Julie Murphy is a CFP® and ChFC® with 30 years of experience in financial advising. She is currently with Sequoia Wealth Management, LLC in Chicago, where she has worked since 2015, and also has longstanding ties to LPL Financial LLC and JMC Wealth Management, Inc. Outside of her advisory roles, she is the owner of Beyond Your Wildest Dreams, LLC. Sequoia Wealth Management serves individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans by providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm uses a combination of quantitative optimization, third-party research, and manager selection to tailor portfolios and offers both discretionary management and third-party strategist model implementation.

Nicholas Lovitsch is a financial advisor at Steward Advisors, LLC with a Series 65 designation and two years of industry experience. He previously worked at The Red Lion from 2019 to 2023. 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, using a range of investment vehicles including ETFs, mutual funds, individual stocks, bonds, and privately placed securities.

Ritu Jain is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor at The Retirement Solutions Group with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining her current firm, she worked at Savant Wealth Management and was involved in entrepreneurial ventures through TinkRworks LLC and Xplore Cultures LLC. The Retirement Solutions Group offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside comprehensive financial planning services for individual clients, serving both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth households. The firm’s investment approach incorporates fundamental and technical analysis tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerances, with regular portfolio reviews and optional discretionary trading authority.

John Souter Jr. is a financial advisor at Rail-Splitter Capital Management LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Delta Investment Management, LLC. Rail-Splitter Capital Management provides investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, and estates, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs a fundamentally driven, long-term approach with personalized client engagement and sponsors a wrap fee program that includes transaction and custodial costs within its advisory fee.

Oliver Kupe is a financial advisor at Aurelien Capital Partners with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Red Oak Capital Investments, Fort Point Capital Partners, Bank of America, and Merrill Lynch. Kupe serves as an advisory board member of 548 Capital's Solar Chicago Fund, providing non-binding advice on housing, environmental, and economic issues in inner cities. Aurelien Capital Partners serves individuals and families, including high-net-worth clients, professional athletes, and exonerees, offering wealth management, financial planning, and family-office services. The firm employs a plan-driven, open-architecture investment approach combining active and passive strategies across public and private markets tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

Catherine Lannan is a financial advisor at Lakewood Asset Management, LLC with Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Lakewood Asset Management, she worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and held various roles in other companies including Kohl's Corporation and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Lakewood Asset Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, estates, pension, and charitable entities, managing approximately $249 million across 155 client relationships. The firm employs a bottom-up, fundamental investment approach focused on long-term value and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management along with standalone financial planning services.

John Bever is a financial advisor with Phase III Advisory Services, LTD, holding a CFP® designation and a Series 63 license, with 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Phase III Advisory Services since 1984 and also associated with Osaic Wealth, Inc. since 1989. Bever provides life insurance illustrations and solutions and serves as a notary public offering services to clients. Phase III Advisory Services, Ltd. offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, portfolio monitoring, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm manages approximately $162 million in assets for around 366 clients using tailored portfolios that combine fundamental and technical analysis, with options including advisor-managed portfolios and a Unified Managed Account.

Michael Liccar is a financial advisor with Signet Private Wealth, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and possessing 31 years of industry experience. His work history includes leadership roles at Andiamo Vento LLC, Liccar Securities & Custodial Services, LLC, and Michael J. Liccar & Co., L.L.C., along with service at Crete Township since 2001. Outside of finance, he manages a brewery business through Pintsetters Brands, LLC. Signet Private Wealth LLC provides investment advice and wealth management primarily to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a value-oriented, long-term investment approach incorporating fundamental and technical analysis, strategic asset allocation, and incorporates services such as direct indexing, option-writing, and ESG considerations.

Brian Vogler is a CFA® charterholder with three years of industry experience. He is currently with Highview Capital Management, LLC, where he has worked since 2022. His prior experience includes roles at Holman, Fitch Ratings, and Wheels, Inc. Highview Capital Management provides discretionary wealth management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm employs a variety of analytical methods to implement asset-allocation strategies tailored to client goals and risk tolerance, managing approximately $363.6 million in regulatory assets.

Mark Schwartz is a financial advisor with Estate & Trust Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at Re-Direct Securities Corp. since 2001 and with Estate & Trust Advisors since 1997. In addition to advisory services, he is involved in fixed insurance products. Estate & Trust Advisors serves individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as pension plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and other business entities. The firm offers custom portfolio management using a strategic core-and-satellite approach and provides wealth management, financial planning, and participant consulting services.

