ABOUT US

Hometown

Strongsville, OH

Education

John Carroll University, BSBA in Accounting            Cleveland State University, MBA in Finance

Fairway Since

2002

Dan Gaugler, CPA/PFS (inactive), CFP®

Founding Partner, Senior Wealth Manager

drg@fairwaywealth.com
LinkedIn

After learning the essence of hard work and client service during six years as a caddie, I started my career as a CPA tax specialist at Deloitte Haskins & Sells in 1986. Timing was perfect because the Tax Reform Act of 1986 had just changed everything for individuals and investments. Tax-managed investment and cash-flow planning became my core expertise. I officially became a wealth manager in 1991 when I moved to Investment Advisors International, Inc., part of Mark McCormack’s IMG, the world’s leading sports marketing company. IMG was ahead of its time by having an in-house wealth management firm to care for its athlete and Fortune 500 executive clients. Deloitte recruited me back in 1996 to help launch their investment advisory business. I had a 5-year run building a client base and team (which included two of my current Fairway partners); but, when my only option for “making partner” required relocation, I got serious about starting my own firm. Actually, I started that in 1992 when, during my MBA coursework, I wrote a business plan for “Fairway Financial Group”. I got an A- on the project. The professor said my marketing assumptions stretched credibility. The Fairway plan went live in 2002 when I asked Mark Weiskind to leave Deloitte with me. Deloitte allowed 12 clients to follow us, provided we agreed to not compete for one year. When that term ended, we approached 15 former clients. All but one hired us. Since then, we’ve been hired by more than 300 families. Over the past 20+ years at Fairway, I’ve done most of the things that entrepreneurs have to do. Today, I do less of those “business” things and more of what I enjoy most…serving as personal CFO to a small group of wonderful families. Fairway’s clients even include a few of the gentlemen I caddied for in the early 1980s.

QUESTIONS ? ASK OUR TEAM.