Wendi Svitak is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience. She currently works at Bard Associates Inc and has prior experience at The Retirement Network Ltd, LPL Financial, and Morgan Stanley. Outside of her advisory role, she provides administrative support to independent investment advisor firms. Bard Associates, Inc. offers discretionary portfolio management and portfolio-monitoring services to a range of clients including individuals, IRAs, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes a long-term, buy-and-hold investment strategy focused on smaller-company and micro-cap equities, and also manages the Bard Micro-Cap Value Fund L.P., a private pooled vehicle closed to new investors.

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.

John Hering is a CFP®-designated financial advisor at Composure Wealth Management, LLC with 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Composure Wealth Management since 2019 and previously held positions at Bank of America and Merrill from 2016 to 2019. Composure Wealth Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans by providing portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a multi-disciplinary investment approach combining individual securities and third-party sub-advisors, employing both strategic and tactical asset allocation methods.

Daniel Carey is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience and has been with Mentor Capital Management Inc. since 2007. He holds a Series 66 license and is based in Chicago, IL. Mentor Capital Management Inc. serves individual clients through fee-only wealth management and financial planning, offering services such as investment management, income tax planning, and estate-planning review. The firm employs a fundamental analysis approach within a broad asset-allocation framework, favoring passive, low-expense, index-based strategies for long-term holdings.

Ryan Hass is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving at RF&L Wealth Management, LLC since 2016. He holds the Series 65 registration and is a partner in BREAKING EIGHTY, LLC, an investment-related entity. RF&L Wealth Management provides advisory services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and small businesses, employing an investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory and diversified, evidence-based strategies. The firm integrates third-party solutions and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management along with financial planning and retirement plan consulting.

David Williams is a CFA® charterholder with 28 years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor at Williams Capital Management Company since 1995. Williams Capital Management is an independent registered investment adviser that provides portfolio management and investment advice to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm combines fundamental and cyclical analysis in its investment approach and manages a substantial portion of client assets on a non-discretionary basis, serving primarily higher-net-worth and institutional clients.

John Swift is a CFA® charterholder with 21 years of industry experience. He has worked at Benchmark Investment Advisors LLC since 2017 and previously at Gentry Private Wealth Management LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he teaches a CFA review program. Benchmark Investment Advisors serves individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporate clients through discretionary asset management, retirement-plan consulting, and sub-advisory services. The firm employs a proprietary Economic Margin framework and intrinsic valuation methods within a model portfolio approach, complemented by client education materials and tactical investment overlays.

Samuel Feldman is a financial advisor at 755 Financial with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked primarily at Edward Jones before joining 755 Wealth Management LLC in 2026. Outside of finance, he owns Sweetwater Meat and Seed Company, a food review and consulting business based in Chicago. 755 Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser providing portfolio management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm offers client-driven strategies tailored to objectives and risk tolerance and is affiliated with related tax, accounting, and insurance businesses.

Sarah Bodach is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Mentor Capital Management Inc. in Chicago, IL, with nine years at the firm and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Mentor Capital Management, she was a homemaker for six years. Mentor Capital Management Inc. is a fee-only advisory firm serving individual clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm focuses on long-term, low-cost index-based investing combined with fundamental analysis and a broad asset-allocation approach, offering services that include wealth management, financial planning, and tax-related advice.

Gregory Hadley is a financial advisor at Core Capital Management and Research Inc. with 12 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Brookwood Investment Group and Belpointe Asset Management. Hadley also serves as an options trading instructor for Online Trading Academy, a role he has held for over a decade. Core Capital Management and Research serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities with portfolio management, asset allocation, and financial planning services. The firm employs a mix of fundamental and technical analysis and incorporates derivatives strategies in client portfolios, managing approximately $298.8 million in assets.

Lawrence Gatz is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Copperwood Financial since 2020 and previously held roles at Significant Wealth Partners Inc., Capital Management Consultants, Kingsview Asset Management, Atkins and Associates, and Wealth Planning Network. Outside of his advisory work, he co-owns KLG Management Inc., which 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 small businesses, including a specialty practice for professional athletes. The firm manages portfolios using a tactical allocation approach and provides retirement plan consulting, serving as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for employer-sponsored plans.

Timothy Obendorf is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Steward Advisors, LLC since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he is a 25% minority owner and board member of McLennan Property Management Company, which manages commercial and industrial properties in the Chicago area. 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, integrating financial planning with investment strategies that include ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, and privately placed investments, while employing options and derivatives for hedging and tactical purposes.

Charles Marien III is a CFP® professional with 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at CTS Financial Planning, Inc. since 1984 and has been associated with Certified Insurance Consultants, Inc. since 1989. CTS Financial Planning serves individual and high-net-worth clients with comprehensive financial planning, retirement planning, investment planning, and discretionary asset management, while also providing accounting and income tax preparation services. The firm employs an active, technically driven investment approach and integrates in-house tax and accounting capabilities alongside advisory services.

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.

Andrew Farinelli is a financial advisor at Wavvest Wealth with 11 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Embree Financial Group, McAdam LLC, and Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner and president of Farinelli Financial LLC, providing comprehensive financial planning and investment management services. Wavvest Wealth serves individual clients directly and through sub-advisory arrangements, as well as managing employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm uses proprietary technology to support risk profiling and portfolio construction, offering discretionary management across a diversified range of securities with oversight from an Executive Investment Committee.

Jeffrey Chapracki is a financial advisor at Brentview Investment Management, LLC with 23 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Morgan Stanley, Capital Market Consultants, Citigroup Global Markets, and BNY Mellon Advisors. Brentview Investment Management primarily serves high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients, offering discretionary portfolio management with a focus on a fundamentally driven Dividend Growth investment approach. The firm is employee-owned, certified as a Minority Business Enterprise, and notable for its integration across various wrap-fee and managed account platforms.

Sheila Padden is a CFP® and PFS™ credentialed advisor with 13 years of experience at Padden Financial Planning LLC and over 27 years as a CPA. She has led her firm since 2013, providing financial planning services from Chicago, IL. Padden Financial Planning LLC is a fee-only advisory firm serving individuals and families, including trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm offers comprehensive financial and tax planning with an investment approach focused on disciplined asset allocation, global diversification, and managing volatility through mutual funds, ETFs, and passive index funds.

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.