Our Team

Stuart Kruse designed a breakthrough model for investing, formulated to maximize the odds that a client will achieve their financial goals. Since its inception, the Kruse Quantitative Value Portfolio, or QVP, has outperformed the S&P 500 approximately 80 percent of all 90-day periods. Mr. Kruse built Kruse Asset Management in 2007, after 7 years with Bear Stearns & Co. Inc., where he originally systemized the QVP. During QVP development in 2005, Bear Stearns Asset Management audited and approved this unique model to be run on a discretionary basis for clients of Kruse and other brokers. While at Bear Stearns, Mr. Kruse managed investments, totaling over $100 million, and closely advised on an additional $800 million in assets for other groups.

Prior to his work at Bear Stearns, Mr. Kruse worked for Lehman Brothers Private Client Services, where he managed more than $30 million in client investments and attained a $1 billion endowment fund. Mr. Kruse also served as a principle in a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), where he helped expand business to the public markets through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 1997.

Mr. Kruse earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical engineering from Northwestern University with a minor concentration in Economics. He received his MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management with concentrations in Finance, Decision Sciences (Game Theory), Marketing and Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Mr. Kruse is also a CFA Charterholder.

In addition to his work with Kruse Asset Management, Mr. Kruse is proud to serve on the Chicago Board of the Posse Foundation, which organizes full-scholarship avenues for inner-city high school students to attend prestigious liberal arts colleges and university in groups of ten (a Posse) per year. Mr. Kruse has served as an adjunct professor at Concordia University’s MBA program, teaching classes in Entrepreneurial Finance and Strategic & Ethical Leadership. Mr. Kruse currently serves as an advisor to YCharts.com, an innovative financial website.

John’s education and enthusiasm with our complex global financial system stated over two decades ago having family in the business and CNBC on the TV every morning. He followed that passion to college and graduated from Miami University of Ohio with a Finance degree and two minors: Economics and Decisions Sciences (business stats). John extended his education after college and become a member of the CFA® Institute and member of the CFA Society of Chicago.

He began his investment career at Northern Trust working in Private Equity, which helped bolster two important topics 1) Understanding large and complex banks and 2) A primer on private financial assets. After a few years, John joined a value-based hedge fund and later published research reports on public equities (most recently at Morningstar).

In 2018, John joined a large RIA (Registered Investment Advisor), where he not only helped run $300 Million in assets but also helped improve the client experience and operations. It was here that John learned every aspect of running a large investment firm and crystallized his passion for wealth management and his future plans.    

After careful analysis, John joined Kruse Asset Management, where he helps manage investment strategies, finding new ideas, and monitoring trends to help client portfolios. John has been instrumental in supporting all aspects of the firm, but most directly, aiding in the firm’s options strategies, structured notes, and venture capital.

John was recently featured in the Top 100 People in Finance – a national recognition.