Dave Patriarche - Sailor, Benefits Advisor, Speaker, Expert Witness, Author Dave founded Mainstay Insurance Brokerage in 1996 as a one-person shop specializing in providing employee benefits to small and mid-sized businesses . Mainstay has grown substantially and now Dave only accepts one or two new clients each year and upon referral only. This ensures that he has aligned and educated client partnerships that get the level of attention they deserve. Dave is a strong believer in continuing education and recognized the need for the group insurance industry to broaden its efforts in this area. In 2003 he started a small networking group, which evolved into breakfast meetings and then into regular educational seminars beginning in 2009. In 2011 he founded CGIB, the Canadian Group Insurance Brokers, an organization dedicated to supporting networking and continuing education for the group insurance industry. He is an accomplished speaker at industry events across the country. Dave has worked “behind the scenes” acting as an expert witness in cases involving employee benefits and is often chosen as the “go-to” expert for others in the business. Dave is recognized as a leader in the group benefits industry and is a contributor to various industry publications. He mentors and acts as an informal resource to other benefit brokers, especially those new to the benefits field. Dave spends his spare time with his wife Joanne and their sons Matthew (now teaching in Vienna, Austria) and Mitchell (at Laurier University for business). He enjoys taking his clients, friends, associates and just about anyone that wants to come along, sailing on Lake Ontario, or on occasion on the Caribbean and Mediterranean seas. He’s working on a second book that might make it out in 2021, or... 22.