Shannon Cooper is a financial advisor with Vanderbilt Advisory Services and holds a Series 66 designation. She has five years of industry experience and has worked with Vanderbilt since 2021. In addition to her advisory role, she is also licensed as an insurance agent, involved in life insurance and annuity sales. Vanderbilt Advisory Services serves a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation process combining fundamental, technical, and charting analysis, and is notable for its formal integration with retirement-plan and benefits firms, supporting advisory, pension consulting, and plan administration services.

Andrew Park is a financial advisor at Compound Planning, Inc. with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Curi RMB Capital, LLC and Vennwell, LLC. Compound Planning serves individuals, high-net-worth families, businesses, retirement plans, and financial intermediaries, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and institutional advisory services. The firm combines long-term buy-and-hold strategies with tactical tools and provides access to direct investment management as well as a Turnkey Asset Management Program featuring both in-house and third-party investment models.

Mark Garapolo is a financial advisor at MissionSquare Retirement with 37 years of industry experience. He has held a position at ICMA-RC Services, LLC since 1995. His credentials include the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. MissionSquare Retirement serves state and local government employers, their employees, and certain nonprofit entities by administering deferred compensation and qualified retirement plans. The firm provides plan administration, recordkeeping, education, and Guided Pathways Advisory Services, utilizing investment advice and model portfolios developed by Morningstar Investment Management.

Benjamin Pahl is a financial advisor at Harbour Investments, Inc. with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Money Concepts Capital Corp and The Tranel Financial Group. He is also president and investment advisor at Liberty One Investment Management, where he spends the majority of his time, and is involved with 818 Capital Group, a customer service and payroll company. 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 create customized investment strategies and offers model-based solutions through a subscription platform.

Austin Righeimer is a CFP® and CFA® with three years of industry experience. He is currently with NorthRock Partners, LLC, where he previously worked from 2023 to 2025 and returned in 2026. His work history also includes positions at Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC, Northern Trust, Anixter, and Duff & Phelps. NorthRock Partners provides wealth management and advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a tailored investment approach centered on asset allocation, diversification, and periodic rebalancing, integrating private market allocations and using AI-driven tools alongside human oversight.

Robert Karstenson is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. in Palatine, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners and operates Karstenson Financial Services since 2014. In addition to advisory work, he is licensed as an insurance sales agent, selling life, health, and accident insurance on a commission basis. Ausdal Financial Partners serves individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $3.73 billion for over 16,000 clients. The firm offers a variety of services including advisor-managed accounts, separately managed accounts, financial planning, and brokerage and insurance products, with investment strategies tailored to each client’s goals and risk profile.

June Dinardo is a financial advisor at Arkadios Wealth Advisors with 17 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Wayne Hummer Investments since 2008 and Arkadios Capital since 2024. Arkadios Wealth Advisors is a multi-team SEC-registered firm serving individuals, trusts, businesses, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers customized investment plans that incorporate fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, using a range of internally managed and third-party solutions.

Erik Olson is a financial advisor at Arete Wealth Advisors, LLC with 21 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Arete Wealth Advisors and Arete Wealth Management since 2010. Olson serves as a board member and investment committee chair for the Converge Foundation and owns Olson Analytics, a data analysis and consulting business. Arete Wealth Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs both advisor-driven and proprietary rule-based model allocations, utilizes third-party sub-advisers, and acts as an ERISA fiduciary when applicable.

Andrew Mitchell is a financial advisor at Sound Income Strategies, LLC with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and has previously worked at Charles Schwab Bank, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, and Wipfli. Mitchell serves clients at Crystal Lake Tax and Financial, where he provides investment advisory services and fixed insurance sales. Sound Income Strategies is a fee-based investment adviser serving a diverse client base, including individuals, corporate and pension clients, and other registered advisors. The firm focuses on fixed-income and income-oriented strategies, combining fundamental and technical analysis, and offers a range of services such as asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and co- and sub-advisory arrangements.

Matthew Reinhardt is a CFA® charterholder affiliated with Merit Financial Advisors in Mount Prospect, IL. He has prior experience at Biggs Mansion, CIBC Private Wealth, CIBC Bank USA, and DePaul University Athletics. Reinhardt joined Merit Financial Advisors in 2026. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with 264 advisors serving approximately 20,040 clients across 66 offices and managing about $23.9 billion in client assets. The firm offers coordinated wealth-management services focused on long-term, diversified portfolios supported by an internal Investment Management team and customizable investment models.

