Austin Righeimer is a CFP® and CFA® with three years of industry experience. He is currently with NorthRock Partners, LLC, where he previously worked from 2023 to 2025 and returned in 2026. His work history also includes positions at Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC, Northern Trust, Anixter, and Duff & Phelps. NorthRock Partners provides wealth management and advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a tailored investment approach centered on asset allocation, diversification, and periodic rebalancing, integrating private market allocations and using AI-driven tools alongside human oversight.

Robert Karstenson is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. in Palatine, IL, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal since 2014 and concurrently operates Karstenson Financial Services. Additionally, he works as an insurance sales agent, specializing in life, health, and accident insurance. Ausdal Financial Partners serves individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $3.73 billion for over 16,000 clients. The firm provides a range of services, including advisor-managed accounts, separately managed accounts, unified managed accounts, retirement-plan advisory, and financial planning, tailoring investment strategies to client objectives and risk tolerance.

June Dinardo is a financial advisor at Arkadios Wealth Advisors with 17 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Wayne Hummer Investments since 2008 and Arkadios Capital since 2024. Arkadios Wealth Advisors is a multi-team SEC-registered firm serving individuals, trusts, businesses, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers customized investment plans that incorporate fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, using a range of internally managed and third-party solutions.

Erik Olson is a financial advisor at Arete Wealth Advisors, LLC with 21 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Arete Wealth Advisors and Arete Wealth Management since 2010. Olson serves as a board member and investment committee chair for the Converge Foundation and owns Olson Analytics, a data analysis and consulting business. Arete Wealth Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs both advisor-driven and proprietary rule-based model allocations, utilizes third-party sub-advisers, and acts as an ERISA fiduciary when applicable.

Andrew Mitchell is a financial advisor at Sound Income Strategies, LLC with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and has previously worked at Charles Schwab Bank, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, and Wipfli. Mitchell serves clients at Crystal Lake Tax and Financial, where he provides investment advisory services and fixed insurance sales. Sound Income Strategies is a fee-based investment adviser serving a diverse client base, including individuals, corporate and pension clients, and other registered advisors. The firm focuses on fixed-income and income-oriented strategies, combining fundamental and technical analysis, and offers a range of services such as asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and co- and sub-advisory arrangements.

Eric Mesko is a financial advisor with VestGen Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and with 22 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Triad Advisors, LPL Financial, and Waddell & Reed among others. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the Board of Directors for Bartlett Learning Centers, a school for mentally challenged children. VestGen Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, trusts, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines advisor-level client relationships with centralized portfolio construction utilizing third-party managers and home office investment strategies.

Stanley Nieminski is a CFP® and PFS™ with over 35 years of experience in financial advisory and accounting. He is currently with Fortis Capital Advisors, LLC and has held prior roles at Clearpath Financial LLC, Nieminski Robbins & Associates, and Cetera. In addition to his advisory work, he is president of a mortgage brokerage firm and owns a tax and accounting services business. Fortis Capital Advisors is a multi-team SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, families, businesses, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm offers customized portfolio management and planning services with a flexible approach that incorporates passive, active, tactical, and ESG-aware strategies, supported by sub-advisors and specialist strategies.

Robert Yarosz is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 36 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with World Equity Group, Inc. since 1997. Prior to and alongside his tenure at World Equity Group, he has also worked with World Lending Group and the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company. Outside of his advisory roles, he is involved in occasional sales of long-term care and life insurance products. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional entities. The firm offers managed portfolios primarily through its wrap-fee program, combining discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and third-party money managers to implement asset allocation and investment strategies.

Karoline O'Connor is a financial advisor with Gladstone Wealth Partners in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and nearly three decades of industry experience. Her prior roles include 14 years at UBS Financial Services and five years at LPL Financial. Gladstone Wealth Partners serves individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations through a network of nearly 100 investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of investment approaches and is notable for its integration of retirement plan services and institutional manager relationships.

