Experienced
Innovative
Focused
Our team understands the intricacies of underwriting, purchasing and servicing merchant portfolios. We bring extensive investment, acquisition, operating and management expertise to propel CLARUS and our investors forward.
Portfolio Management Team
Randy Tillim
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Randy Tillim leads CLARUS as an established payments industry veteran. Tillim founded CLARUS in 1999 after experiencing difficulties with payment processing as a restaurant owner. Under his leadership, CLARUS has grown to process over $7 billion for over 15,000 merchants annually. Tillim began acquiring merchant portfolios in 2006 and in 2015 Tillim opened merchant portfolio acquisitions to business partners. In 2018 Tillim created Merchant Portfolio Management Group, LLC to handle investor funded merchant portfolio acquisitions. His industry expertise and acumen are well respected around the country. He often speaks at partner events and conferences including the Electronic Transaction Association conference in Washington D.C. each year. Tillim is a graduate of the Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University. In his free time, Tillim enjoys spending time with his family, catching the latest automotive shows, and running in off-road rallies.
Eric Pottebaum
President
Eric Pottebaum joined CLARUS in 2015, bringing his expansive experience in the national hospitality industry to the executive leadership and management team at CLARUS. Pottebaum’s vast skill set ranges from strategic planning and analysis, training and development, operations management, budgeting and forecasting, sales management, to contract negotiations. As President of CLARUS, Pottebaum guides Clarus towards its long-term objectives while ensuring smooth day-to-day success throughout the company’s teams and functions. Pottebaum holds a bachelor’s degree from Benedictine College. Outside of the office, you can find him catching Iowa Hawkeyes football games or taking his children on adventures with his wife.
Michael Jaffe
Executive Vice President of Business Development
Michael Jaffe joined CLARUS in 2017 as Executive Vice President of Business Development. Jaffe brings over 20 years of experience to bear on his work with merchant portfolio analysis and acquisitions. Jaffe knows every element of the merchant services industry from security requirements to software integrations to sales force management. Prior to joining CLARUS, Jaffe held roles as Vice President of Channel Sales, Senior Director of Product Development and MARCOMM, and Vice President of Global Marketing and New Programs. Jaffe holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University Bloomington. Aside from analyzing portfolio spreadsheets, Jaffe enjoys spending time with his daughter, exploring the outdoors, and driving his 1990 VW Westfalia.
Jonathan Turner
Chief Investment Officer
Jonathan Turner joined CLARUS in 2020. As Chief Investment Officer, Turner brings over a decade of experience in the financial services industry, focusing in wealth management and investment portfolio construction. Turner’s expansive knowledge on investment portfolio construction and market sector needs help CLARUS to explore new ways to offer merchant portfolios as an investment solution to retail investors. Turner oversees merchant portfolio acquisitions, investment fund construction and investor management functions. Turner earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Marketing from Penn State University. Outside of Clarus, you can find him traveling the world with his wife or attending various car rallies and professional races.
Investor Relations Team
Bryan Pham
Vice President of Investor Relations
- Joined Clarus in 2020.
- 10 years in the financial services industry, specializing in alternative investments.
- Previous roles include Vice President of Business Development with a private equity firm as well as Wealth Management Associate with J.P. Morgan Securities.
- Graduate of Drexel University.
Ernesto Caldera
Vice President of Investor Relations
- Joined Clarus in 2018.
- 15 years of experience in the financial services industry.
- Previous roles include Risk Manager with an international bank overseeing private investment portfolios in excess of $100 million.
- Graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Olivia Turner
Vice President of Investor Relations
- Joined Clarus in 2021.
- 10 years of experience in the financial services industry.
- Previous roles include Separately Managed Account Analyst for SEI, Internal Sales & Managing Director for Pacer ETFs.
- Graduate of Penn State University.
Brooke Moore
Customer Service and Client Relations
- Joined Clarus in 2015.
- 10 years of experience in customer service and client relations.
- Graduate of Antonelli Institute.