Michael Liccar is a financial advisor with Signet Private Wealth, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and possessing 31 years of industry experience. His work history includes leadership roles at Andiamo Vento LLC, Liccar Securities & Custodial Services, LLC, and Michael J. Liccar & Co., L.L.C., along with service at Crete Township since 2001. Outside of finance, he manages a brewery business through Pintsetters Brands, LLC. Signet Private Wealth LLC provides investment advice and wealth management primarily to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a value-oriented, long-term investment approach incorporating fundamental and technical analysis, strategic asset allocation, and incorporates services such as direct indexing, option-writing, and ESG considerations.

Nicholas Norby is a financial advisor at Taursas Investments in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with under one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Deloitte and NN Financial Services LLC. Taursas Investments provides discretionary investment management and financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, corporations, and endowments. The firm emphasizes fundamental business and industry analysis with an economic outlook, avoiding speculation and predictive models.

Brett founded Impact Financial after spending nearly a decade working at some of the largest Registered Investment Advisory firms in the country. Brett held a variety of investment, tax, financial planning and business consulting roles, which contributes to his comprehensive approach that he maintains today. During this time, Brett saw that there was a need for services tailored to each individual/family, considering businesses/private assets and tax complexities as well as opportunity to add more meaning to investments through impact investing (aligning investments with values). Brett founded Impact Financial to offer this comprehensive approach and to help people make the impact they want, not only once they’ve accumulated savings, but before and while accumulating assets as well. Brett earned an undergraduate and master’s degree in personal financial planning from University of Illinois and Texas Tech University, respectively. After graduation, Brett earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM (CFP®) designation and his Certified Exit Planning Advisor designation (CEPA). In his free time, Brett loves to catch a Cubs game or great concert. Brett and his wife, Jenny, also love being outdoors on a bike ride, a run or trying to learn to sail. Brett and Jenny currently split their time between Boston and Chicago.

Kelly Stanley is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience and has been with Cogent Strategic Wealth LLC since 2015. He holds a Series 66 license and participates in paid speaking engagements on approved financial topics. Cogent Strategic Wealth manages approximately $266 million for individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and participant-directed retirement plans. The firm employs a Personal Chief Financial Officer model, focusing on diversified portfolios primarily composed of passively managed mutual funds and ETFs, with an emphasis on advanced planning and relationship management with outside specialists.

Avedis Mavilian is a financial advisor at Bayworth Capital in Chicago, IL, with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked with Bayworth Capital since 2018. In addition, Mavilian serves as the managing member of Tailwind Financial Strategies, LLC, an insurance agency and tax advisory practice. Bayworth Capital provides financial planning, portfolio management, and pension consulting services to individuals, corporations, and pension plans. The firm offers tailored investment strategies across various asset classes and facilitates access to alternative investments while also providing specialized services such as pension consulting and assistance with securities-backed lines of credit.

Sevan Meneshian is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience, currently serving at Bayworth Capital since 2019. His prior roles include positions at Kestra Investment Services and Ausdal Financial Partners. Outside of his advisory work, Meneshian instructs CFP® courses at Kaplan College and Northwestern University and operates a CFP exam tutoring service. Bayworth Capital provides financial planning, portfolio management, and pension consulting to both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored investment strategies utilizing a range of securities and alternative investments, managing approximately $62.7 million in discretionary assets with a team of four advisors.

Samuel McElroy is a financial advisor at Stride Investments, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Stride Investments since 2013, with prior roles at Stride Financial and as owner of McElroy Financial. Outside of advisory services, he serves as Chief Operating Officer of Stride Financial, an insurance and planning services firm. Stride Investments provides fee-based investment management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporate accounts, and retirement plans. The firm focuses on purpose-based investing and retirement-income planning, using proprietary tools to assess goals and risk, and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management.

Dale Branda is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Steward Advisors, LLC since 2016. He holds a Series 65 license and is based in Chicago, IL. Steward Advisors serves individuals, businesses, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and family offices with fee-based financial planning and private portfolio management. The firm manages approximately $137 million in assets and integrates financial planning into its services, utilizing diversified portfolios and documented reporting practices.

Mark Vincent is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Stonebrook Capital Management, Inc. since 2001. Stonebrook Capital Management provides personalized, fee-only financial planning and investment management to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses, managing approximately $70.3 million for about 108 clients. The firm combines fundamental and technical analysis to create custom asset-allocation strategies with an emphasis on diversification and defensive tactics.

