Charles Melka is a CFP® with 33 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Sequoia Wealth Management, LLC since 2015. He also maintains a role with LPL Financial, LLC, where he has worked concurrently since 2015. Melka provides financial advisory services including insurance policy servicing for his clients. Sequoia Wealth Management serves individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans, offering 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 provides both discretionary management and third-party strategist models.

Michal Gicala is a CFP® professional at Capstone Financial Advisors Inc with six years of experience, including prior work at Ikenberry Dining Services and a background in full-time education. Based in Downers Grove, IL, Michal has been with Capstone since 2020. Capstone Financial Advisors serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers portfolio management and financial planning with an investment approach focused on asset-class allocation, cost control, and tax positioning, managing approximately $2.44 billion in client assets across a multi-advisor team.

Jeffrey Dehaan is a CFP® with 16 years of experience in the financial advisory industry, currently serving at Clearwater Capital Partners. He has been with Clearwater Capital Partners and its affiliates since 2013. In addition to his advisory role, he places insurance products for clients as part of their overall wealth management plans. Clearwater Capital Partners advises high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional clients, offering services such as private wealth management, family office support, and retirement plan advisory. The firm emphasizes portfolio management guided by written Investment Policy Statements and employs a mix of fundamental, technical, quantitative, and thematic analysis.

Seth Woodward is a financial advisor with Timothy Financial Counsel, Inc. in Wheaton, IL. He holds a Series 65 credential and joined the firm in 2026. Prior to his advisory role, he worked at Microsoft Corp for four years and EY-Parthenon for three years. Timothy Financial Counsel, Inc. is a fee-only, hourly financial planning firm serving individuals, families, businesses, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm emphasizes advisory and implementation coaching without discretionary portfolio management, favoring diversified exposure through no-load mutual funds and ETFs and a time-based billing model.

Timothy O'Donnell is a financial advisor with Sequoia Wealth Management, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Sequoia Wealth Management since 2015 and also maintains an affiliation with LPL Financial since 2013. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as Vice President and Chair of the Election Operations Committee for the Barrington Township Republican Organization. Sequoia Wealth Management advises individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans, providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm utilizes a combination of quantitative optimization, third-party research, and manager selection, offering discretionary management and third-party strategist models tailored to clients’ goals.

Nancy Effert is a financial advisor at Essex LLC with 20 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at ChangePath, LLC and Partnervest Advisory Services, LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in life insurance and annuity sales through Effert Financial Solutions. Essex LLC is a team-based registered investment adviser managing approximately $563 million for around 600 clients, including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consultation services, employing model portfolios and a range of analytical approaches to asset selection and monitoring.

Andrew Lindquist is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Timothy Financial Counsel, Inc. with five years of industry experience. Before joining Timothy Financial Counsel in 2021, he worked for Rauner College Prep from 2015 to 2020. Timothy Financial Counsel, Inc. is a fee-only, hourly financial planning firm that offers individual consultations and project-based advice on various financial topics for a diverse client base. The firm emphasizes a time-based billing model, diversified investment exposure, and advisory services without managing client assets directly.

Daniel Borello is a financial advisor with James T. Borello & Co. in East Dundee, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. He has been with James T. Borello & Co. since 2016. James T. Borello & Co. serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, small businesses, trusts, and other legal entities, managing approximately $514 million across about 700 client relationships. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning, utilizing asset-allocation models tailored to client goals and risk tolerance, with portfolios typically including mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities.

Colleen Nesslar is a financial advisor at Pendulum Wealth Partners with 13 years of industry experience. She holds Series 66 and Series 63 designations. Her prior roles include positions at Ameriprise, Wealth Enhancement, Raymond James Financial, LPL Financial, Charles Schwab, and FORM Wealth Advisors. Pendulum Wealth Partners is a nine-advisor team managing approximately $283 million for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and a family office suite, employing a fundamental, long-term investment approach with a variety of investment vehicles tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

Hannah Carter is a financial advisor at Carter Financial Group, Inc. with four years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at several firms, including LILA and Saint Julivert. In addition to her advisory role, she is licensed as an insurance agent specializing in life, accident, and health insurance. Carter Financial Group, Inc. is a team of five advisors managing approximately $382 million for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm utilizes proprietary model portfolios and a range of investment strategies, combining quantitative and technical analysis with third-party research.

