Michael Paul Ranieri

James Pattie is the sole advisor at Horizon Capital Management, LLC in Lake Forest, Illinois. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 21 years of industry experience, including 22 years with Horizon Capital Management. Horizon Capital Management provides discretionary investment management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and pension or profit-sharing plans, and also offers sub-advisory asset management to other registered investment advisers. The firm’s approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, emphasizing diversified allocations, a buy-and-hold strategy, and regular portfolio reviews.

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!

Joshua Kortenkamp is a financial advisor at Kortenkamp, Joshua F, an independent firm. He holds a Series 65 designation and has three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Lawrence E Grandt, Powers & Moon, LLC, and Uline Shipping Supplies. The firm provides discretionary investment management services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates, using a top-down macroeconomic approach combined with growth, value, and momentum strategies. It emphasizes closed-end funds and employs a broader range of instruments such as options and limited partnership interests, managing about $13.5 million for approximately 15 clients.

Peter Wright is the principal of Wright Benefit Advisors Inc. in Lake Bluff, IL, with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Kingsbury Capital Investment Advisors, Edwin C Blitz Investments, and Wright Benefit Strategies. He is also president of Wright Benefit Strategies, an insurance brokerage and consulting firm licensed for life, health, and property casualty insurance. Wright Benefit Advisors provides investment advisory and pension consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, and education seminars, employing a combination of fundamental, quantitative, technical analysis, and modern portfolio theory with a long-term trading orientation.

Nathaniel Gandy is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience. He is the principal of Obar Wealth Management LLC, an independent firm he joined in 2024. Prior to this, he worked at Wealthfront Brokerage LLC and USAA, among other firms. He also owns Gandy Fintech Solutions LLC, where he consults business owners on fintech and technology integration. Obar Wealth Management is a fee-only registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm offers investment management, financial planning, and tax preparation, using a portfolio approach based on asset allocation and Modern Portfolio Theory. It serves both individual and institutional clients, providing a range of planning services including business and employee benefits planning.