Michael Syman-Degler, CLU, CFP®
Michael is the Founder and Principal at Syman-Degler Group. He is the Senior Planner as well as Chief Compliance Officer; but the most important task is mentor and trainer for the Syman-Degler Group associates.
Michael has been in the insurance and financial services industry for twenty-six years, as an agent and registered representative with Farmers Insurance and Financial Solutions. Securities licensed since 1996, he earned his Chartered Life Underwriter designation from the American College in 2001, and became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in March of 2005.
Michael has been teaching, mentoring, and leading study groups through the American College for financial services agents and representatives since Spring of 2004.
He is an active community member with a long history of supporting the visual and performing arts. He holds or has held leadership roles at the Eugene Ballet, The Shedd Institute, Rotary Club of Eugene, and the Financial Planning Association. He helped launch ArtSpark, a Rotary, Lane Arts, Eugene School District 4J, and Eugene Education Foundation collaboration to provide visual arts education in all 20 of the 4J elementary schools.
He and his wife Candace have four married children and seven grandchildren – all in Oregon. They enjoy gardening, cooking, singing, dancing, and traveling together.
Paul Dunckel, CFP®
Paul is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and has been with Syman-Degler Group since 2018. He spent the prior 18 years in the accounting department of Aronberg Goldgehn, a 130 year old law firm located in downtown Chicago, and also served as their Director of Records Management.
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Paul is active in the arts community and holds a Master of Fine Arts in Performance from the University of Iowa as well as a B.A. in Theatre Studies and English from Michigan State University. He has performed in dozens of stage productions in Chicago and has been featured in such television programs as Chicago Fire and Chicago Med on NBC and Empire on FOX. He continues to enjoy performing and can be seen periodically on stages in the Eugene area. He also writes plays and short stories in his spare time and enjoys camping, hiking, and playing the guitar.
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Paul draws on his accounting experience and his strong creative background in order to construct effective financial strategies. He believes that peace of mind in one's financial life leads to having the time and the energy to actively pursue happiness and he is proud to serve his clients in this regard.
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Paul and his wife, Vanessa Greenway, an actor and a Pilates and Gyrotonic® instructor, live in Eugene with their two young boys.
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Lucien Degler, CFP®
Lucien is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and has been with Syman-Degler Group since 2018. His work in financial services relies heavily on the teaching, research, presentation, coaching and communication skills he learned through his experience as teacher and personal trainer.
He holds a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Pacific University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Promotion and Fitness Management from Southern Oregon University.
As a lifelong resident of Eugene and a graduate of South Eugene High School, Lucien has developed strong ties to the community. He taught 5th grade to students in both Eugene and Springfield public schools, and currently serves on the PTA where his children attend.
A passionate outdoorsman, Lucien enjoys hiking and camping, visiting the Oregon Coast, swimming in alpine lakes, and the thrill of snowboarding and mountain biking. Growing food, cooking, and brewing beer are skills he has cultivated over the years. He has travelled extensively and enjoys the variety he has seen in human culture and the natural world.
His wife, Sara Degler (Newman), is a Physician's Assistant at the PeaceHealth University Clinic and Lucien had the great fortune to be a stay-at-home parent for their three elementary school children while Sara completed her rigorous studies at the University of Washington.
Diana Murphy
Diana has been with Syman-Degler Group since 2016 and has 40 years of experience in customer service. This includes 17 years in the computer software support industry.
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She holds a licence in property & casualty insurance and is a notary public. She also has a wealth of experience in a variety of customer service and general business oriented software and focuses her attention on the finer details of the firm's records and the needs of clients.
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Diana has been an Oregon resident for 30 years and in her spare time enjoys gardening, camping, and fishing. She is married with three grown children and 2 grandchildren.