Serving the Fort Worth, Dallas Area For More Than 40 Years

Charitable Foundations 

Establishing a Foundation

Many of our clients, when they feel comfortable in their own financial futures, turn to establishing a legacy that will make a positive difference in the world, even beyond their own lifetimes. A charitable foundation is a powerful, tax-advantaged tool to create a lasting difference.

Charitable Foundation Illustration

Important Aspects of Charitable Foundations

Foundations are an advanced tool for high-net-worth clients. They offer many benefits, but there are several important characteristics of charitable foundations to understand:

  • The original contribution to the charity is a permanent, irrevocable gift.
  • The founder’s contribution can be a one-time event, or founders can gift recurring donations to the extent they desire.
  • One founder can serve on the decision-making Board alone or appoint any others as he or she desires.
  • Contributions are tax-deductible up to the amount allowed by law.
  • Foundations must be operated exclusively for tax-exempt purposes, including the promotion of education, health, community, or religious objectives.
  • Foundations cannot be used to benefit the founder or founder’s family.

How We Help

For clients who have not yet established foundations, we provide guidance throughout every step, including helping clients determine appropriate Board members, decide how much is a feasible amount to contribute to the foundation, and planning the foundation’s long-term strategy.

Once the foundation has been established, we manage the foundation’s investable assets, including analyzing appropriate investments for the foundation in terms of risk and return as well as in alignment with the foundation’s mission and objectives.

Focused on Back-End Work

We also provide all the necessary back-end work for foundations, including the administration, oversight of tax filings, and paperwork that are required for proper tax and legal compliance. By managing all the necessary but non-charitable tasks, we leave our clients free to dedicate their time to their passion: managing the charitable activities of their foundation.

Finally, we integrate our client’s foundation with the rest of their financial and asset management plan, including tax planning, estate and legacy planning, retirement analysis, and asset management.

Meggan Jamison

Meggan Jamison

Compliance Associate

Meggan M. Jamison is a Compliance Associate and works with the Chief Compliance Officer in overseeing the firm’s compliance policies and procedures. She holds a BBA degree in finance from Texas Christian University and an MBA from Oklahoma City University. Meggan joined Diesslin Group, Inc. in February 2010. Prior to joining the firm, she spent 10 years in the banking industry.

Natalie Georgen

Natalie Georgen

Financial Planning Associate

Natalie M. Georgen is a Financial Planning Associate at Diesslin Group, Inc. She received her BBA in risk, insurance, and financial services from the University of North Texas and plans to sit for the CFP. She joined Diesslin Group, Inc. in 2022.

Edie C. Peplinski

Edie C. Peplinski

Senior Executive Assistant

Edie C. Peplinski is the Senior Executive Assistant to David Diesslin. Her responsibilities include time management and scheduling, arranging travel, coordinating and scheduling meetings, overseeing event planning, and assisting with office and administrative responsibilities at the firm.

Edie has over 40 years of experience in executive-level administrative and personal assistant positions and previously worked for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association. Edie attended Tarrant County College and has worked at Diesslin Group, Inc. since 2003.

Stephanie A. Dacanay

Stephanie A. Dacanay

Client Services Associate

Stephanie A. Dacanay is a Client Services Associate at Diesslin Group, Inc. She has many responsibilities, including scheduling meetings, corresponding with clients, providing administrative assistance, and planning team events. She joined Diesslin Group, Inc. in 2021.

Tristyn L. Williams

Tristyn L. Williams

Asset Management Associate

Tristyn L. Williams is an Asset Management Associate at Diesslin Group, Inc. Tristyn received a BS in Agricultural economics from Texas A&M University and planned to sit for the CFP exam in November 2022. He joined Diesslin Group, Inc. in 2021.

Luke Hockett, MBA

Luke Hockett, MBA

Portfolio Manager

Luke Hockett is a Portfolio Manager at Diesslin Group, Inc. He conducts investment and risk-return analysis, performance measurement, diagnostic procedures, and asset allocation for client portfolios.

Luke received his BBA in entrepreneurial management from Texas Christian University in 2014 and his MBA in finance from Dallas Baptist University in 2020. He previously worked at Diesslin Group, Inc. from 2014 to 2019 and left to join the Hedge Fund Operations team at IQEQ before rejoining Diesslin Group, Inc. in 2022.

