Thomas Chernesky is a CFP® with 27 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Robertson Stephens since 2024. Prior to this, he spent 11 years at CAFG Wealth Management, Inc., where he was also president of the company, a non-operating legal entity handling payments from the installment sale of a former RIA business to Robertson Stephens. Robertson Stephens Wealth Management provides advisory services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, family offices, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm combines individualized advice with centrally developed model portfolios and oversight by an Investment Office and Committee, managing over $7 billion in client assets as of the end of 2024.

Garland Kizer is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Merit Financial Advisors. His prior roles include positions at VOYA Financial Advisors, Cetera, and leadership of his own firms, Kizer & Associates and Kizer Financial Services. He serves as a trustee for both the THSD 214 Foundation and MacMurray College and chairs the Bartlett 4th of July Festival committee, coordinating its fireworks presentation. Merit Financial Group is a multi-team SEC-registered advisory firm serving individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, ESOPs, and institutional clients. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting through a network of advisers, employing a long-term, diversified investment approach overseen by internal committees and utilizing both internal and third-party managers.

Jeffrey Birch is a financial advisor at Kingsview Wealth Management, LLC with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior positions include roles at American Express, Rain City Capital, and JPMorgan Chase, as well as consulting through his own firm, JBirch Consulting. Kingsview Wealth Management is a multi-advisor firm serving individuals, retirement plans, registered investment companies, endowments, trusts, and state or municipal clients. The firm offers financial planning and wealth management services that integrate in-house portfolio management with third-party managers and alternative investments, supporting both discretionary and non-discretionary advisory arrangements.

Mark Lishchynsky Jr. is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has been with World Equity Group since 2013. World Equity Group provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee programs, combining discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and third-party money managers.

Brendan Donlevy is a financial advisor with VestGen Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at Triad Advisors, Northwestern Mutual, and Capital Forensics Inc. VestGen Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, and institutional entities. The firm combines advisor-level client relationship management with centralized portfolio construction and utilizes third-party managers and affiliated funds as part of its investment approach.

John Straley is a financial advisor at VestGen Advisors, LLC with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked with World Equity Group and American General Securities Incorporated. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved as a partner in film production companies Caliwood Pictures and CineSecure Films, and serves on the Membership Committee for The Bridge Youth & Family Services, a charitable organization. VestGen Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, and institutional investors. The firm combines advisor-level client relationship work with centralized portfolio construction and uses third-party managers and proprietary funds as part of its investment offerings.

Jessica Nieminski is an Investment Advisor Representative with Fortis Capital Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and 13 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Network 1 Financial Securities, Cetera, and Clearpath Financial LLC, where she also serves as an advisor. Additionally, she is an insurance agent with ClearPath Financial Insurance, LLC, selling health, life, property, and casualty insurance. Fortis Capital Advisors is an SEC-registered multi-team investment adviser serving individuals, families, businesses, retirement plans, institutional clients, and other advisers. The firm provides customized portfolio management and financial planning, employing a mix of passive, active, tactical, and ESG-aware strategies, and offers access to specialist sub-advisors and a range of financial services.

Daniel Zarzynski is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor at Robertson Stephens with two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at CAFG Wealth Management, Camping World, and Brunswick Corporation. Robertson Stephens provides investment advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management along with comprehensive planning services, managing approximately $8.76 billion in assets as of December 31, 2025.

Carlos Coutinho Maia is a financial advisor with Navy Federal Investment Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at firms such as JP Morgan Securities, Equitable Advisors, Prudential Insurance, Edward Jones, and Allstate Financial Services. Outside of financial services, he co-owned and operated Carambola Gelato and Coffee Shop LLC from 2017 to 2019. Navy Federal Investment Services serves members of Navy Federal Credit Union along with individual, trust, and institutional clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan fiduciary services. The firm uses managed advisory programs featuring third-party portfolio managers and provides both advisory and commission-based channels through its dual role as a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer affiliated with a credit union.

