Dean’s Story
Dean’s Story
"I grew up in Juneau, Alaska surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation and hard working people who were adventurous and free spirited. Alaska and the people I knew as friends and mentors left an impression that I carry with me to this day." Dean

The McMurchies of Alaska who made a lasting impact on me
One of my grandfathers was an entrepreneur and farmer near Des Moines, Iowa. The other was a pastor in northern Michigan. Both have been deceased for many years but I have thought of them often throughout my career. Both were hard working, had a deep faith, and a love and respect for others. Legacy is a word that comes to mind when I think of my grandparents.
My parents moved to Alaska where they spent most of their career directing a youth camp in Southeast Alaska. The camp was originally a homestead property that a man named Allen McMurchie and his wife owned. I remember the McMurchies as kind and generous people who often stood in as grandparents to me. When I was a boy they gave me a young colt from one of their horses. That was one of the more memorable gifts I received as a boy, but what I did not fully comprehend at that time was that the McMurchies were
in the process of donating their entire homestead to charity in return for a monthly income.
A few years after this my grandparents in Iowa set up a Charitable Remainder Trust and placed the majority of their farm and business into the trust. They too received lifetime income from the gift before it passed to a number of charities that benefited from their generosity.
"I did not know it at the time but this was estate planning, financial planning, tax planning, and philanthropic planning – and it left a lasting impression on me which influenced my career path.

My Father and the catch of the day - early 1970's
My wife Diane and I have raised three daughters in Overland Park, KS, enjoying each phase of their journey. We love our home in Kansas, and like many of our clients, we enjoy friendship and community, and finding balance between our dreams for the future and living each day to the fullest.
It has now been over 30 years that I have been engaged with financial planning and I cannot imagine doing anything else that I would enjoy more. I have spent thousands of hours working with hundreds of families to preserve wealth, manage wealth, and transition that wealth to the people and organizations our clients love and care about.
I left Alaska after graduating from High School, but Alaska never left me.
One day, several years into my career, I decided I needed to reconnect with my Alaska roots, so for the last 15 years I have been making annual treks
back to Southeast Alaska. I often take a few other guys along with me for a few days on a boat or in a kayak where we can smell the salt in the air, hear the cry of an eagle, and give thanks to God for the many blessings we enjoy.
I have a passion for living life to the full and helping those around me do the same.