Justin Dagostino is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license, with nine years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Vertex Partners, where he has worked since 2019 in various capacities, including the launch of Vertex Partners as an independent investment advisor firm in 2022. His prior experience includes roles at LPL Financial, TD Ameritrade, Scottrade, Executive Wealth Management, and INVEST Financial Corp. Vertex Partners provides advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and charitable and corporate entities. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes asset allocation, diversification, and behavioral finance, using a combination of active and passive model portfolios implemented through various investment vehicles and third-party manager platforms.

Aldo Vultaggio is a CFA® charterholder with 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Capstone Financial Advisors Inc since 2016. Capstone Financial Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes asset-class allocation, cost control, and tax efficiency, employing a multi-year investment outlook with a range of strategies and access to private fund investments for qualified investors.

Kevin Rochford is a financial advisor with Clearwater Capital Partners, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 19 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bernstein, Satter Management, and Bessemer Investor Services, Inc. Clearwater Capital Partners offers family office services, private wealth management, institutional advisory, and retirement plan advising. The firm serves a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients such as sovereign wealth funds and government entities, employing a variety of investment strategies and maintaining several affiliated entities to provide integrated financial solutions.

Camilla Corso is a CFP® professional with 14 years of experience in financial advising. She has been with DigioVine Hnilo Jordan + Johnson, Ltd. since 2010. Corso is based in Bartlett, IL, and works as part of an eight-advisor team at DHJJ Financial Advisors. DHJJ Financial Advisors manages approximately $543.5 million and serves individual and high-net-worth clients with portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services. The firm integrates investment management with access to tax preparation and accounting services through an affiliated CPA firm and typically manages accounts on a discretionary basis using a variety of investment vehicles.

Jason Telford is a CFP® and CFA® with 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Capstone Financial Advisors, Inc. since 2004. Capstone Financial Advisors serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management along with financial planning, pension consulting, tax preparation, and access to private fund investments. Its investment approach emphasizes asset-class allocation, cost control, and tax positioning, utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, and third-party sub-advisers under an Investment Committee’s oversight.

Kevin Carter is a CFP® professional with 39 years of industry experience, currently serving at Carter Financial Group, Inc. and Mutual Securities, Inc. since 2019. His prior experience includes five years at VOYA Financial Advisors. Outside of his advisory roles, he is an independent insurance agent focusing on life, health, and Medicare supplement insurance. Carter Financial Group provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs proprietary model portfolios and quantitative analysis combined with external platforms to manage client assets, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management along with specialized services such as retirement plan participant account management and cash management solutions.

Cynthia Mittlestaedt is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, with six years of industry experience. She is currently with Vertex Partners and has previously worked at Highpoint Planning Partners, Aspire Planning Group, and Edward Jones. Vertex Partners provides advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm tailors portfolios based on clients’ risk tolerance, time horizon, and liquidity needs, utilizing a variety of investment strategies including proprietary model portfolios, mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, and third-party program platforms, with ongoing monitoring and rebalancing.

Justin Nolan is a financial advisor with Essex LLC in Deer Park, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and four years of industry experience. He has been with Essex LLC since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a director for FPI Inc., a forging industry company based in Houston, Texas, and participates on the finance committee of Westmoreland Country Club in Wilmette, Illinois. Essex LLC is a registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, retirement plans, pension, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a multi-member investment policy committee to construct model portfolios using fundamental, technical, and sector analysis across various asset classes, managing approximately $649 million for over 570 client accounts as of year-end 2025.

Carter King is a financial advisor at Clearwater Capital Partners with a Series 65 designation and several years of experience including roles at Ascensus and Royal Valet Tulsa. His background also includes positions in education at Oral Roberts University and Westminster Christian School. Clearwater Capital Partners advises high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional clients, offering services such as private wealth management, family office support, and retirement plan advisory. The firm employs a disciplined investment approach based on written Investment Policy Statements and combines fundamental, technical, quantitative, and thematic analysis to manage client portfolios, often on a discretionary basis.

Tina Barrile is a CFP® and CFA® with 19 years of industry experience. She is currently with The Dala Group, LLC and has previously worked at Northern Trust Co., BDF LLC / Corient, and Hemsley & Associates, Ltd. The Dala Group serves individual and high-net-worth clients through portfolio management and financial consulting, including retirement, estate, tax, and charitable planning. The firm combines fundamental, quantitative, and qualitative analysis to develop diversified asset-allocation strategies using a range of investment vehicles tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance.