Eugene Demmler, AIF™
Wealth Advisor and Managing Principal
My dad was a small business owner, so I grew up in the world of business. I understand that business owners are always trimming the sails, setting course for a specific point on the horizon. The intensity of focus on the business from its day-to-day operations to its long term goals means that there’s just not that much time or energy left for plotting a personal course for financial well being. That’s where I step in. I work with Top Executives, Business Owners, and Corporate Retirement Plan Fiduciaries to bring clarity, order and simplicity to their financial decision making.
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My clients are busy professionals. They’re used to leading teams and working with teams. That’s why, when I founded E. Demmler & Associates, I set out to build a dynamic team of specialists. It’s a seamless fit that allows us to do what we do best: serve my clients with their diverse set of financial needs.
I started my career in 1992 at American Express Financial Advisors in Redwood Shores, California, and went on to become the Qualified Plan Specialist for the Ka, Demmler, McClenahan, Swanson, Ordonez & Cooper team in Palo Alto and Campbell, California. I enjoyed working as part of a large financial services team. But keynote speaking engagements for financial workshops at companies including Novellus Systems, Philips Semiconductor, NASA/Ames Research, Cirrus Logic, National Semiconductor, Western Digital and others made it clear to me that I wanted more than to be a part of a team: I wanted to lead my own.
In 1996, we took Ka, Demmler & Associates independent, and, finally, in 2000, E. Demmler & Associates was born, offering top-tier clients Fee-Based Asset Management, Financial Planning and Corporate Retirement Plan services though LPL Financial. Our Investment Representatives then affiliated with Linsco/Private Ledger (now LPL Financial) to add independent back office, research and technology support to our services, adding a full suite of technical tools to our financial services offerings.
From my early days at American Express Financial Advisors, in 1993, and continuing today at E. Demmler & Associates, I’ve been an early adopter of 360 degree Financial Planning, Fiduciary Asset Management and the Independent Registered Investment Advisory business model. If it’s in my clients’ financial best interests, it’s in our toolbox.
Here are a few other things in my toolbox. E. Demmler & Associates is a Registered Investment Advisor and I am a Qualified Plan Advisor.
I hold:
- Series 7 (General Securities Representative),
- Series 24 (General Securities Principal) and
- Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law) Licenses.
- I’m also licensed with the California Department of Insurance. License # 0B09576
And I hold a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Rhode Island.
For me and my clients, at the end of the day, building a successful business is about being able to enjoy a better life with the people who matter most. When I’m not serving my clients, I enjoy spending time with my family, coaching soccer and sailing with my wife Julie and our two sons.
Georgina Rios
Client Service Coordinator
For my entire career, I have been part of a team that supports clients in their tax, legal or financial planning. I understand that behind every good team are people who understand that details matter. Getting answers for clients takes time, expertise, and tenacity. My role at E. Demmler & Associates is to get the right answer for our clients. Our clients are successful and busy people with a diverse set of needs. They demand accuracy and accountability. That’s what our clients demand and why I joined the E. Demmler & Associates team.
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At E. Demmler & Associates, I work closely with vendors and financial institutions to provide comprehensive service to clients. Simply put, my role is to create a concierge service experience for every E. Demmler & Associates client.
I started my career in 2003 at the law firm of Boxer & Gerson LLP as a file clerk. By 2006, I was ready for the challenge of working as an Administrative Assistant for the owner of a tax service franchise of H.R. Block. From 2007 to 2014 I worked as an Administrative Assistant for the Certified Public Accounting firm of Timpson Garcia, LLP. In 2014, Eugene Demmler presented me with the opportunity to work directly with clients as the Client Service Coordinator for E. Demmler & Associates.
As the Client Services Coordinator on the financial services team, I add clarity and simplicity to each client’s financial planning process. I know that working as a team requires a commitment to delivering the highest level of customer service, assuring that every client receives the attention they deserve. Accuracy and confidentiality are absolutely essential for me, as I help set up and monitor a client’s progress towards their goals.
In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband and four children. You can usually find me on a soccer field or basketball court watching my kids play their favorite sport.
