James Pastman earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago in economics and public policy, graduating summa cum laude in 1993. He also studied at the College of Lake County, where he received the Frederick D. Patterson Award, which named him the top student in the social sciences. Drawing on this educational foundation, James Pastman founded and continues to run a small hedge fund called Rhombus Capital Management, LP.

Along with his career in hedge fund management, James Pastman has cultivated a long and successful career in music. Since 1978, James Pastman has performed on the piano and keyboard and has worked as a musical director and composer. In 1982, he and his band Apprentice released their high-energy album, Rough Draft, on which James Pastman played the keyboard. James Pastman’s musical contributions also can be heard in the score of the 1997 film The Last Time I Committed Suicide, which starred Keanu Reeves and Adrien Brody.

In addition to composing for this film score and numerous television commercials, James Pastman has collaborated with stars like Aretha Franklin and world renowned groups like Cirque du Soleil. Currently living in Chicago, James Pastman maintains membership in the Chicago Federation of Musicians. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, eating out, and engaging in outdoor activities like kite flying, bird watching, sailing, hiking, and kayaking.