Chris Karam

Passionate about investing and understanding the impact of global events on the capital markets, Chris enjoys explaining complex market concepts in a way that is accessible and easily understood. He authors white papers and plan sponsor guides to share thought leadership and deliver actionable insights. Chris believes that clients achieve better outcomes when they make informed decisions about investing and follow a sound fiduciary process.

As the Finspire, LLC Chief Investment Officer, Chris Karam helps clients achieve peace of mind by creating strategic solutions within a disciplined review process. He applies the best practices of institutional and private asset management to their clients’ portfolios. Chris and the team partner with clients to develop a sound strategic plan and review its effectiveness using a proprietary scoring system that emphasizes risk management, downside protection and controlling expenses.

Prior to co-founding Finspire, LLC, Chris served as the Chief Investment Officer with Sheridan Road Advisors, LLC for 11 years, and with Alliance Benefit Group of Michigan for the 8 years prior. He has earned advanced certifications which demonstrate his commitment to his craft. The Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) designation signifies a high level of consulting expertise with asset allocation, ethics, due diligence, risk measurement, investment policy and performance measurement. As an Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst® (AIFA®), Chris has the ability to implement prudent processes for investment selection and can perform fiduciary assessments to verify or certify an entity’s conformity to Global Fiduciary Standard of Excellence. He earned his B.S. in Decision Science from Miami University.

Unique Accomplishments

• Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) Executive Committee member 2018-2019
• Top 50 Advisor Under 40 – National Association of Plan Advisors 2016
• Top 20 Rising Stars in Wealth Management – Institutional Investor 2008

Chris and his wife have three wonderful children and reside in Barrington, Illinois. He enjoys experiencing other cultures, specifically learning more about Middle Eastern countries and eating Lebanese food. He likes staying active and enjoys playing tennis, running, coaching his children’s sports and volunteering his time to local charitable endeavors. Chris is particularly proud of his involvement in the Barrington Honor Ride and Run, an event that raises money for Ride 2 Recovery which is a national organization that raises money to customize bicycles for wounded military veterans.