Katie Blechschmidt is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience. She has worked at FMI Financial, Ltd. since 2021 and was previously with Capital Strategies Investment Group from 2016 to 2021. FMI Financial, Ltd. provides investment advisory services to institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals, corporate retirement plans, trusts, and estates. The firm focuses on creating individualized Investment Policy Statements and employs a long-term, diversified approach using various investment vehicles, including mutual funds, ETFs, and derivatives for risk management.

Joshi Koneru is a CFP® with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Watershed Private Wealth since 2022. Prior to this, he worked for 15 years at Creative Planning. Watershed Private Wealth provides investment advisory services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and pension plans, offering discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. The firm builds customized investment programs using a blend of fundamental, quantitative, technical, and modern portfolio theory analyses, and integrates financial planning into ongoing portfolio management.

Paul Craig is a financial advisor with Tower Wealth Advisors, Inc. in Wheaton, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at several firms, including Ausdal Financial Partners and Formula Folios Distributors, and has been associated with Tower Financial Management since 2000. Outside of his advisory role, he is a teacher in the Glenbard Township High School District and serves as the head golf coach at Wheaton College. Tower Wealth Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, managing approximately $47 million across about 218 accounts. The firm focuses on exchange-traded equities and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside 401(k) plan assistance.

Lawrence Gatz is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with 13 years of industry experience. He is currently a financial advisor at Copperwood Financial and has held prior roles at Significant Wealth Partners Inc., Capital Management Consultants, Kingsview Asset Management, Atkins and Associates, and Wealth Planning Network. Outside of advisory work, he is co-owner of KLG Management Inc., where he provides personal insurance and general business management consulting. Copperwood Financial offers fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a tactical allocation approach for discretionary portfolio management and provides retirement plan consulting and fiduciary services, including a specialized division focused on financial literacy and coaching for professional athletes.

Christopher Casey is a CFA® charterholder with 10 years of industry experience. He has been with Windrock Wealth Management since 2013 and currently serves as an advisor at the firm in Naperville, IL. Windrock Wealth Management serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and retirement-plan sponsors, providing discretionary portfolio management, family office solutions, and fiduciary retirement-plan consulting. The firm uses a macroeconomic, multi-year asset-allocation approach across traditional and alternative investments and is notable for sponsoring private funds and offering those opportunities to clients alongside standard advisory services.

Brian Bullington is a financial advisor at First Choice Financial Services LLC with one year of industry experience. Prior to his advisory role, he was a professional athlete for nine years. First Choice Financial Services LLC serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing financial advice primarily through referrals to third-party money managers and estate-planning support, acting as a liaison to facilitate documentation, disclosures, and reviews. The firm does not manage assets directly but selects external managers using fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis while maintaining ongoing oversight and client communications.

Brian Beasley is a financial advisor with Athena Advisor Services, LLC in Lombard, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He worked at LPL Financial for 14 years before joining Athena Advisor Services in 2013. Beasley co-hosts the Fierce Fiduciary Podcast and serves as an uncompensated administrator for several financial education discussion groups. Athena Advisor Services provides asset management and financial planning to individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, written financial plans, and ongoing subscription planning services, using fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor portfolios and conduct quarterly reviews.

Robert Kristof is a financial advisor at Casey Wealth Management, Inc. in Orland Park, Illinois, with 20 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Sammons Securities Company, LLC since 2009 while also maintaining his role at Casey Wealth Management since 2005. Casey Wealth Management, founded in 2002, provides customized financial planning, consulting, and investment management primarily to individual clients and occasionally to pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm employs fundamental security analysis and a buy-and-hold strategy with quarterly portfolio reviews, managing non-discretionary assets without focusing on high-net-worth households.

John Van Ermen is a financial advisor at Exemplar Wealth Advisors, LLC with Series 63, 65, and 66 credentials and over 9 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Cetera and JPM Consulting. Exemplar Wealth Advisors, LLC provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a multi-faceted investment approach that incorporates technical and fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and uses third-party managers, focusing on both traditional and alternative investments for accredited investors.

Michael Thompson is a CFA® charterholder with 11 years of industry experience. He currently serves as a financial advisor at Thompson Capital Management, LLC and Little Harbor Advisors, LLC, where he holds the role of Portfolio Manager. His prior experience includes positions at Kaizen Advisory and Typhon Capital. Thompson Capital Management provides investment management and financial planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, and also serves other advisers through sub-advisory arrangements. The firm employs a model-driven investment approach across multiple strategies, utilizing equities, fixed income, options, and exchange-traded products, including derivatives and VIX-linked instruments.