Bryan Dern is a Series 65 licensed advisor at Savvy with one year of industry experience. His background includes roles at Maia Wealth, Mana Financial Group, Tosaf, Inc., and prior positions in various non-financial firms. Savvy provides investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, businesses, ERISA plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm customizes investment plans based on client objectives and uses a primarily index-based, long-term approach complemented by active equity portfolios and tax-aware direct indexing.

David Millington is a financial advisor with Gladstone Wealth Partners in Schaumburg, IL, holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. He has 26 years of industry experience, including 14 years at UBS Financial Services and five years at LPL Financial. Outside his advisory roles, he is involved with Jigsaw National LLC, a non-investment related business entity. Gladstone Wealth Partners serves individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations through a network of nearly 100 advisors. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, with investment approaches ranging from individual securities to tax-managed strategies and alternative investments.

Prakash Moktan is a financial advisor at World Equity Group, Inc. with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with World Equity Group since 2006 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner and agent of a term life insurance business. World Equity Group provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee programs, combining discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers.

John Wyngaard is a financial advisor with CL Wealth Management LLC in Madison, WI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and with 29 years of industry experience. He has worked at CL Wealth Management since 2011 and has been with Cabot Lodge Securities LLC since 2013. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in independent insurance sales through his own business, Bridgepoint Investments LLC. CL Wealth Management LLC is an SEC-registered multi-advisor firm serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm provides portfolio advisory services, financial planning, consulting, and client education, using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis tailored to each client’s objectives and risk tolerance.

Christopher Sagan is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience. He is affiliated with Gladstone Wealth Partners in Schaumburg, IL, where he has worked since 2021. His prior experience includes positions at UBS Financial Services. Gladstone Wealth Partners serves individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations through a network of nearly 100 advisors. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to various investment programs, with investment approaches tailored at the advisor level.

Brian Lee is a financial advisor with First Advisors National, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at W&S Brokerage Services, Western & Southern Life, and The Prudential Insurance Company of America. Lee is also a full-time sales agent at Western & Southern Life. First Advisors National manages discretionary assets for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering investment management, third-party portfolio recommendations, and retirement plan consulting. The firm’s investment process emphasizes selecting and monitoring third-party money managers, with supplemental recommendations of individual securities based on fundamental analysis.

Ian Morrison is a financial advisor with OneAscent Financial Services LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling and Securities America Advisors. Outside of finance, he previously worked with Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters. OneAscent Financial Services LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, broker/dealers’ customers, and other institutions. The firm provides asset management, financial planning, Unified Managed Account solutions, consulting, and back-office support, utilizing individualized asset-allocation strategies and various model-based platforms.

John Stitt Jr. is a financial advisor at World Equity Group, Inc. with 34 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has been with World Equity Group since 2002. In addition to his advisory work, he operates an independent insurance agency focused on business group health, dental, life, long-term care, and disability insurance. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers managed portfolios primarily through its wrap-fee program, combining discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and third-party money managers.

Shaun Eck is a financial advisor with Realta Investment Advisors, Inc who holds a Series 66 designation and has 18 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at firms such as Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, and Kestra Private Wealth Services. He is also the owner of Quantas Group, LLC, a marketing and advisory business focused on transactional services and tax benefits related to life insurance products. Realta Investment Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a range of strategies including asset allocation across various investment vehicles and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management.

Dar Baruchim is a financial advisor with Mariner Independent in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations. Baruchim has been with Mariner Platform Solutions and Kadima Wealth since 2026 and has prior experience at Northwestern Mutual and ATN Inc. Mariner Independent serves individuals—including high-net-worth clients—as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, insurance solutions, and access to alternative investments through a network of advisors using a wide range of investment tools and affiliated businesses.

Teresa Young is a financial advisor with First Advisors National, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at W&S Brokerage Services, Western Southern Life, Alliant Credit Union, and LPL Financial. She volunteers as a tax preparer and quality examiner for Ladder Up in Chicago, assisting low-wage earning families with pro bono tax preparation. First Advisors National manages discretionary assets for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering investment management, third-party portfolio recommendations, and retirement plan consulting. The firm emphasizes manager selection and tactical allocation, utilizing fundamental analysis and formal annual reviews to guide its investment process.