Olivia F. Partin

Olivia F. Partin, CFP®

Financial Planner

Olivia F. Partin is a Financial Planner at Diesslin Group, Inc. and assists with various client and firm projects. Olivia received her BS in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University. She also holds her AAMS® and FPQP certifications and CFP certifications. She joined the firm in 2021.

Angela L. Woodson

Angela L. Woodson

Client Services Associate

Angela L. Woodson is a Client Services Associate at Diesslin Group, Inc. She assists with servicing client requests and ongoing account administration. Angela received a BS in counseling education from the University of North Texas. She joined the Diesslin Group, Inc. team in 2019.

Mark M. Michel, CFA, MBA

Mark M. Michel, CFA, MBA

Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager

Mark M. Michel, CFA, MBA, is Diesslin Group, Inc.’s Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager. He conducts investment analysis, risk-return analysis, performance management, and asset allocation for client portfolios. Mark is also involved in the analysis of the firm’s alternative investments.

Prior to joining Diesslin Group, Inc. in 2021, Mark worked as an Associate Portfolio Manager for American Beacon Advisors and a Senior Portfolio Analyst at JPMorgan. Before entering the financial services industry, he served in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mark received an MBA from Southern Methodist University and a BS in mechanical engineering from Pennsylvania State University. He is a CFA charter holder and a member of both the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Dallas-Fort Worth.

Sherry L. Redden, FPQP™

Sherry L. Redden, FPQP™

Client Services Director

Sherry L. Redden, FPQP, is Diesslin Group, Inc.’s Client Services Director. She has numerous responsibilities—some of which include serving as a client liaison and financial planning associate—and helps ensure each division of the firm functions successfully.

In addition to being a certified paraplanner, Sherry has over 20 years of professional experience as an executive assistant and outside sales representative. She joined Diesslin Group, Inc. in 2012.

Scott B. Reasor

Scott B. Reasor

Relationship Manager and Senior Portfolio Manager

Scott B. Reasor is a Relationship Manager and Senior Portfolio Manager at Diesslin Group, Inc. He conducts investment and risk-return analysis, performance measurement, diagnostic procedures, and asset allocation for client portfolios. Scott also serves as an advocate and primary point of contact for clients, maintaining ongoing communication with them while monitoring and executing projects to help them meet their financial goals.

Scott received a BBA in finance from the University of Texas at Arlington and has been with Diesslin Group, Inc. since 2004.

Shawn L. Gray

Shawn L. Gray

Principal, Chief Compliance Officer, and Chief Technology Officer

Shawn L. Gray is Diesslin Group, Inc.’s Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Information Security Officer, as well as a principal of the firm. Shawn manages the firm’s computing, networking, and programming solutions. He also develops retirement and cash flow projections and models stock options for clients.

He received a BBA in finance from the University of Texas at Arlington and worked in the banking industry prior to joining Diesslin Group, Inc. in 1992.

Norman R. (“Rocky”) Farr, CFP, EA, ATA

Norman R. (“Rocky”) Farr, CFP, EA, ATA

Principal, Managing Director, and Relationship Manager

Norman R. “Rocky” Farr, CFP, EA, ATA, is Diesslin Group, Inc.’s Managing Director as well as Relationship Manager and principal of the firm. Rocky oversees the firm’s daily operations and coordinates the efforts of the financial planning, client services, and asset management divisions. He specializes in estate and tax planning.

Rocky has held his certified financial planner mark since 1982. He also holds an Enrolled Agent license from the Internal Revenue Service and an Accredited Tax Advisor license from the Council for Accounting and Taxation. Rocky joined Diesslin Group, Inc. in 1992. Prior to moving to Texas, he played hockey professionally.

David H. Diesslin, CFP®, MBA

David H. Diesslin, CFP®, MBA

Founder

David H. Diesslin, is the founder of Diesslin Group, Inc. Dave founded the firm as Diesslin & Associates, Inc. in 1980 and has provided fee-only financial planning and investment management ever since.

He has been honored for his work as a financial advisor in Worth, Medical Economics, Fort Worth Inc., and Money magazines, and has been endorsed by the Consumers’ Research Council of America as one of “America’s Top Financial Planners.”

Throughout his professional life, Dave has worked diligently to promote and advance the financial planning profession both nationally and internationally. In addition, he has served as a chairman of the Board of Governors on the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards as well as chairman and president of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA).

Dave received an MBA from the University of Dallas and a BS in Business Management from Indiana University. He has held his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ mark since 1983. Prior to entering the financial planning profession, Dave served as First Lieutenant for the U.S. Army Signal Corps.