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During a distinguished investment career spanning more than 40 years, John P. Calamos, Sr. has provided investors with innovative strategies for building and protecting wealth over market cycles.
The roots of Calamos Wealth Management trace back to the difficult markets of the 1970s, when John developed breakthrough strategies which utilized convertible bonds to manage risks and enhance return potential. Convertibles were little known at the time, but John recognized the potential of these hybrid securities, which combined features of stocks and bonds.
However, John’s investment experience began far earlier. The son of a Greek immigrant, John grew up in Chicago, where he worked in his family’s grocery store. When he was in his teens, he became interested in investing and convinced his parents to entrust him with a portion of their hard-earned nest egg. From these early days, John understood that his investment decisions carried with them great responsibility. He saw firsthand the effort that went into earning this money, and knew the implications of losing it.
John’s early experiences helped define the values of Calamos Wealth Management today. Investing on behalf of our clients is an honor and a responsibility that we do not take lightly. We recognize our clients have unique stories, and their savings are intended for specific and important goals. Their assets are the result of lifetimes, even generations, of hard work and sacrifice.
John’s belief in the value of teamwork was solidified during his service as a member of the U.S. Air Force where he flew 900 combat missions during the Vietnam War, ultimately earning the rank of Major and a Distinguished Flying Cross. His early career molded Calamos Wealth Management’s belief in teamwork, where we eschew a “star system.” Instead, we believe that teams leverage talent, and that the best ideas emerge out of a collaborative, collegial environment. Our investment professionals work together as a single integrated group.* We believe this structure provides stability and consistency of process. Similarly, our relationship management professionals work as a unified team, developing collaborative strategies for supporting each client.
John’s experience in the military also solidified his belief in being prepared and disciplined. His philosophy is that certain risks cannot be avoided, but through preparedness and discipline, they can be understood and managed. This philosophy has been a hallmark of our approach to help clients build and preserve wealth over the long term.
Following his military service, John embarked on a career in investment management and research. Guided by entrepreneurial vision, he established his own firm in 1977, which grew into a diversified global asset manager with capabilities in convertibles, equities, fixed-income and alternatives.
In 2004, John took his firm public as Calamos Asset Management, Inc. (Nasdq: CLMS).As chairman, chief executive officer and co-chief investment officer, he remains fully involved in the day-to-day and strategic operations of his business. As a member of the Wealth Management Investment Committee, he participates in the portfolio oversight of CWM clients and is actively involved with ongoing communication.
John received his undergraduate degree in Economics and M.B.A. in Finance from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He is a member of the Investment Analysts Society of Chicago and won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® award for the financial services sector, Lake Michigan Area program for 2006.
A well recognized pioneer in risk-management strategies, he is the author of two books: Investing in Convertible Securities: Your Complete Guide to the Risks and Rewards, and Convertible Securities: the Latest Instruments, Portfolio Strategies, and Valuation Analysis, along with numerous articles in various financial journals. He is often quoted in the press, including The Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, Barron’s, Fortune, BusinessWeek and Pensions & Investments. He has appeared on Bloomberg, CNBC, CNNfn, Louis Rukeyser's Wall Street and Nightly Business Report.
John is deeply committed to promoting education, and has taught graduate level courses on finance and investments. He is a member of the Boards of Trustees of Illinois Institute of Technology and Benedictine University.
He is an active philanthropist, and is proud to lend his support to a number of Hellenic organizations, among others.
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