Today we’re joined by Brad Knapp, CFA, CAIA, President and CEO of Clearstead. Brad began his career in banking, then moved into wealth management at Hawthorn right as the Global Financial Crisis was unfolding. From there, he’s played a key role in the evolution from Hartland to Clearstead, as the firm expanded from its institutional roots into a major presence in private wealth.

We’re going to talk about those early experiences, what ultimately drew him into private wealth management, how Clearstead has changed along the way, and his involvement with the CFA Society of Cleveland. We’ll also get into some of the boards and nonprofits he supports here in Northeast Ohio.

Connect with Brad here:

Brad Knapp LinkedIn 

Host Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He is a Past President and Board Member of the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: 

Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

We'd like to thank the CFA Society Cleveland's 2025 Annual Sponsors First Trust, Invesco, State Street Global Advisors, BlackRock, Man Group, Avantis Investors and ScaleCo. We'd also like to that our University Partners the Case Western Reserve Weatherhead School of Business and University of Akron School of Business.  The support from these partners and others helps the Society bring engaging content like the Guardians of Finance podcast and other in-person events.  We welcome you to attend an event in the future to network, learn, and stay involved with the investment community in Northeast Ohio.