John Stamas

John D. Stamas is the Founding Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Defender Capital, LLC, based in Charlotte, NC. He co-founded the firm following his early career at Oppenheimer & Co. in New York City, and has played a central role in shaping Defender Capital's investment strategy and client service model. As CIO, John oversees all investment decisions for the firm's private client base, which includes individuals, families, and corporate entities.

His investment focus at Defender Capital is on U.S. equities, managing diversified portfolios for a range of account types such as retirement accounts, trusts, and corporate accounts. The firm's research-driven, long-term approach emphasizes alignment with clients through co-investment in the same holdings, and John is heavily involved in security selection and portfolio construction with a strong emphasis on after-tax returns. Recent regulatory filings indicate a primary allocation to large-cap equities and ETFs, with holdings in companies like Danaher Corp, Berkshire Hathaway, and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF.

John holds a degree from Rutgers College and has served in several nonprofit board roles, including for the Charlotte Symphony and Sandhills Classical Christian School. With extensive experience in the investment management industry, his expertise spans equity research, portfolio management, and strategic asset allocation, contributing significantly to the growth and reputation of Defender Capital in the Southeast U.S.