Daniel Carroll is a financial advisor at Stride Investments, LLC in Chicago, IL, with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Edward Jones for five years. Outside of advising, he is also licensed to sell insurance and spends a portion of his time on insurance sales and services. Stride Investments, LLC provides fee-based investment management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporate accounts, and retirement plans. The firm focuses on purpose-based investing and retirement-income planning, using proprietary tools to document goals and asset allocation, and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management.

Mark Murphy is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Sequoia Wealth Management, LLC in Chicago, IL. His career includes roles at JMC Wealth Management, Inc. and LPL Financial LLC, where he has been active since 2014. Murphy also provides financial planning and consulting services through JMC Wealth Management, Inc., an independent investment advisor firm. Sequoia Wealth Management advises individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm utilizes a combination of quantitative optimization, third-party research, and manager selection, serving clients through discretionary management and third-party strategist models.

Mary Mermel is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Sullivan Mermel, Inc., where she has worked since 1998. The firm provides fee-only, holistic financial planning and investment management for individuals and families, including both high-net-worth and non-HNW clients. Sullivan Mermel emphasizes a retainer-based fee model, non-discretionary trade implementation, and investment strategies tailored to clients’ tax situations, risk tolerance, and cash-flow needs.

Joshua Betancourt is a financial advisor with Quantum Capital Investments, Inc. in River Forest, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Quantum Capital since 2009 and Quantum Capital Investments since 2011. Betancourt also has a Master’s Degree in Accounting and provides accounting and tax planning services. Quantum Capital Investments, Inc. offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and employer-sponsored plans. The firm uses a range of investment strategies tailored to client goals and risk tolerance, including fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and incorporates affiliated tax planning and insurance services.

Mark Bubien is a financial advisor at Valley Financial Management, Inc. with 10 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Goldman Sachs & Co. for eight years and JPMorgan Securities LLC for three years. He serves as a member of the Professional Advisory Committee for the DuPage Foundation. Valley Financial Management operates as Valley Digital Investor, providing discretionary portfolio management and automated implementation of model ETF portfolios through an online platform for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm requires clients to open a Valley National Bank account and manages portfolios ranging from conservative income to aggressive growth using automated rebalancing based on client profiles and market conditions.

Paul Mardoian is a CFP® with 37 years of industry experience, currently serving at Bayworth Capital since 2025. His prior experience includes roles at Fairhaven Wealth Management and Triad Advisors. He also operates a sole proprietorship providing insurance and retirement plan services. Bayworth Capital offers financial planning, portfolio management, and pension consulting to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $62.7 million in discretionary assets and tailors portfolios using a range of investment strategies while providing ongoing account monitoring.

Todd Schrade is a financial advisor at Midway Capital Research & Management LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 designation and with 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Midway Capital Research & Management since 2014. Midway Capital Research & Management provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, consulting, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a bottom-up fundamental research investment process with a value-oriented approach and offers customized portfolios to address both long-term growth and short-term liquidity needs.

Joseph Kruse is a CFA® charterholder with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Kruse Asset Management, LLC since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with YCharts.com, contributing to research and the development of ranking and rating systems based on fundamental characteristics. Kruse Asset Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, family offices, trusts, estates, and select institutional clients. The firm employs a blend of modern portfolio theory, proprietary quantitative equity models, and security-ranking systems, and offers a range of investment strategies including options and alternative exposures.

Javier De La Torre is a Series 65-credentialed advisor with 0 years of industry experience. He is currently with 103 Advisory Group and has prior experience at Hightower Advisors and several other firms. 103 Advisory Group serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing discretionary asset management, financial planning, and business-development consulting for financial institutions. The firm combines strategic and tactical asset allocation with fundamental and technical analysis and manages a relatively large asset base for a limited number of clients.

Matthew Shapiro is a financial advisor at MWS Capital Consultants LLC with 22 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and has been with MWS Capital Consultants since 2003. The firm provides personalized investment management, wealth-planning, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, personal trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporate clients. MWS Capital Consultants emphasizes a Classic Portfolio Management strategy focused on fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, managing mostly discretionary portfolios while allowing client-imposed restrictions and interactive financial planning through the eMoney Advisor platform.

Kirk Kreikemeier is a CFP® and CFA® with 18 years of experience in financial advising. He has worked at Pebble Valley Wealth Management since 2008, where he is one of two advisors. Pebble Valley Wealth Management serves individual, charitable, and corporate clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting. The firm’s investment approach focuses on asset allocation and mutual fund/ETF selection, with a notable use of derivative-based option strategies and selective digital-asset exposures within client portfolios.