David Jordan is a financial advisor at QVG, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has operated a YouTube channel since 2023. QVG, LLC provides discretionary investment supervisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm employs a model-driven, quantitative investment approach primarily focused on Russell 3000 securities, incorporating derivatives and complex fixed-income instruments across various strategies.

Bobbie Helman is a financial advisor at Parkview Asset Management, Inc. with eight years of industry experience and a Series 66 designation. Her prior work includes roles at firms such as Cousins & Associates Inc., StrategyPoint Financial LLC, and Edward Jones. Parkview Asset Management, Inc. manages approximately $206 million for about 140 clients, including individuals, high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning, using a long-term, client-specific investment approach that typically incorporates low-cost diversified mutual funds and ETFs along with individual securities or unaffiliated money managers as appropriate.

Brian Tumpane is a financial advisor with Cedar Capital, LLC and holds a Series 65 designation. He has experience working with Cedar Capital Advisors since 2025 and has prior experience at Upside Group, Inc and Second Sons Advisors, as well as seven years at Walgreens / Alliance Rx Walgreens Prime. Cedar Capital, LLC is a state-registered independent investment adviser that provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business clients. The firm emphasizes ETF-based model portfolios and offers both strategic and active asset allocation approaches while incorporating individual securities, options, and alternative instruments when aligned with client objectives.

Brittany Boma is a financial advisor at Joseph Wealth Management, LLC with four years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and also operates BOMA LLC, a law contract review firm where she works as an attorney. Prior to joining Joseph Wealth Management, she has held roles at Joseph Eden Capital, CTA, and the City of Chicago. Joseph Wealth Management provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm manages approximately $17.6 million in discretionary client assets and employs a mix of fundamental, technical, cyclical, and modern portfolio theory approaches, including more active strategies such as short-term options trading for suitable accounts.

Jeffrey Holland is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience. He has been with VIA IV Investments, LLC since 2002. VIA IV Investments, LLC provides discretionary portfolio management primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as businesses, charities, estates, and trusts. The firm uses broadly diversified, custom-indexed model portfolios combined with periodic rebalancing and external research, and offers alternative private fund access and a discretionary digital advice program with lower minimums.

Paul Beran is a financial advisor at Arbor Financial Services, LLC in Downers Grove, Illinois, holding a Series 65 designation with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Arbor Financial Services since 2013. Arbor Financial Services provides discretionary portfolio management and limited financial planning to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts and estates. The firm employs a range of analytical approaches and firm-developed model portfolios, offering services through both bundled wrap-fee programs and unbundled advisory arrangements.

Andrew Arnold is a financial advisor at M3Sixty Capital, LLC with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Fidelity Investments and Carillon Fund Distributors, Inc. He also serves as a Regional Director and Wholesaler for M3Sixty Capital. M3Sixty Capital, LLC provides investment advisory services primarily to institutional clients and investment companies, managing several SEC-registered mutual funds and offering model managed accounts and separately managed accounts. The firm uses a range of active strategies across multiple asset classes and explicitly serves investment companies, including the M3Sixty Small Cap Growth Fund and other specialized funds.

Jessica Stanley is a financial advisor at Rezny Wealth Management, Inc. in Aurora, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with 13 years of industry experience. She has been with Rezny Wealth Management since 2009. Rezny Wealth Management primarily serves individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, offering discretionary portfolio management and integrated financial planning on a fee-only basis. The firm manages approximately $506 million in client assets, utilizing a Global Tactical Opportunity Portfolios framework that combines quantitative and fundamental analysis across a range of investment styles.

Sandra Higgins is a CFP® professional with two years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Capstone Financial Advisors Inc in Downers Grove, IL. She has been with Capstone Financial Advisors since 2010. Capstone Financial Advisors serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers portfolio management and financial planning services, emphasizing asset-class allocation, cost control, and tax positioning, with access to private fund investments and in-house tax services.

Julie Hupp is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with 20 years of industry experience. She is currently with Vertex Partners and has held prior roles at Aspire Planning Group LLC, Highpoint Advisor Group, and LPL Financial among others. She is also a faculty member at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. Vertex Partners provides comprehensive advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and charitable and corporate entities. The firm emphasizes asset allocation, diversification, and behavioral finance through a combination of active and passive investment strategies.