Joel Albers is a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with a background in retirement actuarial work. He has over 15 years of experience in retirement plans, having started his career at Willis Towers Watson as a traditional retirement consultant. He subsequently served as the in-house corporate actuary for Emerson Electric Co. before joining Bank of America in the Workplace Benefits line of business, focusing on defined benefit consulting, and later transitioned to financial advising. Joel holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville. He is an Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA) and has earned the designations of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Additionally, he contributes to the Society of Actuaries as an elected member of the Retirement Practice Community Advisory Team.

Robert Stone is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in multi-family real estate ownership. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement who meet specific asset criteria, providing written Recommendation Reports that address income sources, Social Security options, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver tailored, annual recommendations through a centralized consulting team.

Karl Walz is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors with 21 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Stifel Independent Advisors and multiple Morgan Stanley affiliates. Equitable Advisors serves individual clients across various wealth levels, as well as pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and third-party managers.

Daniel House is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Greg Stellhorn - Thrivent Financial, Dieterich Bank, and Gateway Region YMCA. Outside of his financial advisory role, he serves as Assistant Minister at First Pentecostal Church of Red Bud, where he assists with event scheduling, preaching, and administrative duties. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors. The firm provides holistic, goal-based analyses and written recommendations across a range of planning topics, with options to combine planning and managed-account services under a consolidated billing arrangement.

Danny Reeves is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wayne Hummer Investments L.L.C. for 19 years and has been involved with Focused Investments L.L.C. for over 27 years. Outside of his advisory work, he is a business owner of FitZone 161 in Germantown, Illinois. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies, supported by technology tools for operational and research purposes.

Michelle Sabo is a financial advisor at Stifel with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc since 2021, following tenures at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she mentors high school students through the Belleville CEO Mentoring Program. Stifel serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach is based on a proprietary methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group, focusing on capital market assumptions and probabilistic modeling to support client decisions.

Robin Heiken is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Belleville, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James & Associates since 2013. He serves as a co-trustee of a family trust for his deceased father, a role in which he is not compensated. Raymond James & Associates is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves individuals, institutions, and municipal entities, offering financial planning and advisory services that are generally non-discretionary, supported by a range of portfolio management styles and proprietary research.

Paul Jansen is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Lebanon, Illinois, holding a Series 66 designation with 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2009. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management through a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, including separately managed accounts and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Phillip Caravia is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 21 years of industry experience. His career includes ten years at Edward Jones before joining Raymond James in 2016. He serves on the board of the Belleville Public Schools District #118 Educational Foundation and owns Phil Caravia Golf, through which he participates in golf tournaments. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. offers financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors. The firm provides tailored, non-discretionary planning and employs advanced modeling tools, supporting clients through advisory programs and is noted for its municipal advisory affiliations and specialized consulting services.

Stephen Shevlin is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2024, he spent 25 years at Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Inc. He is associated with 1818 Wealth Advisors LLC, an investment-related business entity connected to his LPL practice. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, with a broad operational and research support infrastructure.

William Combs is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2020, he worked at Allstate and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of his advisory role, he is a managing partner in Five Wings of Hope LLC, an LLC involved with hunting property in Missouri. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients nationwide, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Dimitar Mushkov is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cetera and its related entities since 2017 and previously spent one year at PNC Investments. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform featuring discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers, managing over $256 billion in assets through more than 10,000 advisors.

Michael Hatley is a financial advisor at Stifel with 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Stifel Nicolaus & Co., Inc. since 2006 and holds a Series 66 designation. Stifel serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm employs a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group, which supports asset allocation, retirement, insurance, and estate planning analyses.

Ryan Miller is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Belleville, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He previously worked at SII Investments, Inc. for seven years before joining LPL Financial in 2018. Outside of his advisory role, Miller provides administrative support for a metal recycling business. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services, including access to model portfolios, third-party asset managers, and institutional platforms.

Kyle Viehl is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Maryville, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He worked at Edward Jones from 2010 to 2014 before joining LPL Financial in 2014. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, utilizing both proprietary and third-party model portfolios and technology tools, while also maintaining significant non-advisory financial activities.

Robyn Walthall is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. She has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors from 2015 to 2016. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s advisory approach is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related products and bank deposit sweep options in its investment menus.

Sloane Egan is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with one year of industry experience. Sloane holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Edward Jones since 2023. Prior to joining Edward Jones, Sloane has experience in various roles, including at St. Clair Country Club and in educational institutions such as Saint Louis University and Nerinx Hall High School. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management through a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Samantha Koester is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with two years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Thrivent Financial and Thrivent Investment Management since 2024. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in auction assistance, pet care services as a dog walker and sitter, and grocery shopping and delivery through various platforms. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, providing holistic, goal-based financial analyses and written recommendations on a broad range of topics. The firm emphasizes planning without discretionary trading authority and integrates planning with managed-account programs under a consolidated billing option.

Steven Schultheis is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in New Baden, IL with nine years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2017. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he worked at Finish Line and in the education sector. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a variety of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Kelly Murphy is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining Wells Fargo in 2019, Murphy worked at TD Ameritrade and held positions at DexYP and YP Holdings LLC. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non‑qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non‑discretionary and discretionary investment advisory services. The firm’s approach is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.