Paul Smith

David Meehan is a CFA® charterholder with seven years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor at Maple Street Capital Advisors, LLC since 2018 and previously worked as a self-employed investor for three years. Maple Street Capital Advisors provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals and families, including high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a fundamental, long-term investment approach focused on diversified, low-cost core equity and fixed-income funds, complemented by selected individual equities, with an emphasis on asset allocation, rebalancing, and strategic cash management including a near-constant allocation to gold via ETFs.

Curtis Bergquist is a CFP® with 49 years of industry experience and is the sole advisor at Ameribanc Corporation in Hoffman Estates, IL. He has been associated with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner of Ameribanc, where he engages in asset management. Ameribanc provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals and families, primarily through its Capital Management Service (CMS), which incorporates market-timing signals and a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to manage risk and adjust portfolio exposure.

Gary Byrne is a financial advisor at Carlisle Financial Management, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Great Northern Financial since 2006. Carlisle Financial Management provides portfolio management and investment supervisory services to individual and high-net-worth clients, utilizing both fundamental and technical analysis. The firm employs a range of strategies including options writing and short-term trading, managing approximately $38.2 million for about 25 clients without account minimums.

Robert Salzman is a CFP® professional with 12 years of experience in financial advising. He is the sole advisor at RB Salzman Wealth Management, LLC, an independent firm he has led since 2015. The firm provides wealth and investment advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other institutions. RB Salzman Wealth Management emphasizes a goal-focused wealth analysis and strategic planning approach, incorporating diversified portfolios, scenario analyses, and regular reviews to manage approximately $35.6 million in assets across 29 client relationships.

Brenda Knox is a CFP® with 26 years of industry experience. She has been with Financial Elements, Inc. since 2008. Financial Elements, Inc. provides comprehensive financial planning and discretionary investment management for individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation based on Modern Portfolio Theory, using globally diversified portfolios primarily composed of mutual funds and ETFs, and operates as a small, fee-only advisory practice with multiple professional fiduciary credentials.

Daniel Short is the sole advisor at Directional Asset Management, LLC in Arlington Heights, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations with 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at JVM Securities LLC and JVM Realty Corp prior to his current role since 2010. Outside of his advisory work, he manages commercial real estate property leased to his firm. Directional Asset Management provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of charting, fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis and utilizes strategies including leverage, derivatives, and options within separately managed accounts.