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.

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.

Timothy Reeves is the sole advisor at Tim Reeves & Associates in Midlothian, IL, holding a Series 63 designation with 51 years of industry experience. He has worked at Fortune Financial Services, Inc. since 2015 and has operated Tim Reeves & Associates since 1972. Tim Reeves & Associates provides portfolio management for pooled investment vehicles and institutional clients, alongside financial planning services. The firm uses hourly and flat fee arrangements rather than asset-based fees and often recommends mutual funds, variable annuities, and insurance products as part of its advisory approach.

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.

Jessica Garner is a CFP® professional with six years of industry experience. She has worked at Stevard LLC since 2016 and previously spent one year at Lakeshore Financial Services. Stevard LLC provides family office and investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, family LLCs, partnerships, private foundations, and family businesses. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and expanded family office functions such as accounting, tax compliance, property management, insurance review, and estate planning, with an investment approach centered on multi-asset portfolios and manager selection.

John Russell is a financial advisor with Versatile Capital Management L.L.C. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Versatile Capital Management since 2014 and has been associated with Relative Value Partners, LLC since 2007. Outside of his advisory roles, he serves as chairman of the board for Educational Choice Illinois and is a board member with Children Outreach and Community Empowerment. Versatile Capital Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional and private entities through discretionary asset management and financial planning. The firm employs quantitative, model-driven investment strategies including a tactical global allocation and a strategic core asset allocation approach.

Danielle Woods is a Series 65 credentialed advisor with 21 years of industry experience. She is currently with Propel Financial Advisors, LLC and has previously worked at Merriment Advisors, LLC, DW Lenski Law Group, DW Agosto Tax Planning LLC, and Mitchell, Vaught and Taylor Inc. Woods owns DW Agosto Tax Planning LLC, a tax planning and preparation business. Propel Financial Advisors, LLC serves individual and high-net-worth clients with investment management and financial planning services. The firm operates as a four-advisor team across three offices, managing approximately $38.84 million in assets for 111 clients, and integrates legal and tax considerations into client advice through formal affiliations and educational programs.

Stephanie Laude is a financial advisor at K2 Wealth Management LLC in Chicago, IL, holding CFP® and Series 65 credentials with nine years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Corient, Balasa Dinverno Foltz LLC, and CIPW Service Company, LLC. Outside of financial advisory, she has worked as an Instacart driver on a limited basis. K2 Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients, providing discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial counseling that includes retirement, tax, and estate planning. The firm employs a goals- and risk-based investment approach using quantitative methods and third-party sub-advisers, while coordinating with attorneys and accountants as part of its service model.

Lingke Cheng is a financial advisor at Zephyr Capital LLC in Chicago, IL, holding the CFA® designation and Series 63 license with three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Zephyr Capital, Cheng worked at Aicapital LLC, Citigroup Global Markets, and Dynamic Holding LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he holds interests in non-investment businesses including a financial data research company, a Pilates club management company, and a Hong Kong-based operational business. Zephyr Capital LLC provides discretionary investment advisory and portfolio management services exclusively to qualified clients under performance-based fee arrangements. The firm uses a tactical, long-short investment approach that incorporates derivatives and active trading techniques, focusing on daily monitoring and weekly rebalancing within client-specific investment policies.

Joann May is a CFP® and PFS™ credentialed financial advisor with 19 years of industry experience. She has been with Forest Asset Management LLC since 2006. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as a general partner in an investment club, Riverside Fund Money Club, since 1995. Forest Asset Management LLC provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and small businesses. The firm follows a long-term, asset-allocation-driven investment approach using primarily passive and evidence-based funds, supported by written investment policy statements and portfolio modeling techniques.

Christopher Hurst is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 66 license with 14 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Oak Mountain Advisors LLC since 2012, working as one of two advisors at the firm based in Chicago, IL. Oak Mountain Advisors serves high-net-worth and individual clients through separately managed accounts and a private pooled vehicle for accredited investors. The firm employs a value-conscious, research-driven investment approach focused on economic fundamentals and company analysis, managing portfolios on a discretionary basis with attention to tax implications and detailed governance practices.

Thomas Haugh is a financial advisor at Wells Street Advisors, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Wells Street Advisors since 2019. Prior to this, he was with Najarian Family Office and PTI Securities & Futures L.P. He hosts a radio program called Stocks and Jocks focused on retirement topics and has served on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Board Options Exchange. Wells Street Advisors, LLC is an independent investment management firm serving individuals, family offices, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a combination of quantitative analysis, technical analysis, and third-party research, and offers a Protected Index Program aimed at downside protection.