Eric Clarke founded Orion in 1999 and led it as chief executive until 2023. He built the Omaha firm from portfolio accounting software for independent advisors into Orion Advisor Solutions, a wealthtech suite that the company says supports millions of technology accounts. He remains an active member of the board.
Early career
He earned a BS in accounting and information systems from Brigham Young University and an MBA from the University of Utah. Before Orion he was chief operating officer of CLS Investments, an RIA founded by his late father, Patrick Clarke, where he developed portfolio accounting and reporting software that became the seed of the company.
Building Orion
He launched Orion to help independent advisors scale with better portfolio software, then expanded into a broader open-architecture platform of technology and investment tools. Between 2018 and 2022 he guided seven major acquisitions, including FTJ FundChoice, Advizr, Brinker Capital, HiddenLevers, BasisCode Compliance, Redtail Technology, and TownSquare Capital, aiming to reduce the disconnected-systems problem advisors face. Industry awards during his tenure included WealthManagement's CEO of the Year for 2022 and an InvestmentNews Icon & Innovators Award in 2019.
Board role
He announced retirement plans as CEO in 2023 and handed the role to Natalie Wolfsen in October that year, staying on through a transition period and then as a board director. Orion's thought-leader page still lists him as founding CEO and board member, and he continues to write and speak on advisor technology and independence.