Charles Russ brings more than 30 years of experience helping individuals, families, executives, and business owners make informed financial decisions with confidence. His career spans leadership roles in both the corporate and private sectors, including over a decade leading complex consulting engagements with Price Waterhouse (now PwC) and Ernst & Young.
As a Founding Partner of FFG Chicago, Charles believes successful financial planning extends well beyond investment management. He specializes in integrating wealth management, proactive tax strategies, retirement income planning, and risk management into a comprehensive financial plan designed around each client’s unique goals. His planning process combines sophisticated financial analysis with practical, easy-to-understand recommendations, giving clients greater clarity and confidence in their financial future.
Charles is particularly passionate about helping business owners navigate the complexities of business continuity, succession planning, executive benefits, and tax-efficient wealth strategies. His extensive corporate and consulting background enables him to identify planning opportunities that are often overlooked, helping clients make smarter financial decisions while preserving and growing their wealth.
Beyond his professional practice, Charles has a long history of civic leadership and community service. He currently serves on the Finance Commission for the Village of Hinsdale, Illinois, helping oversee municipal budgeting and financial planning. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement of Chicago, supporting financial literacy, and entrepreneurship education of students throughout the region.
Charles has served on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras and on the Parish Council of St. Andrew Parish, reflecting his longstanding commitment to education, leadership, and community engagement.
Charles earned his Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame. He also holds the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) designation from The American College of Financial Services.
Charles and his wife, Adriana, an audiologist at Loyola University Medical Center, reside in Hinsdale, Illinois, with their son, Charles IV.
“Every financial decision should support the life you want to live. My role is to help clients simplify complexity, make informed decisions, and create a financial strategy that gives them confidence today and throughout retirement.”