OUR HISTORY

OUR STORY STARTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST CENTURY.

It was 1951 when 21 year old Leverne H. Fyke left the family farm near Moosomin, SK to begin a career as a life insurance agent with Monarch Life.  Seven years later he was offered the Assistant Manager’s job at Monarch’s flagship Winnipeg Gateway branch, so he and wife Joyce brought their infant son Terry to Winnipeg.  Two years after that Cameron was born and by 1970 Leverne had earned the Agency Manager’s chair.

In 1987, three years after guiding his office through the North American Life (NAL) acquisition, Dr. Wayne Russell, told him that he had cancer. Thanks in part to early diagnosis and swift intervention, by 1989 he beat the disease and retired from NAL to lay the foundation for L.H. Fyke and Associates Insurance Agency Ltd.  His sons joined him in 1994 and he continued to serve clients until his retirement at the age of 80.  

Terry Fyke

Number one son Terry started his financial services career as an employee benefits consultant with Monarch Life in 1980.  After moving to Toronto, marrying Marilyn in 1983 and spending a couple of years with Great West Life, he transferred back to Winnipeg with NAL in 1985 and started a family.  After building his family cottage at Lake of the Woods, he left NAL in 1994 to help build a consulting firm with his father and brother Cameron.

Cameron Fyke

In 1984, Cam began his career as an insurance agent in Leverne's agency. In 1994 he joined his father and brother in the family enterprise. Over his career, he logged thousands of miles helping families from Saskatchewan to North West Ontario plan for their future financial security and was consistently recognized for the quality of service he provided to his clients.  His tragic passing in 2006 left two daughters with fond memories of a hard working and ever caring father.  Fortunately, he practiced what he preached and had signed an agreement that ensured his clients would be looked after by business partner Tom Russell.

Tom Russell

In 1984, Tom was pursuing a Bachelors of Science (B.Sc.) in Biology with an eye to following his father Wayne into medicine when Leverne pitched him on a career in financial services.  He bought his first life insurance policy from rookie agent Cam Fyke and completed his B.Sc.. By November 1988 he had earned a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), wound up his College Pro Painters franchise, signed a NAL agent’s contract, started Russell & Associates and married Lisa Bunkowsky.

He was appointed Agency Training Manager in 1990 and by 1995 was Agency Manager of NAL’s Manitoba & North West Ontario Financial Centre.  In 2000, four years after guiding the Financial Centre through a merger with Manulife, he hired Irene Allingham who was employed part-time by the Fykes.  She worked in his basement a day a week for 2 years helping him prepare to retire from agency management to focus on serving clients.  As the millennium turned he trademarked Time 4 Money, resigned from Manulife, joined the Fykes and renamed the firm Prairie Shield Consultants.  

Heather Winch

Heather was closing a deal to sell her business just as Tom was incorporating Time 4 Money to buy Douglas Wiebe's business when Cam passed away in 2006.  Leverne knew Heather through the Winnipeg Executives Association and introduced her to Tom who needed additional support to help service Doug and Cam’s clients. Heather assumed the responsibility to co-ordinate client communications for Tom just as a tumultuous year drew to a close. Heather and Irene worked together until Irene's retirement in 2010 and Heather continued to be Tom's key support person until she retired at the end of 2020 spending her last couple of months passing the torch to Lisa Bunkowsky.

Shawn Bjornsson

Shawn was going to open a clothing store in Gimli, MB in 1990 having finished a double major in Business Administration (Management & Marketing).  He called his family’s life insurance agent (Doug Hutchings), whom Leverne had hired 20 years prior, to get a quote for property insurance. Doug suggested that Shawn look at the life insurance business.  Shortly thereafter, Shawn started with North American Life on April 1, 1990 .  Shawn has known the Fykes and Tom since he started in the business.

Tom and Shawn started a monthly breakfast club meeting with other advisors to discuss ideas and strategies. It was at one of these meetings that Tom asked Shawn if he would consider working together.  Operating as Viking Financial, Shawn had shared an office with fellow agent and friend (John Driedger) for over 10 years.  John was soon to retire and Tom & Terry's assistant Irene had announced her plans to retire in June of 2010.  The changes at both companies created an opportunity for Viking Financial and Prairie Shield Consultants to join forces and create what would become known as Four Points Financial Solutions.

Diane Beischer

Diane Beischer joined Viking Financial in 2001. She was introduced to Shawn by a Vice President of a mutual fund firm who was very impressed with Diane and had offered her a full time job.  At that time, however, Diane only wanted to work 3 days a week so Shawn and Doug Hutchings asked Diane to join them at Viking Financial.  Shawn was very impressed with Diane’s family values and she and Shawn have been an effective team ever since.

Lisa Bunkowsky

In 2019, when Heather confirmed her plan to retire at the end of the following year, Lisa realized it was the perfect time to make a career change and fulfill her dream of working together with Tom.  At the beginning of 2020, after 30 years as a school teacher in the St. Vital/Louis Riel School Division, Lisa announced her decision to retire at the end of that school year.  After an extended summer holiday she stepped into Heather's shoes and began her new career helping Tom help clients create, protect, enjoy and share wealth. 

Stay tuned for the next chapter.