He was born in Harriston, Ontario and at age eighteen moved to Toronto, where he was employed by Central Canada Loan and Savings Co., a company started by George Albertus Cox.

In 1900 he joined the newly formed stock brokerage firm, Dominion Securities In 1905 he and fellow Dominion Securities employee George Herbert Wood teamed up to go into the municipal and provincial bond underwriting business.

They formed Wood Gundy and Company with offices on the corner of King and Yonge streets in downtown Toronto.

During World War I, he was chair of Special Subscriptions Committee - Victory Loans 1911-1918.

He served as president of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada 1920-1921, was a Governor of the Investment Bankers' Association of America, and served on the board of directors of Canada Cement, Massey-Harris, Simpsons Ltd, Dominion Steel and Coal Company.