James F. Chapman

Senior Wealth Advisor

CIO

James F. Chapman AWMA®, is a Wealth Advisor and the Chief Innovation Officer of Clearwater Capital Partners. James joined the firm in 2014 and completed a series of summer intern assignments. After graduating from Illinois State and then completing the Clearwater Capital Partners Residency Program, James transitioned to a full- time client facing Wealth Advisor.

Today, James works directly with successful individuals and families. His clients include entrepreneurs, inheritors, medical professionals, retirees, and charitable foundations. His areas of expertise include lifetime income modeling, integrated portfolio management, and comprehensive financial planning. James also works alongside the firm’s Senior Partners on advanced Ultra High Net Worth Family Office cases, providing tailored advice to multiple generations of the firm’s client families.

James specializes in serving the next generation. Since 2022, James has been ranked by Forbes as a Top Next Gen Wealth Advisor. Additionally, James was recognized by Forbes as a top advisor in Illinois in 2021. James also writes on a variety of wealth, investment, and portfolio topics on his blog www.thedrivenfiduciary.com.

As Chief Innovation Officer, James directs the firm’s strategic initiatives and fosters a firm-wide culture of innovation. In 2018 James lead a comprehensive transformation of Clearwater Capital’s technology suite; including the successful integration of the firm’s portfolio management system, the accounting system, and the client relationship management system. James manages all elements of the client digital experience and in 2019 he launched the Clearwater Capital mobile app.

James also spends time working in the Clearwater Capital Foundation, serving a 2 year term as the Executive Director ending in 2023. James is the Chairman of the Clearwater Capital Foundation Supercar show. One of the largest in Illinois, the car show has raised in aggregate over $100,000 for local charities since its inception. Additionally, James is a board member for the Chicago based “A Giving Heart Foundation” – an organization funding research for congenital heart disease.

James majored in Finance at Illinois State University’s College of Business, ranked by Bloomberg BusinessWeek as one of the nation’s best undergraduate business schools for six years running. At Illinois State he was an active member of the Delta Chi Fraternity.

In 2013, James earned the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor SM (AWMA®) designation from the College for Financial Planning®. In 2014, James passed the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination (Series 65) administered by FINRA, becoming a licensed Investment Adviser Representative at the age of only 19 years old. In the summer of 2015, James passed all four Illinois insurance examinations.

In 2019, James completed the Behavioral Sciences Executive Education Program at the UCLA Anderson School of Management under the direction of Professor Shlomo Benartzi. Also in 2019, James was chosen by Charles Schwab and Co. to complete a year-long Executive Leadership Program as one of 41 emerging RIA advisors from across the country.

James resides in downtown Arlington Heights, Illinois. In his free time James is active in the Chicago exotic car community. He enjoys all things motorsports including snowmobiling in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.