Calamos Investments - Our History

We have based our investment philosophy around a single belief—the key to consistent, long-term success is achieving an optimal balance between enhancing returns and managing risk.

Our History

Our founder, John P. Calamos, Sr., began investing for his clients in the difficult markets of the early 1970s. John developed pioneering strategies that sought to maximize the potential of convertible securities (a stock-bond hybrid). Convertibles were little known at the time, but John recognized the potential of these securities to enhance returns and manage risk.

Our investment approach centers around comprehensive capital structure research. As such, we have been able to readily apply our investment discipline beyond convertible securities and across asset classes. Throughout the decades, we have expanded our capabilities, always maintaining our dual focus on pursuing returns and managing risk. Today, we offer our clients a broad range of investment capabilities including equity, fixed income, convertible and alternatives. We create tailored portfolios for our clients that utilize one or more of these capabilities, depending on their specific needs.

Because we recognize that successful wealth management is about more than asset management, we also offer our clients a comprehensive suite of wealth planning services. Through personalized consulting, our wealth strategies team helps our clients address the challenges of estate, tax, business succession, retirement and financial planning, as well as asset protection.

Headquartered in suburban Chicago, Illinois, we are a part of Calamos Asset Management, Inc., a publicly traded company (Nasdaq-CLMS). Calamos Asset Management's subsidiaries include Calamos Wealth Management LLC (CWM) and Calamos Advisors LLC, a federally registered investment advisor which serves as the investment advisor to institutional separate accounts, the Calamos Family of Funds, Calamos closed-end funds, and the Calamos Global Funds PLC.* Calamos Wealth Management and its affiliates presently employ more than 300 individuals and manage more than $31 billion on behalf of a global base of investors (as of January 31, 2010).

Calamos Wealth Management can provide our clients with what we believe is “the best of both worlds”—the personalized attention of a specialized boutique firm and the resources of a global asset manager. Despite Calamos’s growth and success, we remain very much a personal organization with deep roots and longstanding relationships with our private clients. The Calamos family is proud to invest alongside our wealth management clients.

For more information, please contact Jim Baka at jimbaka@calamos.com or 630.245.8725 or 888.857.7604.

*Unless the context otherwise requires, references to "Calamos" refer to Calamos Asset Management Inc., and its subsidiaries, including CWM and CAL.

Wealth Strategy professionals are available to consult with clients in a wide variety of issues associated with the accumulation, preservation and transfer of family wealth. Upon a review of existing planning documents, asset holdings and income tax returns, a Wealth Strategist assists clients with the design and understanding of strategies intended to minimize taxes, protect assets, and promote family harmony. Calamos Wealth Management and its representatives do not provide accounting, tax or legal advice. Each individual's tax and financial situation is unique. In considering this material you should consult your accounting, tax and/or legal advisor for advice and information concerning your particular situation.

Calamos Wealth Management LLC is a federally registered investment advisor. Part 2 of Form ADV is a brochure which provides background information about the firm and its business practice. To access the brochure you can click here to download, or upon written request to: Calamos Wealth Management LLC, 2020 Calamos Court, Naperville, IL 60563-1787, Attn: Compliance Officer.