Our Story

Established in 2011, Delaware Avenue Advisors was founded on a simple belief: families and individuals deserve clear, honest guidance they can trust. We launched as an investment "cooperative" designed to eliminate the sales pressures and conflicts of interest inherent in traditional brokerage models.

As your fiduciary, our success is tied directly to yours, ensuring that our advice is always driven by your goals rather than commissions or hidden incentives.

Today, we partner closely with our clients to help them protect what they’ve built, make confident decisions, and move toward their goals with clarity and purpose.

You first.

Gene Chaas, CFA

CEO & Managing Director

Gene leads Delaware Avenue Advisors with a focus on transparency, discipline, and long-term thinking. With years of experience as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) holder, guiding clients through changing markets, he specializes in building strategies that balance growth and protection.

Gene works closely with families and business owners to understand what matters most to them and to design clear, actionable plans around those priorities. His goal is simple: make every client feel informed, prepared, and supported at every stage.

Investment Advisor & Insurance Consultant

Shaun Laper

Drawing from his time as a devoted student of the financial markets over the last decade and a former student of Gene’s at SUNY Buffalo State, Shaun focuses on investment research with sensible risk management strategies. He is dedicated to analyzing portfolios, wealth management and tracking market shifts to provide personalized solutions that align with each client’s unique goals and timeframe.

Shaun also serves as an insurance consultant, where he prioritizes securing the right coverage for every stage of life to safeguard the legacy his clients have built.

Outside of his professional commitments, you might find him strolling through the neighborhood with his fiancé Danielle and their dog, Winnie. Or staying active on the golf course and pickleball court.