Original version published in Advisor Unlimited
In a financial world that often prioritizes speed over substance, one company operating in a lesser-known industry niche stands apart by taking a more deliberate, thoughtful approach.

Aviso Correspondent Partners (ACP) is a key player in Canada’s correspondent and institutional space. Operating behind the scenes, ACP provides critical services to hundreds of financial institutions and thousands of advisors. These services include executing a high volume of transactions and trade execution, ensuring safe custody for billions in client assets, and handling essential back-office functions like record-keeping and statement production. Their clients range from portfolio managers and investment dealers to foundations, trusts, and non-profits.

Along with its parent company, Aviso, ACP leverages leading-edge technology to ensure the quality, efficiency and reliability of its platforms and services, and to provide advisors with next-generation workstations that help them deepen relationships. But when it comes to client service, ACP's approach remains refreshingly traditional.

"ACP’s clients deserve and require highly specialized, personalized and accurate service. That kind of service requires a human touch that can’t be automated," says Kevin Vanderheyden, the company’s senior executive. With over 25 years of industry experience, he understands that superior service is a key differentiator.

"We deal with complex issues," he explains. "You can’t handle a trust account with 17 trustees and seven beneficiaries through a chatbot. You need to talk to a specialist who knows what they’re doing. We don’t put our clients in a queue, they talk to a live person."

This commitment to an elevated experience is clearly resonating with clients. Based on its most recent client survey, ACP earned an 86 per cent client satisfaction rate, far exceeding the industry benchmark. Winning new business in this sector is a marathon, not a sprint. The complexity of the services and the immense responsibility of managing large asset pools mean that building trust is a slow, methodical process.

"A company managing $50 million or $100 billion isn’t going to move its money to us or anyone else unless they see clear benefits," Vanderheyden notes. "They will invest in a comprehensive due diligence process because they need absolute trust in our systems, expertise and service. It takes time to convince people to have this level of trust."

Vanderheyden emphasizes that this trust must be earned daily. "We know our clients have options. To gain a greater share of their business, we have to prove our value every single day."

This process begins with listening. "We’re not looking for a quick sale. We listen to prospective clients to find solutions that meet their specific needs, rather than trying to sell them a pre-packaged product. When we say we’re going to do something, we do it. Over time, clients appreciate our expertise and see that we’re responsive." This process begins with listening.

This patient-trust-based approach is reflected in ACP's growing relationships with First Nations clients. ACP began engaging with First Nations seven years ago, steadily building trust over time.

"Being a trusted partner for First Nations asset owners is important to us," Vanderheyden says. "Our approach is to listen and earn trust by responding to the unique needs of our clients."

Looking ahead, Vanderheyden is confident about ACP's prospects for growth. The company's asset base has expanded rapidly from less than $10 billion in 2018 to more than $65 billion today, and he projects it will surpass $100 billion by the end of 2026.

"There is a healthy, growing market for our services," he says. "Because of competitive pressures and the rising costs of keeping up with evolving standards in technology, compliance, and data security, more companies see the advantage of outsourcing to a trusted provider like ACP."

To learn more about ACP, visit www.aviso.ca.

^{Aviso Correspondent Partners is a division of Aviso Financial Inc., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aviso Wealth Inc. ("Aviso"). Aviso is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aviso Wealth LP, which in turn is owned 50 per cent by Desjardins Financial Holding Inc. and 50 per cent by a limited partnership owned by the five provincial Credit Union Centrals and The CUMIS Group Limited. Aviso has total assets under administration and assets under management of more than $160 billion as of October 31, 2025.}