Dave Ragan
Partner Advisor
CFP®, AIF®
Dave Ragan is a Partner Advisor serving Allworth’s Denton, Texas, office. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and Accredited Investment Fiduciary®, Dave brings more than two decades of experience helping individuals and families navigate life’s financial complexities with clarity and confidence. He previously served as President of Grunden Financial Advisory, Inc.—a Denton-based wealth management firm that partnered with Allworth in 2026—where he led with a passion for thoughtful planning and client-centered service.
Dave’s path into financial advising began unexpectedly. As a college student dreaming of becoming a National Geographic photographer, a single personal finance course at the University of North Texas changed everything. Inspired by the potential to help people build better financial futures, he shifted his major from journalism to finance, earning his degree in 2003—and never looking back. Today, he continues to give back to his alma mater by teaching a senior-level financial planning course and led efforts to secure a grant from TD Ameritrade to enhance financial planning education nationwide.
When he’s not advising or teaching, Dave loves exploring the country, especially the mountains of Colorado, with his wife and three children, documenting their travels with his trusty Canon T6i camera.
It all starts with discovery. Before we ever talk numbers, I focus on truly understanding who my clients are: what drives them, what they value, and what they hope to achieve. The questions I ask often have less to do with percentages and dollar signs and more to do with relationships, personal milestones, and long-term goals. That insight becomes the foundation for building a financial plan that’s both comprehensive and deeply personal.
From there, I work to put the plan into motion. This can sometimes mean collaborating with our in-house specialists, including our estate, tax planning, or insurance teams. Over time, the individuals and families I serve often discover that their wealth represents more than just numbers. It reflects their values, their vision, and the impact they hope to make. I’m humbled to play a role in helping them uncover and pursue that greater purpose.
Because of this approach, clients often describe their experience as having a boutique, family-office feel, with the added benefit of Allworth’s national strength and depth. It’s that combination of personalized care and broad expertise that allows me to tailor thoughtful, effective strategies for the people I serve.
One of the most rewarding parts of this work is seeing a client’s plan come to life. There’s something remarkable about looking back at a strategy we put in place decades ago and watching it unfold just as we envisioned. It’s a privilege to help people pursue what matters most to them, and to do so in a way that’s thoughtful, efficient, and aligned with their values.
Whether it’s planning for retirement, creating a charitable fund, investing in future generations, or simply making a long-awaited purchase, I love helping clients steward their resources wisely. No matter the goal, it’s incredibly fulfilling to walk alongside them as their plans take shape and their dreams become reality.
Helping clients turn long-term goals into real-life outcomes is what makes this work so meaningful to me.