Remembering Dan Wheeler

This past weekend, we all lost a great mentor, friend, and true visionary. Dan Wheeler was a legend who changed financial advice—and the financial services industry—for the better.

Dan was the best of the best. He was passionate about doing the right thing. He always looked out for the best interests of others. And he approached every day with a smile.

In 1994, I considered leaving financial services and becoming a basketball coach and teacher back in California. By luck, or by chance, I sat down with Dan and he walked me through a description of a new model of advice, a “redefinition of investment advice,” as he liked to call it. Dan was sure that a model built around the best interest of the client would win. That was my “aha” moment, and I know of so many others through the years who have said the same about Dan.

Dan holds many distinctions, but among them is being the first financial advisor to work with Dimensional. He shifted from being an advisor to joining Dimensional in 1989 and starting the firm’s financial advisor business. It was in this role that Dan made his biggest impact: launching a movement that revolutionized financial advice.

Dan was convinced that there were other financial advisors who would share his enthusiasm for marrying independent and conflict-free financial advice with cost-effective investment strategies grounded in a scientific approach. He just didn’t know who they were, and they didn’t know about Dimensional. With a larger-than-life personality and enough zeal to overcome the odds, he made this vision a reality.

Although Dan retired from Dimensional in 2011, his impact and legacy live on through the culture he established. At Dimensional, we often say we want characters with character. Dan was the first and set a high bar for all of us to strive for, each and every day, while having fun along the way.

As people are sharing memories and stories about Dan, I envision him with that big smile appreciating the kind words. He inspired everyone he knew to be better. He’ll be incredibly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.