Ryan Birch is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience. He joined Kingsview Wealth Management, LLC in 2025 after spending 23 years at Edward Jones. His other business activities include managing a rental property in Barrington, Illinois. Kingsview Wealth Management is a multi-advisor firm serving individuals, retirement plans, endowments, trusts, and state or municipal clients. It offers financial planning and asset management through a combination of in-house strategies, third-party managers, and alternative investments across various portfolio types.

Daniel Smyczynski is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. in Arlington Heights, IL, and has 43 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he is also involved in the sale of insurance products. Ausdal Financial Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer managing approximately $2.13 billion in client assets through a network of 152 advisors. The firm serves individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering a range of advisory programs and brokerage services that include investment management, retirement planning, and insurance products.

Chris Morgan is a financial advisor with Harbour Investments, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 34 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Harbour in 2023, he worked at Beacon Wealth Advisors, LLC and Gradient Securities, LLC, among others. Outside of his advisory role, Morgan is involved in tax preparation services as a partner at Beacon Advisors LLC dba Beacon Tax Advisors. Harbour Investments serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, pension and 401(k) plans, and institutional entities. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management along with financial planning and access to various investment platforms and strategies.

Eric Mesko is a financial advisor with VestGen Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and with 22 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Triad Advisors, LPL Financial, and Waddell & Reed among others. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the Board of Directors for Bartlett Learning Centers, a school for mentally challenged children. VestGen Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, trusts, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines advisor-level client relationships with centralized portfolio construction utilizing third-party managers and home office investment strategies.

Erich Fischer is a financial advisor at Harbour Investments, Inc. with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at The Tranel Financial Group and 818 Capital Group, LLC. Fischer also has experience with a customer service and payroll company where he worked part-time. Harbour Investments serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, pension and 401(k) plans, and institutional entities. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and various investment platforms with approaches that range from fundamental and technical analysis to modeling and macroeconomic strategies.

Alex Schoenbrun is a financial advisor with Lifemark Securities Corp. and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 2 years of industry experience and has been with Lifemark Securities since 2013. In addition to his advisory role, he is also involved with Midwest Benefit Consultants, Ltd., where he works as an independent insurance agent and pension administrator, focusing on life, disability, long-term care, and group insurance, as well as fixed annuities and 401(k) profit-sharing plan design and servicing. Lifemark Securities Corp. provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual investors and retirement plan sponsors. The firm offers customized investment solutions including Unified Managed Accounts, Separately Managed Accounts, and other portfolio management programs, with a suitability-driven approach and accounts managed on either a discretionary or non-discretionary basis.

Alexus Patterson is a financial advisor at William Joseph Capital Management, Inc. with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Patterson has prior experience at Merrill, where they worked for six years, and has been involved in the restaurant industry through roles at Greenwoods Restaurant and Lettuce Entertain You’s Big Bowl. Additionally, Patterson is associated with Unified Companies. William Joseph Capital Management, Inc. provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm integrates portfolio management with financial planning and offers ERISA plan consulting and fee-based insurance product services.

Stanley Nieminski is a financial advisor at Fortis Capital Advisors, LLC with 35 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and PFS™ designations and has worked at firms including Clearpath Financial LLC and Cetera. In addition to his advisory role, he is president of a mortgage brokerage and provides tax and accounting services through his CPA firm. Fortis Capital Advisors offers investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, businesses, and institutional clients. The firm focuses on customized portfolio construction and ongoing monitoring, employing a range of strategies including passive, active, tactical, blended, and ESG-integrated approaches.

Michael Gregory is a financial advisor with Advisory Solutions Group in Libertyville, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Wealth Enhancement Group, Gladstone Wealth Partners, J.P. Morgan Securities, UBS Financial Services, and Oppenheimer. Outside of advisory work, he serves as a FINRA arbitrator. Advisory Solutions Group serves retail clients and supports other registered investment advisory firms by providing financial planning, consulting, portfolio management, and back-office services. The firm employs a diversified investment approach incorporating quantitative, momentum, and fundamental analysis and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies with regular client reviews.

Mary Heil is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Simplicity Wealth with seven years of industry experience. She has worked at Simplicity Wealth and Protected Tomorrows, where she also serves as a corporate operations manager. Additionally, she holds a Notary Public commission. Simplicity Wealth serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, corporate and institutional investors, and other financial firms. The firm employs a fund-of-funds investment approach using ETFs, mutual funds, and individual securities, and offers a range of advisory and operational services including a managed account platform and third-party model manager oversight.