Bio

Chris has been an integral part of the evolution of the Cooke Financial Group, from his introduction in 1992 as Managing Director of Investments, to the 2016 move to independence and the launch of Sanctuary Wealth, now one of the fastest-growing hybrid RIAs in the country. Cooke Financial Group is the inaugural team on Sanctuary’s exclusive Partnered Independence℠ platform with Chris as one of the Sanctuary Founders.

Prior to joining Cooke Financial Group, Chris was an accountant at Ernst & Young. His experience in auditing, performance monitoring, and risk management was instrumental as the team continuously developed their service capabilities. Today, Chris’ expertise is concentrated in wealth management, retirement planning and estate planning. Chris is a non-practicing CPA and attorney. He enjoys waterskiing, tennis, travel, and horses. He and his wife Elizabeth have three grown children.

Education

• B.A. in Accounting – University of Notre Dame
• J.D. in Tax Law – Indiana University Law School of Indianapolis

Community

• Board Member – Conner Prairie Foundation Board of Directors
• Board Member – Ascension North Region Hospitals (Fishers, Carmel, Kokomo, Anderson)
• Finance Committee Member – Elevate Ventures
• Member – Penrod Society
• Member – Indiana Bar Association
• Member – Notre Dame Club of Indianapolis
• Member – Holy Spirit at Geist Catholic Church

Awards*

• Forbes America's Top 250 Wealth Advisors – 2025-2018
• Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors (Indiana) – 2025-2018
• Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors – 2025-2021
• AdvisorHub 200 Advisors to Watch (Over $1B) – 2025
• AdvisorHub 150 Advisors to Watch (Over $1B) – 2024
• Five Star Professional Five Star Wealth Manager Award – 2024-2018

Designations

• CIMA® – Certified Investment Management Analyst® certification is the peak international, technical portfolio construction program for investment consultants, analysts, financial advisors, and wealth management professionals. CIMA® professionals complete rigorous education on asset allocation, ethics, due diligence, risk measurement, investment policy, and performance management. Individuals who hold the CIMA® designation are required to prove their expertise through recertification every two years.

Licenses

• Series 7 – The Series 7 is an exam and license that entitles the holder to sell all types of securities products except commodities and futures. The Series 7 exam covers topics on investment risk, taxation, equity and debt instruments, packaged securities, options, and retirement plans.
• Series 63 – The Series 63 is an exam and license that entitles the holder to solicit orders for any type of security in a particular state. The Series 63 exam covers topics on ethical practices and fiduciary obligations.
• Series 65 – The Series 65 license is a certification for individuals who wish to provide investment advice and analysis to clients. It's administered by FINRA and qualifies individuals as Investment Advisor Representatives (IARs) in states that require this certification. 
• Security Industry Essentials® (SIE®) – The Security Industry Essentials® (SIE®) is an exam and license that demonstrates fundamental knowledge of the securities industry. The SIE® exam covers topics on industry terminology, securities products, the structure and function of the markets, regulatory agencies and their functions, and regulated and prohibited practices.

* Award Disclosures: Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary.

Forbes America's Top 250 Wealth Advisors (2018 - 2025), created by SHOOK Research. Most recently presented in April 2025 based on data gathered from 06/30/2023 to 06/30/2024. No fee was paid to be included in the ranking. A fee was paid to hold out in marketing materials.

Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors (2018-2025), created by SHOOK Research. Most recently presented in April 2025 based on data gathered from 06/30/2023 to 06/30/2024. No fee was paid to be included in the ranking. A fee was paid to hold out in marketing materials.

Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors (2021-2025), created by Barron's. Most recently presented in March 2025 based on data provided as of September 2024. No fee was paid to be included in the ranking. A fee was paid to hold out in marketing materials.

AdvisorHub 200 Advisors to Watch (Over $1B) (2025), created by AdvisorHub. Presented in June 2024 based on data gathered from 01/2024 to 12/2024. No fee was paid to be included in the ranking or to hold out in marketing materials.

AdvisorHub 150 Advisors to Watch (Over $1B) (2024), created by AdvisorHub. Presented in June 2024 based on data gathered from 01/2023 to 12/2023. No fee was paid to be included in the ranking or to hold out in marketing materials.

Five Star Professional Five Star Wealth Manager Award (2018-2024), created by Five Star Professional. Most recently presented in September 2024 based on data gathered from 11/2023 to 05/2024. No fee was paid to be included in the ranking or to hold out in marketing materials.