to honour the charismatic leaders who have built and enhanced existing brands and in doing so have increased the competitive nature of their respective organizations.
Want to meet a Legend?
You can get up close and personal with the newest inductee’s On January 30, 2015, the Marketing Hall of Legends gala will take place at The Artifacts Room, located at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex in Toronto. The winner of the Marketer on the Rise award will also be announced at the event that is anticipated as one of Toronto’s most noteworthy social gatherings of the year. Previous inductees have included Lise Watier, Aldo Bensadoun, Bonnie Brooks and Frank Buckley. Tickets are available now at http://www.amamarketinghalloflegends.ca/gala/buy-tickets/.
About the Marketing Hall of Legends
Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends (MHOL) was established in 2004 to enshrine the people, the brands and the stories behind Canada’s great marketers and marketing successes. The MHOL serves as an inspiration and the gold standard to the thousands of Canadians who dedicate themselves to the marketing profession. Title sponsor LoyaltyOne, category sponsor Scotiabank and after-party sponsor TubeMogul join partners Backbone, Cosmic Design, ICA and FFWD Adweek, Limelight, Mandrake, Marketing Magazine, Phanta Media and V&Co Marketing and Communications. For more information, visit http://www.amamarketinghalloflegends.ca/.
