Meet the team
Dave Sayers
CFP®, CDFA®, MBA
Vice President, Wealth Advisor
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About Dave
Dave Sayers serves as Vice President, Wealth Advisor for Sequoia Financial Group.
Dave has decades of experience serving as a wealth manager for individuals and families in various roles in the Twin Cities. In this work, he provides clients with financial planning strategies to meet their personalized goals. He spent the first act of his career on a corporate path at both GE and 3M before making a purpose-driven pivot to financial planning.
He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation granted through the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. In addition, he earned the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® designation through the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts, helping him to provide specialized planning insight to clients impacted by divorce. Dave is energized by helping people be more thoughtful so that they can fully enjoy the gift of life. With a background in engineering and a deep interest in people and their stories, Dave has a unique ability to optimize the trade-offs of a plan while empathetically considering the people impacted by it.
Dave and his lovely wife, Tera, live in Woodbury, Minnesota. They have three young adult / teenage sons, Benjamin, Andrew, and Henry. Dave loves the arts, sports, and the outdoors. He dabbles in improv comedy, and he proudly recognizes that he is by far the least artistically talented member of his family. Dave is a theater and film buff, with a special love for musicals. He is an active volunteer and arts advocate, and currently serves as a governing member of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. In addition, he is a long-suffering Minnesota sports fan, still waiting to enjoy the glory days of his favorite teams. He loves cruises, camping, road trips, and exploring state and national parks. He is a fan of all things Disney, and he is happy to share his best tips for navigating Disney Parks.
CFP Board owns the marks CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the U.S.
Accreditation & Education
University of Minnesota, Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Business Management
University of Minnesota, MBA in Marketing and Strategic Management
Up Close
Personal Insights from Dave:
Losing a parent is impactful at any age. My father was a source of light and joy to those who were fortunate enough to know him. He passed away suddenly at age 51 when I was still in college. Processing that loss over time has yielded valuable wisdom.
First, bad outcomes can happen, and they rarely occur at a convenient time. I help clients identify and deal with the risks in their world. Markets fluctuate, companies fail, health is fragile, and relationships can sour. In my own story, I know that my path would have been much more difficult if my dad had not owned adequate life insurance. I am an unshakably positive person who loves to focus on the lighter side of things, but I know how critical it is for me to help clients consider their risks.
Second, life is a gift that is truly too short. I help clients enjoy their present while also securing their future. It can be natural for some to sacrifice too much current joy and impact for future peace of mind. At times, that sacrifice is at best unnecessary and at worst a tragically missed opportunity. By building and monitoring a thoughtful plan, clients can evaluate the trade-offs and impacts of increased spending or giving. I love to see the confidence that thoughtful analysis can bring to clients, especially when it helps them experience more present joy and impact.
Lastly, joy is highly related to connections with the people important to you. Neither you nor these important people will be around forever. I help clients focus on the Who in their plans. While it can be easy to get lost in the fact-based numerical left-brain aspects of planning, it is crucial that we consider the emotional and relational right-brain factors. The success of your plan is determined by how it impacts you and your important people, not by its technical elegance.
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Dave Sayers, CFP®, CDFA®, MBA
Vice President, Wealth Advisor
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