Thomas Stecich is a financial advisor at Athena Advisor Services, LLC with 16 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Athena Advisor Services since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a volunteer firefighter and treasurer for the Ogden Dunes Amateur Radio Club. Athena Advisor Services provides asset management and financial planning to individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and ongoing planning services, using fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor portfolios that are reviewed quarterly.

Jay Plourde is a financial advisor at Joseph Wealth Management, LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Riposte Capital and Wedbush Securities. Plourde serves on the boards of two nonprofit organizations: Joseph Business School in Forest Park, Illinois, and Kenneth Copeland Ministries in Fort Worth, Texas. 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 client assets and employs a mix of analytical approaches, including fundamental, technical, and modern portfolio theory, to tailor portfolios to client objectives and risk tolerances.

Peter Jankovskis is a CFA® charterholder with four years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Arbor Financial Services, LLC since 2021. He previously worked at Oakbrook Investments, LLC for 12 years. Arbor Financial Services provides discretionary portfolio management and limited financial planning primarily to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts and estates. The firm uses proprietary model portfolios and a combination of analytical methods to manage client assets, typically on a discretionary basis.

Anita Mauro is a financial advisor at Patrick Mauro Investment Advisor, Inc. She holds a Series 65 designation and has four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Patrick Mauro Investment Advisor, she worked at Thompson Coburn, LLP for six years. Patrick Mauro Investment Advisor, Inc. is an SEC-registered firm that manages portfolios for individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and various business and charitable entities. The firm provides discretionary investment management and coordinated tax and estate planning support, employing strategies such as laddered bonds for capital preservation and dividend-focused equity investments.

Lindsey Feyereisen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, with nine years of industry experience. She has been with Laureate Wealth Management, LLC since 2014. Laureate Wealth Management provides investment advisory, financial planning, estate planning, and family office coordination services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, retirement plans, corporations, and other entities. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation process that includes various investment vehicles and manages both discretionary and non-discretionary accounts, with notable involvement in pooled investment vehicles and affiliated fund activities.

Katharine Schwartz is a financial advisor at Arbor Financial Services, LLC with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. She previously worked at Lifestart Wellness Network for nine years before joining Arbor Financial Services. 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 uses firm-developed model portfolios and a combination of analytical approaches to manage client assets, typically on a discretionary basis.

Peter Newman Jr. is a CFA® charterholder with 12 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. He has been with Peak Wealth Planning, LLC since 2014 and previously worked at the University of Illinois for 27 years. Peak Wealth Planning is a small, supported advisory firm serving individual, high-net-worth, trust, and select institutional clients. The firm employs an asset-allocation driven investment approach using low-cost mutual funds and ETFs, and provides financial planning, discretionary investment management, and due diligence on alternative investments.

Timothy Dillow is a CFP® professional with 23 years of industry experience. He is the principal at Dillow Wealth Management LLC in Oak Brook, IL, where he has worked since 2018, previously holding positions at UBS Financial Services and LPL Financial among others. Outside of financial advising, he manages a cheese production and distribution business and is involved in business consulting and literary work through separate ventures. Dillow Wealth Management provides wealth and investment management along with financial planning for individuals, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm offers customized portfolios that include mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, and alternative investments, combining fundamental and technical analysis with both discretionary and non-discretionary services.

Austin Mitchell is a financial advisor at Maverick Thomas Capital with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at OneAmerica Securities, Johnson & Johnson, and Workout Anytime. Outside of his advisory role, Mitchell is involved in non-variable insurance sales, including fixed life and fixed annuities. Maverick Thomas Capital offers portfolio management and integrated financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a multifaceted investment approach incorporating charting, cyclical, fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis, with a focus on long-term trading and regular portfolio monitoring aligned with client risk tolerances.

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.

Nathan Gale is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with four years of industry experience. He is the founder and investment advisor representative of Fleur-De-Lis Financial and has prior experience with WellAcre Global Wealth Advisors and Peak Wealth Planning, LLC. Outside of financial advising, he is a partner and CFO of WanderWren, an apparel retailer. Fleur-De-Lis Financial serves individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate plan sponsors. The firm offers fee-only investment management and financial planning, employing both passive and active strategies, and incorporates borrowing and margin use in its portfolio management.

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.

David Sopchik is a financial advisor at CJW Capital, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with six years of industry experience. He has been with CJW Capital since 2018 and previously worked at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Inc. from 2012 to 2019. CJW Capital serves individuals, institutional investors, charities, corporations, and retirement plans, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and donor-advised fund management. The firm emphasizes fundamental analysis and long-term investment strategies, utilizing low-cost mutual funds, ETFs, and other securities tailored to client needs.

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.