Atlantic Trust receives Delaware Trust Charter

New trust company offers wealthy families the benefits of Delaware law

WILMINGTON, DE, April 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ - Atlantic Trust, the U.S. private wealth management division of CIBC (NYSE: CM) (TSX: CM), announced today that it has received a Delaware limited purpose trust charter, enabling the firm to offer trust services beyond that already provided by its national trust company.

The state of Delaware has long been known as a leader in trust laws, offering wealthy clients more advantageous tax benefits, investment flexibility, control over trust terms and asset protection.

"As a leading advisor to families of wealth, Atlantic Trust is pleased to offer this important and valuable new trust service that can help our clients protect and maximize their wealth," said Jack Markwalter, chairman and CEO of Atlantic Trust. "We're so pleased to introduce this service and to announce that it's being led by two senior and experienced professionals already in our firm, people who know our clients very well and their expectations on quality and service."

Leading the Delaware trust team are Dee Ann Schedler, managing director and head of Atlantic Trust's Wilmington office, and Gabrielle Bailey, wealth strategist and director of Delaware Trust Services.

"Although our status as a nationally chartered trust might have been sufficient, we decided that the more prudent way to go was to also obtain a Delaware trust charter," said Markwalter. "Other states have attractive trust laws, but Delaware has always been considered a preferred jurisdiction for trust and estate attorneys because of its trust law flexibility and significant body of case law and excellent Chancery Court."

Schedler has 28 years of industry experience and joined the firm in 2004. Bailey has more than 15 years of industry experience and joined Atlantic Trust in 2003. Reema Antonelli also recently joined the Wilmington team as a senior client service manager.

About Atlantic Trust

Atlantic Trust is one of the nation's leading private wealth management firms, offering integrated wealth management for high-net-worth individuals, families, foundations and endowments. The firm considers clients' financial, trust, estate planning and philanthropic needs in developing customized asset allocation and investment management strategies. Experienced professionals deliver a broad range of solutions, including proprietary investment offerings and a robust open architecture platform of traditional and alternative managers. Atlantic Trust operates in 13 full-service locations throughout the U.S. with $27.0 billion in assets under management (as of March 31, 2015). For more information, visit www.atlantictrust.com.

About CIBC

CIBC is a leading Canadian-based global financial institution. Through our Retail and Business Banking, Wealth Management and Wholesale Banking businesses, CIBC provides a full range of financial products to individual, small business, commercial, corporate and institutional clients in Canada and around the world. CIBC owns a 41 percent equity interest in American Century Investments®, a major U.S. asset management company, serving financial intermediaries, institutions and individuals, and acquired Atlantic Trust, a premier U.S. private wealth management firm, in January 2014. You can find other news releases and information about CIBC in our Media Centre on our corporate website at www.cibc.com.

SOURCE Atlantic Trust Private Wealth Management