Shreekkanth Viswanathan is a CFA® charterholder and holds the Series 66 designation with nine years of industry experience. He has been with SVN Capital, LLC since its founding in 2018, following three years at Keeley Asset Management. SVN Capital, LLC is a state-registered investment adviser serving individual and institutional clients with discretionary portfolio management, including separately managed accounts and a pooled private fund. The firm employs a bottom-up, fundamental value-investing approach focused on a concentrated portfolio and long-term horizon, managing approximately $14.3 million in discretionary assets.

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.

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 worked with firms including Securities America, Inc. and Brookstreet Securities Corporation. Utes occasionally reviews insurance needs with clients in coordination with approved vendors. UTES Wealth Strategies provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning for individuals, families, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a manager-selection process and combines strategic and tactical asset allocation using various investment vehicles, supplemented by client newsletters and educational seminars.

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 Forest, IL, with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at several firms, including Kingsbury Capital, LLC, and Edwin C Blitz Investments, Inc. 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 Inc. provides portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, and participant education to individuals, high-net-worth clients, businesses, and pension or profit-sharing plans. The firm combines fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis with modern portfolio theory to implement long-term investment approaches, with a focus on pension consulting and corporate plan services.

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.

Edward Leszynski is a financial advisor at KGL Financial Advisors, LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds the PFS™ and Series 66 designations and previously worked at Praetorian Wealth Management Inc for ten years. Outside of advising, he is a CPA involved in individual tax preparation and holds a significant ownership interest in a sports and events center. KGL Financial Advisors is an independent wealth management firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients with combined financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm manages approximately $30 million in assets and employs a long-term investment approach using diversified portfolios of mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, bonds, and options.

Michael Mc Clain is a CFA® charterholder with nine years of industry experience. He is currently the sole advisor at PAC Capital, LLC in Lake Forest, IL. Prior to founding PAC Capital, he worked at Hedeker Wealth LLC and Hedeker Capital, LLC from 2016 to 2019. PAC Capital provides discretionary and occasional non-discretionary investment management through separately managed accounts, sub-advisory services, and institutional consulting. The firm serves individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients, employing a multi-strategy approach that includes hedge-style strategies such as convertible arbitrage and active shorting, combining fundamental and systematic analysis tailored to client mandates.

Gary Hart is a financial advisor with Wealth Management Associates, Inc. in Lincolnshire, Illinois, holding a Series 63 designation and 38 years of industry experience. He previously worked at GSH Advisory Services, Inc. for over three decades and has been with Mowery & Schoenfeld, LLC since 2016, where he provides tax and financial consulting services. Wealth Management Associates offers discretionary portfolio management and asset-allocation services to a select group of clients, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional entities. The firm emphasizes tailored investment strategies and continuous portfolio supervision, serving a concentrated client base with approximately $78.8 million in assets under management.

Anton specializes in retirement planning, business tax strategy, and personalized financial advice designed to reduce taxes and support long-term financial goals. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, a growing practice, or planning for life after work, he delivers clear, actionable guidance tailored to your situation. Most advisors specialize in either taxes or investments. Anton holds the credentials and the responsibility for both — which is what lets Sansone coordinate the two sides of your financial life under a single strategy.

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 credentialed advisor with 19 years of industry experience. He has been the principal of JK Financial Planning, Inc. since 2007, providing financial planning and investment consultation from Vernon Hills, Illinois. JK Financial Planning, Inc. offers fee-only financial planning and investment services 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 planning approach emphasizing asset allocation, passive/index strategies, written investment policy statements, and uses scenario analysis in retirement and settlement planning.

William Parsch is a financial advisor with Wellspring Capital Group, Ltd. in North Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Wellspring Capital Group since 2010, operating as a single-advisor independent practice. Wellspring Capital Group, Ltd. provides fee-based portfolio management to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $6.9 million on a discretionary basis for a small client base. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes detailed fundamental analysis combined with technical and cyclical assessments, offering strategies that include long-term holdings, active trading, and alternative investments for qualified clients.

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.

Michael Calzolano is a CFP® professional with 21 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Encompass Wealth Management LLC since 2010 and also holds positions with Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and The Life Insurance Pro. Encompass Wealth Management LLC provides discretionary asset management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and their related trusts and estates. The firm employs asset-allocation models based on modern portfolio theory and offers access to mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, third-party managers, and alternative investments, with a focus on personalized oversight and tailored investment strategies.

Trevor Johnson is the sole advisor at Dream Weaver Financial Planning LLC, an independent registered investment adviser based in Richmond, Illinois. He holds a Series 65 credential and has two years of industry experience, including five years at Discover Financial Services and five years at I Am! I Can!. Dream Weaver Financial Planning serves individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary asset management, full financial planning, and consulting engagements. The firm uses fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory to create customized portfolios and manages accounts on a discretionary basis with quarterly reviews.

Michael Knight is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with 22 years of experience, currently serving as the principal of Knight Investment Planning, LLC. He has led his independent firm since 2004 in Libertyville, IL. Michael also serves as a FINRA arbitrator in Chicago, a role he has held since 2011. Knight Investment Planning, LLC provides fee-only financial planning and investment consultation services to individuals, trusts, estates, and businesses. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation using low-cost, passive investment vehicles and operates on an hourly billing basis without accepting commissions or performance-based fees.

Robert Mitchell is a CFA® charterholder with six years of industry experience. He has worked at BNY Mellon from 2013 to 2018 and has been with Dukes Lane Investments LLC since 2019. Mitchell holds a Series 63 license and operates out of Lincolnshire, IL. Dukes Lane Investments provides investment management and financial consulting services to individuals, trusts, and estates, including high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a tailored approach using quantitative optimization, technical analysis, and third-party research, with a primary focus on non-discretionary portfolio management and strategies such as hedging, covered calls, and managing concentrated stock positions.