Armand DeCesare
Assistant Client Service Coordinator
Nerd alert. Every morning at 6 a.m. I get up to work on spreadsheets. My own spreadsheets. I love spreadsheets. I love the way a spreadsheet takes simple mathematical, organizational or financial data and with the click of a button transforms that data into information you can use. At EDA, I work with the technology at hand --essentially, spreadsheets on steroids-- to create and streamline the processes that better serve clients and help them pursue their financial goals.
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An operations expert, I work behind the scenes at EDA to execute the management of accounts, including opening and closing accounts, money movement requests and account updates. My tools include our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and LPL proprietary back office system, Client Works, the technology platforms I use to make sure our client accounts are accurate and updated and our online communication channels with clients stay open.
I’m a 20-year veteran of the financial services industry. I began my career as a receptionist and assistant print operator for Bear Stearns in San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Options Exchange, where I moved on to the Operations Department and eventually became a Relationship Manager for hedge fund owners. Before joining LPL Financial, I worked as a Cashiering Specialist and Insurance Services Coordinator at First Allied Securities. While working full-time, I served nine years in the Army Reserves and was honorably discharged as a platoon sergeant with the rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6) in 2018.
I’m not just an operations nerd. I also love reading comic books and riding my vintage BMW motorcycle and vintage Vespa scooter to see live music with friends. A native of Coronado, I have two children and currently live in San Diego.
Brett Rowe
Financial Planning Associate
What if you could see the opportunities that let you plot the future you thought you could only dream of? I’m a Certified Financial Planner on the LPL team that supports E. Demmler and Associates. I’m also a Hollywood veteran and movie enthusiast and, for me, financial planning is all about the ability to see your best life story. I’m privileged to help clients realize opportunities they didn’t imagine were possible.
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A specialist in WealthVision Planning since 2016, I use that program and other software tools to unearth the opportunities that allow clients to shape their life stories by realizing greater gains from their income. I also support financial education around key topics, from income taxes and income planning to retirement solutions.
For me, the best financial plan is specific and personal and helps you live the best version of your life story. I like to think I’m living the best version of my own life with my wife and two kids in San Diego, where every day feels like vacation. I enjoy running, coaching my kids’ teams and, between November and March, you can find me glued to college basketball.
Sophie Pham
Assistant Client Services Coordinator (Intern)
Fine-tuning old forms may not sound like everyone’s idea of a summer break, but for the past two years, I’ve been bringing fresh eyes to EDA’s legacy systems and workflows to ensure that our process for receiving and storing client information is smoother and more efficient. Dealing with sensitive client information requires diligence and close attention — two of my superpowers. A Bay Area native, I am a Political Economy major at UC Berkeley, where I love to catch sunsets over the Bay. Being close to home means I still get to practice one of my favorite hobbies: baking birthday cakes for my family.
Ethan Clymer
Assistant Client Services Coordinator (Intern)
I help Eugene with the support services he needs to focus on our clients. I work on back-end processes, like keeping the CRM system current and setting up the meeting- and report-running systems so that when Eugene meets with a client, he’s ready to go. I also assist with client rebalancing, calculating quantities for fund exchanges, and executing approved trades. I like being part of the EDA team — in and out of the office. Basketball and baseball are two of my passions, and I’ve been known to watch a cornhole tournament if things are slow! I’m a math major at UC Irvine with a specialization in data science.
Luke Amato
Assistant Client Services Coordinator (Intern)
This is my second summer working at EDA, completing projects that smooth the firm’s workflow and make the intake process much easier for our clients. Often, completing an assignment for Eugene involves taking a new idea and doing the research required to execute it — even if that means learning to code Excel spreadsheets! Eugene takes the time out of his day to give me tasks and to explain what those tasks are and why they’re important; I enjoy helping him come up with solutions. Working with Eugene has given me a much better understanding of finance and the world of wealth management. I’m currently studying Business Administration at the University of Oregon, with a concentration in Finance, and I spent the first half of the summer in Spain studying International Management. Barcelona was also a great place to follow one of my other big passions: soccer, or, as they call it in Spain, fútbol!