About Us
our team
Founded in 2000, Boulder-based Colorado Capital Management, a certified B-Corporation, provides independent fee-only portfolio management, financial planning and impact investments for high-net-worth individuals, families and foundations.
Our team of experienced, caring and credentialed professionals are dedicated to providing you with an exceptional client experience.
Steven Ellis
Managing Partner, Senior Advisor, CFA
Steve Ellis has spent his career making an impact, so it’s not surprising that Colorado Capital Management’s founder launched the firm’s entry into impact investing.
He brings over 30 years of experience as a financial advisor to high net worth clients. His early work included teaching college courses in accounting and finance, consulting for a major accounting firm, and researching and acquiring investments as the chief due diligence officer of a leading national financial planning firm. Since 1989, he has advised individual and institutional investors on the management of their wealth. Steve is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), holds a business degree from the University of Colorado, magna cum laude, and a master’s degree from Cornell University.
Steve launched the firm’s entry into impact investing in 2012 and is committed to helping build the field. Steve is a passionate speaker on the topic. He has taught about impact investing at various conferences and classes around the country, including as a past faculty member at Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Steve was recognized in the “Who’s Who in Impact Investing” by the Denver Business Journal in 2018. This distinction, developed in collaboration with the Impact Finance Center, highlights professionals making significant contributions to impact investing and fostering meaningful change within their communities (learn more).
Steve is married, with two daughters, enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, tennis and bridge, and is actively involved in the community. He has served on numerous boards and committees for a wide array of nonprofit organizations, including the Boulder JCC, Rose Community Foundation, Jewish Family Service, and Friendship Bridge. His passion for impact and community service helped lead Colorado Capital Management to become a Certified B Corporation and to build a strong culture of volunteerism and philanthropy.
Lee Strongwater
Managing Partner, Senior Advisor, WMSSM
As a serial entrepreneur and world traveler, Lee Strongwater, president of Colorado Capital Management, brings a global perspective to investments and life planning.
For over 20 years, Lee has passionately assisted clients with their financial planning and portfolio management needs. He particularly enjoys helping them lead more meaningful lives and invest in ways that align with their values. Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Colorado and a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University. He also possesses the Wealth Management Specialist (WMS) certification.
Before joining Colorado Capital Management, Lee was a managing partner at Strongwater-Schott, a fee-only investment management and financial planning firm based in Denver. He founded two children’s product companies, one of which went public in 2007.
Lee has actively volunteered for several organizations. He is a former president and a current member of the Board of Directors at the Boulder Jewish Community Center, a highly respected organization at both local and national levels. Lee also served on the Investment Committee of Girl Rising- Global Education, a venture philanthropy fund that invests in social entrepreneurs with culturally relevant ideas. The fund’s investments promote gender equality and enhance educational outcomes for girls and boys living in poverty in Kenya, India, and Guatemala.
Lee is married and has two daughters. He enjoys hiking, skiing, and traveling—mostly to Mediterranean countries—as well as trying out new recipes inspired by his journeys. When he’s not on the move, you can find him engrossed in a book.
Emily Lucero
Financial Advisor, CFP®, CSRIC®
Emily builds deeply meaningful relationships with her clients to help them thrive in good times and persevere through challenging times.
Emily is an advisor at Colorado Capital Management, bringing eight-plus years of significant industry experience from both brokerage and investment advisory firms. Emily is excited to have landed at CCM, a Certified B Corp that is innovative and values-driven. She is proud to create meaningful financial and investment plans for clients, while also focusing on socially responsible business practices. As a Chartered SRI Counselor™, Emily has a strong background and keen interest in sustainable investing and enjoys helping clients understand the merits of this approach. She loves learning about people and their backgrounds which she believes is the foundation of fostering great long-term relationships. Emily is a Certified Financial Planner™ and has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Colorado.
Prior to joining CCM, Emily worked as an analyst at another top Boulder-based investment advisor firm, where she solidified her investment knowledge and gained a deep understanding of portfolio construction and management. She was also responsible for the firm’s business development, deepening community relationships and creating positive client experiences through events and firm initiatives.
Emily, a Colorado native, is married to Brice, whom she met at CU Boulder in their Philosophy 101 class. They have a daughter, Charlotte (Charlie for short), a son, Bjorn, and a Beagle named Deza. Outside of her professional life, Emily is a dedicated home cook, a fitness enthusiast who enjoys HIIT workouts, and a lover of home improvement projects. She cherishes her time in the Colorado sunshine, often spending it with her family.
Erica Loughrey
Financial Advisor, CFP®, MSFP
Erica is passionate about providing purposeful advice to help clients enjoy a meaningful life.
