Carol H. Buss

Melissa Osuch is a financial advisor with Strategic Advisors of Illinois, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. She has been with Strategic Advisors of Illinois since 2006 and has also worked at LPL Financial LLC since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in accounting and tax preparation services through AMM Accounting Services. Strategic Advisors of Illinois provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on pre-retirement and post-retirement planning. The firm offers discretionary asset management, tiered ongoing financial planning, and educational seminars, constructing customized portfolios primarily through a wrap-fee program that integrates advisory services and trade execution.

Emil Aldaddah is a Co-Founder, Chief Investment Officer, and Managing Partner at Momentum Wealth Management, with nearly two decades of experience delivering institutional-caliber investment management solutions. He specializes in developing tailored strategies for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trustees, entrepreneurs, and private foundations. At Charles Schwab and Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Emil managed portfolios totaling over $1.7 billion in assets under management, including $380 million in advisory services, serving individuals with net worths exceeding $1 billion, family offices, and public figures. His approach integrates asset management, financial planning, estate strategies, and alternative investments, helping clients preserve and grow wealth across generations. Prior to founding Momentum Wealth Management, Emil held roles at Avatar Securities, where he managed over $175 million in long/short equity exposure and developed algorithmic trading strategies applying statistical arbitrage and market-neutral equity approaches, and at Blackmore Partners, where he advised on M&A transactions and capital raises up to $500 million for C-suite leadership and private equity firms. Emil holds a BS in Finance from DePaul University and completed advanced studies at the University of Nicosia. He maintains Series 7, 66, and 56 registrations. Fluent in Arabic, he has served on the Young Visions Board of the Israel Cancer Research Fund and is a member of the Chicago Leadership Alliance.

Eric Kirste, CFP®, CIMA®, AIF® is the Co-Founder, Principal Wealth Manager at Savvy Advisors, Inc. He has been featured in Barron's, The Wall Street Journal, InvestmentNews, Business Insider, GoBankingRates, and U.S. News & World Report. With a deep-rooted passion for service and enriching the lives of others, Eric found his calling as a wealth management professional early on. Eric brings over 24 years of deep experience working closely with individuals and families in transition, helping them navigate difficult changes. Compassion is important to Eric, and he helps clients who are going through a divorce or grieving the loss of a spouse or family member get through the transition to financial independence and overcome new challenges with confidence. He also helps business owners and individuals looking to retire early or nearing retirement ensure they are best prepared for their ideal retirement lifestyle. At Savvy, he strives to help his clients align their money with their values, provide integrated solutions to serve all of their needs and empower them to make a lifetime of smart financial decisions. Importantly, Eric is committed to keeping his clients’ best interests top of mind while offering ongoing guidance, encouragement and accountability. With a passion for helping others, Eric has volunteered for the Foundation for Financial Planning, AARP and is the Treasurer on the Board of Wings For Widows. Eric is a native of the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He is committed to giving back to his community and serves as the Treasurer for the Prospect Heights Park District Board of Commissioners and the Old Orchard Country Club. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Alisa, their two sons, Logan and Matthew, and their rescue dog, Bear.

Thomas Wiscomb is the sole managing member of Northpoint Advisory LLC, an independent firm based in Wilmette, IL. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 19 years of industry experience. He has worked with XMS Capital Partners since 2010 in addition to his role at Northpoint Advisory, which he has been with since 2008. Northpoint Advisory serves individuals, high-net-worth families, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional clients with investment management and select financial planning services. The firm employs a core/satellite investment approach emphasizing principal protection, diversification, liquidity, and tax efficiency, incorporating alternative strategies when appropriate.

Basil Alsikafi is the sole advisor at White Brook Capital, an independent firm based in Winnetka, IL. He holds a Series 65 designation and has nine years of industry experience, including ten years with White Brook Capital. White Brook Capital provides discretionary portfolio management through separately managed accounts and model portfolios for high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, and other entities such as pensions and foundations. The firm employs a primarily bottom-up, value-oriented investment approach combined with top-down industry assessment and applies socially responsible exclusions across all strategies.

Walter Ebner is the principal of Echo Prudent Capital LLC and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 26 years of industry experience. He previously worked at BMO Capital Markets Corp., BMO Nesbitt Burns Corp., and Bank of Montreal for 24 years. He is the founder and a board member of Cancer Calculus NFP, a nonprofit organization that assists cancer patients with economic decision-making. Echo Prudent Capital LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and nonprofit organizations. The firm utilizes a range of analytical methods to build tailored portfolios and serves a concentrated client base, including charitable organizations.