James Cracchiolo

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ameriprise Financial

Search every verified James Cracchiolo interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. James Cracchiolo, Chairman and CEO of Ameriprise Financial, was inducted into the 2018 Minnesota Business Hall of Fame. In a video produced for the honor, Cracchiolo discussed his career, noting that he initially considered becoming an engineer before deciding he wanted to focus on building businesses. He joined American Express in 1982 and rose to CFO, later building a half-billion-dollar merchandising business in direct marketing. Cracchiolo was named chairman and CEO of American Express Financial Advisors in 2000, and in 2005 led its spinoff into Ameriprise Financial, which he described as the sixth largest spinoff in U.S. history. He stated that during the 2008 financial crisis, Ameriprise declined government bailout funding and instead loaned clients $700 million while making strategic acquisitions. Cracchiolo said he continues to devote significant time and effort to running the company and has no plans to retire as long as he can continue to engage fully.