Erica is an advisor at CCM. She joined the firm in 2021, fulfilling her desire to work for a values-based company with a deep commitment to making an impact. She moved from her hometown of Anchorage, Alaska and quickly fell in love with the sunny and beautiful state of Colorado. She brought with her prior experience as a para-planner and is delighted to be engaged in a profession that empowers individuals to flourish financially. She believes strongly in exceptional client service and creating lifelong generational relationships.
In 2022, she accomplished two of her major career goals, finishing her master’s degree in financial planning (MSFP) and earning her Certified Financial Planner™ designation.
Erica enjoys spending time outdoors and traveling to exotic locales. In her free time, you can find her out skiing, hiking, scuba diving, practicing yoga or jetting off to new places to explore. She has a never-ending list of travel plans, having already visited over 20 countries, and feels lucky to have so many wonderful opportunities and adventures.
Jason Black,
Managing Partner, Senior Advisor CFP®, CSRIC®
As a managing partner and senior advisor at Colorado Capital Management, Jason brings 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is passionate about helping individuals and families live abundant and intentional lives and takes pride in being part of a Certified B Corporation. This allows him to provide meaningful financial and investment planning while focusing on socially responsible business practices that make a positive impact.
As a Chartered SRI CounselorSM, Jason has a strong background and keen interest in sustainable investing. He enjoys helping clients understand its benefits. He is also a Certified Financial Planner™ and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Colorado.
Before joining CCM, Jason worked as a consultant for financial advisors at Jackson National. He helped create meaningful connections with families, developed creative asset allocation strategies, and provided tax-advantaged retirement income solutions. During his tenure there, Jason worked with over four thousand financial advisors nationwide, was recognized multiple times as Consultant of the Year, and managed a team of twenty-five individuals.
Jason has been married to Bridget for fifteen years, whom he met while in college at CU. Together, they have a son, daughter, and a Frenchie named Coco Disco. They live in the Whisper Creek neighborhood of Arvada. When Jason isn’t at work, he and his family enjoy skiing in Summit County, wake surfing in Glendo, WY, cooking, dancing, and traveling.
Vince Otterbein
Financial Advisor, CFP®
Vince joined the Colorado Capital Management team in 2020. A lifelong Colorado resident, he graduated from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2018. After finding a passion for personal finance and pursuing the financial planning degree track at CU, Vince went on to work at Charles Schwab & Co. as a registered representative where he provided investment guidance and trading services. He quickly realized that he wanted to work at an independent firm as a fee-only adviser where the client’s interests came before all else.
Vince is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and helps clients with their financial, tax and estate planning and portfolio management needs. He truly enjoys de-mystifying the world of investment advice and takes a holistic approach.
In his spare time, Vince enjoys skiing, golfing, and many other activities the Rocky Mountains has to offer. He holds dual citizenship in the US and France and loves traveling abroad whenever he gets the chance. Vince always welcomes opportunities to learn and is an active member of the community.
Zuzana Birova
Senior Portfolio Manager, MBA
Zuzana is the lead portfolio manager at Colorado Capital Management.
Max Pulitzer
Portfolio Manager
Max is an assistant portfolio manager and analyst at Colorado Capital Management.
He joined the firm on a part-time basis in 2018 while still in college, and started full-time in 2020. Max conducts investment research, develops portfolio recommendations, and assists with trading and rebalancing portfolios. He is delighted to be part of CCM team and to be assisting clients with their investment needs.
Max graduated from the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business with a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting. He was heavily involved in the CU community as a representative at large for the University of Colorado Student Government and a voting member on the finance board.
Max was born and raised in Boulder, CO. In his spare time, he enjoys skiing, fly fishing, traveling, and spending time with family. He also enjoys helping others and was a Mentor at Mentoring Through Movement for two years while attaining his undergraduate degree.
Andy Gilson
VP of Operations, CRPS™
He joined the firm in 2007, making him the second longest tenured member of our team. Andy manages the day-to-day operations of the firm, including all back office and client service functions. This includes almost everything related to opening new accounts, transferring assets, portfolio accounting and reporting, vendor relations, subscription documents for private investments, year-end tax information, and more. He has been instrumental to the growth and success of the company, which has more than tripled in revenues during his tenure.
Andy holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications & Media Technology from King’s College located in Wilkes-Barre, PA. He also has extensive prior experience in the financial services industry, including two years as an operations specialist at Raymond James Financial, and six years in investor services and management at a mutual fund transfer agency.
Andy has lived in Colorado since 2007. Prior to that he and his family lived in the Philadelphia area where he is originally from. He and his wife Jada have four children and he enjoys spending time with his family, camping and sports.