Kevin Geiger is a financial advisor with Blackridge Asset Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at The Retirement Guys Formula and Retirement Wealth Advisors. Geiger is also the owner of Geiger Investments, an investment-related business that involves selling fixed and variable annuities. Blackridge Asset Management provides financial planning, investment management, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, corporations, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a network of investment adviser representatives and offers tailored portfolio management through affiliated and third-party platforms.

Allison Tregoning is a financial advisor at Gladstone Wealth Partners with eight years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at LPL Financial, Cetera Financial Specialists LLC, and Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC. 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 discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to wrap programs and third-party manager solutions.

Michael Manno is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Schaumburg, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 42 years of industry experience. He has been with World Equity Group since 2003. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm offers managed portfolios through its Adhesion Money Management wrap-fee program and related advisory programs, combining discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers.

Jacqueline Bramel is a financial advisor at Harbour Investments, Inc. with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Harbour, she worked at Beacon Wealth Advisors and has a background that includes 14 years at HomeMaker. She volunteers as a board member for the Special Olympics of Illinois, participating in fundraising and event activities. Harbour Investments provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, charitable and corporate clients, and retirement plans. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to develop customized strategies and offers model-based solutions through a subscription platform.

Gary Richards is a CFP® professional with 32 years of experience at World Equity Group, Inc., where he has worked since 1994. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Richards is also involved as a co-owner of B&R Financial, a financial planning and investment advisory practice. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee program and discretionary third-party money management, utilizing risk-tolerance assessments to guide asset allocation.

Robert Davit is a financial advisor at Gladstone Wealth Partners with 32 years of industry experience. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services from 2009 to 2021 and has been with Gladstone and LPL Financial since 2021. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. 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 discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to various investment solutions, with a focus on integrating retirement-plan services and institutional manager relationships.

Lissette Strefner is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 23 years of industry experience. She has been with World Equity Group since 2015 and has previously been associated with AIG American General Life Insurance Company since 2002. Outside of her advisory role, she operates a small hobby business reselling used clothing online. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers managed portfolios through its wrap-fee program, combining discretionary portfolio management with access to third-party money managers and employs a risk-tolerance questionnaire to guide asset allocation.

Barry Link is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Schaumburg, IL, holding a Series 63 designation and 48 years of industry experience. He has worked at World Equity Group since 2001 and operates Link Diversified Services, which he started in 1982. Outside of advising, he is involved as an independent contractor with Abacus Life Settlements, assisting with policy evaluations and transactions for senior clients. World Equity Group, Inc. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a range of clients, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers managed portfolios through its Adhesion Money Management wrap-fee program and utilizes third-party managers to implement asset allocation models based on client risk tolerance.

Jeffrey Cismoski is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience. He is currently with Ascentis Independent Advisors, LLC, where he has worked since 2026. Prior to this, he held positions at ORG Partners LLC, WealthShield Partners, LLC, Cresset Asset Management, LLC, and Evanston Investments Inc DBA Evanston Advisors. Ascentis Independent Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities, providing asset management, comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm customizes investment advice based on client objectives and employs a combination of discretionary management, third-party managers, and platform solutions, including a Private Direct Investments program for allocating clients to illiquid private funds.

Jack Long is a financial advisor at Summit Financial, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including World Equity Group and Midway Wealth Partners. Jack attended Auburn University from 2021 to 2025. Summit Financial, LLC is a multi-team advisory firm that manages about $26.35 billion in assets for roughly 17,800 clients. The firm offers a range of investment advisory and portfolio management programs, combining discretionary and consultative services tailored to client preferences.

Gregg Cummings is a financial advisor at Savvy with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked for LPL Financial for 15 years. Cummings has been with Savvy since 2026. Savvy provides investment and financial planning services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, trusts and estates, businesses, ERISA plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a primarily index-based, long-term approach supplemented by active equity portfolios and tax-aware direct indexing, using third-party sub-advisers and technology platforms to customize investment plans based on client objectives and risk tolerance.