Our History
Bruce Van Hal
Founder | 1956 – 2021
Bruce D. Van Hal founded LifePlan Financial Design, LLC, in 2009 in a rented law firm conference room. His desire was to bring creativity, integrity, and quality to the financial planning process. Drawing on more than 40 years of experience in the insurance and annuity industry, Bruce grew the firm steadily over the years, first adding part-time staff, then full-time. Eventually, he was able to purchase a building in Okemos, now the headquarters for LifePlan. In 2013, Bruce created and launched a Registered Investment Advisory firm to offer his clients fiduciary level care and servicing. In 2014, the Howell location was launched and has grown to be a fully self-sustaining satellite office. The team has grown from Bruce alone to several employees working between the Okemos and Howell locations. Even after his passing, his legacy will endure as LifePlan strives to provide value, confidence, and financial peace for the future.Our President
Mike Douglas
President and Advisor
Mike Douglas specializes in wealth management and retirement planning at LifePlan Financial Design. Previously, he spent many years in the service industry, focusing on account management and business-to-business relationships. He combines those experiences with his life, health, and Series 65 securities licenses and training to help families pursue their financial goals. His CFP® certification and MBA round out his unique insight. Mike and his wife, Kimberly, live in Howell, Michigan, with their four young children: Gavin, Zachary, Kaleb, and Emmalyn, along with one Shorkie (Shih Tzu/Yorkie), Satchmo. He enjoys doing anything with his family – sports, gardening, cooking, fishing, and more. Mike plays the piano and several other instruments at church and also enjoys golf and running. A former college football and tennis athlete, he completed his first marathon in 2017 at Walt Disney World.The Lifeplan Team:
By working with a team, you can also benefit from the collective expertise of professionals with specialized knowledge in different areas of finance, such as tax planning, investment management, and retirement planning. This can help you develop a comprehensive financial plan that takes into account all aspects of your financial life and aligns with your long-term goals.
Moreover, a team approach provides a level of continuity and support that is unmatched by a single advisor. In the event that your primary advisor is unavailable, you can rest assured that the rest of the team is familiar with your situation and can step in to provide guidance and support when needed.
In summary, while a single advisor can provide valuable guidance, a team approach to financial planning offers many benefits that can help you achieve your financial goals more effectively. By tapping into the collective expertise of a team of professionals, you can develop a comprehensive financial plan that is tailored to your unique needs and aligned with your long-term objectives.
Lifeplan Financial Design Support Staff
Click below to learn more about our staff
Brian Pugh
Financial Advisor
Dan Kangas
Director of Operations
Katie Anibal
Events Coordinator
Melissa Prince
Marketing Director & Client Relations Coordinator
Rachel Anibal
Retirement Planning Coordinator
Brian Pugh
Financial Advisor
Brian Pugh
Financial Advisor
Brian is a financial advisor with LifePlan and strives to build lasting relationships with clients while helping them achieve their personal financial goals. Brian takes great pride in creating and implementing sound financial plans that include tax savings strategies to create generational wealth for our clients and their families. Brian often joins Mike on LifePlan’s podcast to continue to educate and share financial insights from various points of view. He has a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and has acquired his life, health, and Series 65 securities licenses. When not in the office, Brian spends his time with his wife Brooke and three young children, Graham, Olivia, and Eli, being active, playing games, and catching any Michigan State sporting event.
Dan Kangas
Director of Operations
Dan Kangas
Director of Operations
Dan directly manages all the operations behind the scenes at LifePlan Financial, processing new applications and overseeing existing client services. His attentiveness to detail and experience in the business allows him to ensure that our clients stay on course to achieve their retirement goals. Dan loves spending time with his wife, Michelle, and their three kids: Jillian, Emma, and Jack. In his free time, Dan enjoys coaching his daughter’s basketball team, traveling up north with his family, and watching football.
Katie Anibal
Events Coordinator
Katie Anibal
Events Coordinator
Katie organizes and promotes all of LifePlan’s events, from dinner seminars to client appreciation events. Her detail-oriented personality allows for every event to run smoothly and efficiently. Katie and her husband, Steven, have two sons, Ezekiel and Gabriel. They enjoy serving the community through their work as pastors, homeschooling their boys, being active outdoors, and coaching several different sports.
Melissa Prince
Marketing Director & Client Relations Coordinator
Melissa Prince
Marketing Director & Client Relations Coordinator
Melissa joined the LifePlan team in 2018 as an administrative assistant. She is now our marketing director and client relations coordinator. She is in charge of managing all aspects related to the implementation and analysis of any given marketing campaign. Melissa is also responsible for organizing processes that strengthen our relationships with our clients. She helps to keep the office running smoothly. Melissa and her husband, Jason, keep busy with their five kids, Maya, Corbin, Damin, Isak, and Avery, and two dogs, JoJo and Bear. They enjoy homeschooling, playing card games, and taking summer road trips.
Rachel Anibal
Retirement Planning Coordinator
Rachel Anibal
Retirement Planning Coordinator
Rachel is the retirement planning coordinator at LifePlan. She earned a BBA in Entrepreneurship from Cleary University in 2015 and has experience in many aspects of financial planning. Rachel and her husband, Ethan, have two children, Audrey and Liam. Outside of the office, Rachel enjoys baking, exercising, and spending time with family and friends.
Strategic Consultant
Mike Canet
JD, LLM, Strategic Consultant
Michael supports the Senior Financial Center team and is the author of three books, “Surviving the Perfect Storm”, “Successonomics” with Steve Forbes, as well as “Death and Taxes” with Art McPherson all on the best sellers list. He is also the host of the nationally syndicated television and WJZ radio show “The Savvy Investor.” Michael has built his business and reputation on the added stability he helps provide for his clients. He uses retirement and estate planning techniques to carefully allocate clients’ assets so they can retire with the added confidence, income, and tax-deferred wealth protection they need and deserve. He is committed to providing accessibility and ongoing service for the people he works with. Michael attended law school at the Catholic University of America, earning a spot on the legal honor society. He then earned his LLM in taxation from the University of Baltimore. As a Wilson Scholar, Michael made the “Who’s Who of American University Students” list.Research & Support
Josh Bare
Senior VP of Sales
Chris Lawler
VP of Sales
Brett Laney
Marketing Strategist
Robert Bacik
Media Director
Mike Macho
Chief Radio Officer
Heather Branch
Michigan’s Retirement Coach Radio Co Host
Raymond Chen
Financial Planning Team
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