Money Man

Name: Pat Foran

• Born in St. Augustine, Ont. on May 10, 1965
• His mom, Helen, was an educational assistant and his dad, Gordon, was a farmer; he has nine siblings
• Attended St. Joseph’s Elementary School in Kingsbridge, Ont. until Grade 6; St. Patrick’s Elementary School in Lucan, Ont. for Grades 7-8 and Medway High School in Arva, Ont.
• Received his diploma in broadcast journalism at Fanshawe College in London, Ont.
• Began his career in broadcasting as a CKCO Kitchener reporter/camera operator in 1986
• Worked as a news correspondent based in northern New Brunswick for ATV Halifax from 1988–90
• Hired as a CFTO reporter in 1990; covered high profile stories like the Paul Bernardo trial, as well as interviewed Sarah Ferguson, Wayne Gretzky and John Candy
• CTV’s Consumer Advocate since 2000; hosts CTV Toronto’s popular feature segment Consumer Alert, which investigates the consumer world
• Wrote four national bestselling books on consumer and financial issues; his latest The Smart, Savvy Young Consumer helps Canadian youth spend and save wisely
• Served on the federal government’s Task Force on Financial Literacy from 2009-11; appointed to the National Steering Committee on Financial Literacy in 2014, which aims to help Canadians become better savers and spenders
• Currently pursuing his political science degree online from Alberta’s Athabasca University
• Follow @PatForanCTVNews on Twitter

Describe your school-aged self.

I was curious — not surprisingly for someone who’s now a reporter.

Which subjects did you excel at?

Writing and public speaking.

Any subject that you struggled with?

Calculus.

Who are your favourite writers?

One of my favourite books is Call Me Ted by Ted Turner. I read a lot of financial self-help books and highly recommend Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki.

What are you currently reading?

I am finishing up Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. I’m also reading Alice Munro’s My Best Stories, The High Road by Terry Fallis and Winning by Jack Welch.

Who do you count as your heroes?

I count Nelson Mandela, Terry Fox and Ted Turner as my heroes.

Which teacher did you most admire?

Mr. Fred Moroz, my Grade 9 history and Grade 12 world religions teacher. He spoke to our class about religion, politics and sexuality with a depth and frankness I was not used to — it opened my eyes to what a good teacher he was. Mr. Moroz also suggested that I read Atlas Shrugged — it took me almost 30 years but I finally got around to it!

What do you wish you had been taught in school but weren’t?

Financial literacy — I’ve always thought that it should be mandatory. A Grade 9 general business course came close but I would have preferred a stand-alone one to prepare me for the important financial decisions (mortgages, car loans, RRSPs, for instance) that I eventually would have to make upon graduation.

If you could learn any language, which would you pick?

My wife is French and my daughters are all bilingual. Being able to speak the language has opened so many doors for them.

Lessons learned in kindergarten?

Being respectful of others and listening while people speak.

What was your dream career?

I was torn between business and journalism. That’s probably why I ended up a consumer reporter writing financial books.

Best advice from your school years?

A wealthy farmer who I worked for told me that the secret to success is to make the right decisions every day. This may sound glib but if we think about the daily decisions we make, and take extra time and care to choose the right ones, you can’t help but be successful.

Tweet @OCT_OEEO [include #FinalExam] a selfie of you with your favourite Professionally Speaking article from our September issue for a chance to win a Pat Foran-signed copy of The Smart, Savvy Young Consumer.