Nicholas Norby is a financial advisor at Taursas Investments in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with under one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Deloitte and NN Financial Services LLC. Taursas Investments provides discretionary investment management and financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, corporations, and endowments. The firm emphasizes fundamental business and industry analysis with an economic outlook, avoiding speculation and predictive models.

Brett founded Impact Financial after spending nearly a decade working at some of the largest Registered Investment Advisory firms in the country. Brett held a variety of investment, tax, financial planning and business consulting roles, which contributes to his comprehensive approach that he maintains today. During this time, Brett saw that there was a need for services tailored to each individual/family, considering businesses/private assets and tax complexities as well as opportunity to add more meaning to investments through impact investing (aligning investments with values). Brett founded Impact Financial to offer this comprehensive approach and to help people make the impact they want, not only once they’ve accumulated savings, but before and while accumulating assets as well. Brett earned an undergraduate and master’s degree in personal financial planning from University of Illinois and Texas Tech University, respectively. After graduation, Brett earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM (CFP®) designation and his Certified Exit Planning Advisor designation (CEPA). In his free time, Brett loves to catch a Cubs game or great concert. Brett and his wife, Jenny, also love being outdoors on a bike ride, a run or trying to learn to sail. Brett and Jenny currently split their time between Boston and Chicago.

Kelly Stanley is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience and has been with Cogent Strategic Wealth LLC since 2015. He holds a Series 66 license and participates in paid speaking engagements on approved financial topics. Cogent Strategic Wealth manages approximately $266 million for individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and participant-directed retirement plans. The firm employs a Personal Chief Financial Officer model, focusing on diversified portfolios primarily composed of passively managed mutual funds and ETFs, with an emphasis on advanced planning and relationship management with outside specialists.

Avedis Mavilian is a financial advisor at Bayworth Capital in Chicago, IL, with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked with Bayworth Capital since 2018. In addition, Mavilian serves as the managing member of Tailwind Financial Strategies, LLC, an insurance agency and tax advisory practice. Bayworth Capital provides financial planning, portfolio management, and pension consulting services to individuals, corporations, and pension plans. The firm offers tailored investment strategies across various asset classes and facilitates access to alternative investments while also providing specialized services such as pension consulting and assistance with securities-backed lines of credit.

Mark Jablonski is a financial advisor at Servant Financial, Ltd. with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to his advisory role, he worked in corporate positions at CVS Health Corp., Middough Inc., and Baxter International Inc. He is also involved with Alathea Consulting LLC. Servant Financial provides personalized investment management for a range of clients including individuals, trusts, family offices, and corporate entities. The firm’s investment approach focuses on risk management through diversification, tax efficiency, and tactical adjustments, and it is notable for advising private Opportunity Zone farmland funds and offering alternative-investment consulting.

Sevan Meneshian is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience, currently serving at Bayworth Capital since 2019. His prior roles include positions at Kestra Investment Services and Ausdal Financial Partners. Outside of his advisory work, Meneshian instructs CFP® courses at Kaplan College and Northwestern University and operates a CFP exam tutoring service. Bayworth Capital provides financial planning, portfolio management, and pension consulting to both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored investment strategies utilizing a range of securities and alternative investments, managing approximately $62.7 million in discretionary assets with a team of four advisors.

Samuel McElroy is a financial advisor at Stride Investments, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Stride Investments since 2013, with prior roles at Stride Financial and as owner of McElroy Financial. Outside of advisory services, he serves as Chief Operating Officer of Stride Financial, an insurance and planning services firm. Stride Investments 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 assess goals and risk, and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management.

Mark Burka is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 65 license with 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Mendel Money Management Inc. since 2022, having previously worked at Ziegler Capital Management, LLC for 17 years. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the board of directors for Indian Peaks Brewing Company and participates on endowment committees for nonprofit music organizations. Mendel Money Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment supervisory services, financial planning, and consulting to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm manages approximately $317 million in client assets and uses a blend of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis supported by third-party research, with a distinctive use of options and other derivatives primarily for income generation or protection.

Benjamin Armstrong is a CFA® charterholder with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Conifer Bay Capital LLC since 2017 and previously worked at RMB Capital Management, LLC from 2011 to 2017. Armstrong is a part owner and manager of Belgravia Partners LLC, a family-owned investment entity. Conifer Bay Capital LLC provides fee-based portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, and charitable organizations. The firm employs both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, using fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis along with modern portfolio theory, and includes unique practices such as margin trading and option strategies.

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.