Stacie Craddock
Compliance Coordinator
Since joining Colorado Capital Management (“CCM”) in 2018 and now through Integrated Compliance Advisors, Stacie has served as our compliance consultant and subject-matter expert.
Certification Disclaimer
Industry certifications (CFA, CFP, etc.) show technical and industry knowledge and obtaining these designations shows a professional commitment to investment skills.
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
Chartered Financial Analysts are licensed by the CFA Institute to use the CFA mark. CFA certification requirements:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or have equivalent education or work experience;
- Successful completion of all three exam levels of the CFA Program;
Have 48 months of acceptable professional work experience in the investment decision-making process; - Fulfill society requirements, which vary by society. Unless you are upgrading from affiliate membership, all societies require two sponsor statements as part of each application; these are submitted online by your sponsors;
- Agree to adhere to and sign the Member’s Agreement, a Professional Conduct Statement, and any additional documentation requested by CFA Institute.
Certified Financial Planner™, CFP®
The federally registered CFP (with flame design) marks (collectively, the “CFP® marks”) are professional certification marks granted in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP Board”). The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold CFP® certification. It is recognized in the United States and a number of other countries for its
- high standard of professional education;
- stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and
- ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients. To attain the right to use the CFP® marks, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill the following requirements:
- a) complete an advanced college-level course of study addressing the financial planning subject areas including insurance planning and risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning;
- b) pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination (2 day; 10 hour exam);
- c) complete at least three years of full-time financial planning-related experience (or the equivalent, measured as 2,000 hours per year);
- d) agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Standards of Professional Conduct;
- e) complete 30 hours of continuing education hours every two years; and
- f) renew an agreement to be bound by the Standards of Professional Conduct.
Wealth Management Specialist (WMSSM)
Chartered SRI Counselor (CSRIC®)
The Chartered SRI CounselorSM , or CSRIC® program, is a designation program that provides a blend of foundational knowledge and scenario learning to work with sustainable, responsible, and impact (SRI) investments, alongside environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, for a variety of clients. This program provides experienced financial advisors and investment professionals with a foundation knowledge of the history, definitions, trends, portfolio construction principles, fiduciary responsibilities, and best practices for sustainable investing. This course was developed in partnership with US SIF, The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment—the leading voice advancing sustainable, responsible, and impact investing across all asset classes in the United States.
Complete 16 hours of continuing education every two years to maintain competence.
Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist (CRPS™)
The Chartered Retirement Plans SpecialistSM , or CRPS® program, is a designation program for financial professionals. This program educates experienced advisors on the process for building and maintaining business retirement plans. Students will be able to recommend implementation techniques that can be executed into well-structured, company-appropriate retirement plans. Plus, you’ll be able to effectively administer retirement plans for businesses and their employees. The program has been updated for the SECURE Act 2.0, so you’ll gain the knowledge to help your clients take advantage of incentives available under the legislation.
Complete 16 hours of continuing education every two years to maintain competence.
Master of Science in Financial Planning (MSFP)
Graduate-level degree focused on advanced financial planning strategies, investment management, estate planning, taxation, and retirement planning. The minimum qualifications for obtaining a Master of Science in Financial Planning (MSFP) designation or degree typically includes a combination of academic and professional prerequisites, which may vary depending on the specific institution or program. Generally, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. While the degree does not always need to be in a related field such as finance, accounting, business, or economics, some programs may prefer it. Many MSFP programs also require relevant work experience in the financial planning or financial services field (e.g., investment management, insurance, estate planning). The amount of experience required can range from 1-3 years, depending on the program.
Integrity
Our core value
Quality
Providing an exceptional client experience
We are passionate about providing clients with an exceptional experience.. This is demonstrated by our highly personalized and responsive service, careful attention to detail and proactive communication. It is underpinned by our rigorous market and investment research. It is evidenced by our exceptional client retention. And it stems from the outstanding qualifications and expertise of our wealth management team.
Responsibility
Doing the right thing
We care deeply about doing the right thing—for our clients and for our community at large. As both a Public Benefit Corporation and a Certified B Corporation, we have doubled down on our commitment to socially responsible business practices. Our team members hold volunteer leadership roles with a variety of nonprofit organizations. We actively minimize and offset our carbon footprint. We give generously and provide pro-bono services in support of numerous charities. And we are recognized locally and nationally as leaders in ESG (environmental, social and governance) and impact investing. For more information, see our Annual Impact Report.
To learn more about our values driven approach to enriching lives, please contact us for a free consultation.
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