Darren Thomas Woodmore

John Piershale is a CFP® professional with 32 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Piershale Wealth Management, LLC in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and has held prior roles at Origin Financial, Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc., Piershale Financial Group, Inc., and Triad Advisors, Inc. Piershale Wealth Management provides discretionary investment management and a variety of financial planning services to individual clients. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation based on Modern Portfolio Theory and fundamental analysis, offering specialized tax and estate planning within a modest, single-advisor model.

William Utes is the sole advisor at UTES Wealth Strategies in Antioch, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 56 years of industry experience. He has been managing his own advisory business since 2019 and has worked with Securities America Advisors, Inc. since 2007. In addition to investment advising, he occasionally offers insurance reviews to clients through approved vendors. UTES Wealth Strategies provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, families, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and other entities. The firm uses a combination of strategic and tactical asset allocation with selected outside money managers and offers educational newsletters and seminars to clients.

Hi, I'm Larry Pershing, CFP® RMA®, a flat fee financial advisor. I focus on helping people age 55+ with their retirement planning and investment management needs for a FLAT fee. Having worked in various wealth management firms in my career, I was surprised to discover many firms try to service everyone, which leads them to being average for all. Some are more concerned with amassing client assets than providing customized recommendations. I started Optimum Retirement Planning because I saw a need for specialists to help clients navigate the complex and challenging financial aspects of retirement. Our offering is different. We don’t work with everyone. We specialize in helping those who are close to and in retirement. We apply the latest financial research for retirement to help answer your complex financial questions. Optimum Retirement Planning is a flat fee financial advisor. This means we charge differently than most financial advisors. We offer retirement planning and investment management for a flat fee. For too long retirees have been overpaying for financial advice due to large commissions and/or being charged a percentage of their assets. When I’m not in the office, I’m on a tennis court, reading a book (finance or science fiction), or spending time with family and friends. I also volunteer for AARP sponsored events that help seniors receive complimentary financial advice. While I live in Chicago, I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I return often, especially during winter. You can take the guy out of California, but you can’t take the California out of the guy!

John Choi is the sole advisor at Epiphany Capital in Vernon Hills, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 25 years of industry experience. He has led Epiphany Capital since 2006. Choi is also licensed as an independent insurance agent specializing in fixed, indexed annuities, and health insurance. Epiphany Capital offers financial planning, coaching, and investment management by coordinating with third-party portfolio managers to implement portfolio models. The firm serves individual investors, families, and small business owners, providing services across retirement, estate, tax, college, and insurance planning.

Jeffrey Kostis is a CFP®, PFS™, and Series 65-certified financial advisor with 19 years of experience. He has been the principal of JK Financial Planning, Inc. since 2007, operating as an independent, fee-only advisor in Vernon Hills, Illinois. JK Financial Planning, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consultation to individuals, trusts, estates, and small businesses, focusing on major life transitions such as marriage, divorce, career changes, college funding, and retirement. The firm employs a fundamental, long-term approach centered on asset allocation, passive/index-based strategies, and scenario analysis, with an emphasis on non-discretionary client engagement and specialized divorce-financial-planning services.

Robert Stanley is a CFP® and ChFC® with 17 years of experience in financial advisory services at R. W. Stanley Investment Planning. He has operated the Stanley Agency since 1991, providing fire, casualty, and life insurance services. R.W. Stanley Investment Planning offers fee-only, project-based financial planning and investment advisory services primarily to individuals and families, emphasizing broad strategic asset allocation and the use of low-cost passive index funds. The firm does not take custody of client assets and provides advice on a per-project, hourly basis.