Al Krause

It is with profound sadness that Clearwater Capital Partners announces the passing of Alan Rodney Krause – our Partner, Chief Financial Officer, co-founder, and treasured colleague – who left us peacefully on March 24, 2026, surrounded by his wife, Kelly, and their daughters. Al was 64 years old. His loss leaves a silence in our firm and in our hearts that no tribute can adequately fill.

Al built his professional life on substance. A Minnesota native born on January 15, 1962, he earned dual degrees in Accounting and Finance from the University of Illinois–Chicago in 1984, and a Master of Science in Taxation from DePaul University in 1999; credentials he supplemented with his CPA designation and Series 65 license. He began his career at the U.S. General Accounting Office and then at Grant Thornton, developing the rigorous discipline that would define everything he did thereafter. He joined Borhart, Spellmeyer & Company at its inception in 1989 and became a Partner there in 1995, then served as Chief Operating Officer of the Shodeen Company before turning his full attention to Clearwater Capital Partners, which he helped build from the ground up. As CFO and a member of our Investment Policy Committee, Al was not merely an architect of our financial foundation; he was an adamant believer in our mission.

Within Clearwater, Al was the person you wanted in the room when things were complicated. His command of the numbers was matched only by his calm, candor, and effortless optimism. He held himself to an exacting standard, never loudly, never harshly, but with a quiet tenacity that made those around him better. He had a genuine sense of humor and a warmth that made even difficult conversations feel manageable. A member of the Illinois CPA Society and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, he embodied the best of what those memberships represent.