Sean Baloun is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 66 license, with six years of industry experience. He is currently associated with Vertex Partners, where he has worked since 2022, and previously worked at The Mather Group and LPL Financial. Vertex Partners provides advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and corporate entities, offering financial planning, wealth management, and consulting. The firm emphasizes asset allocation, diversification, and behavioral finance, employing a blend of active and passive investments across various platforms and strategies.

Christopher Huston is a financial advisor at Vertex Partners with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked with firms including LPL Financial and Highpoint Advisor Group, LLC, now operating as Vertex Planning Partners. Huston is also involved with Reflexivity LLC, a non-investment-related business entity used for tax and investment purposes. Vertex Partners provides advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and various entities through financial planning, investment and wealth management, and consulting. The firm’s investment approach combines asset allocation, diversification, and behavioral finance using both active and passive strategies implemented via multiple platforms and tax-aware overlays.

Yamilet Suarez is a financial advisor with River Street Advisors, LLC, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. She has worked at River Street Advisors since 2019 and previously spent four years with LPL Financial. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as AVP Wealth Advisor in the Wealth Management Department at Old Second National Bank. River Street Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individual clients, state and municipal agencies, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm manages approximately $539 million in assets through a team of ten advisors and employs a combination of quantitative analysis, fundamental and technical research, and derivative strategies in portfolio construction and monitoring.

Bradley Johnson is a CFP®, CFA®, and Series 65 credentialed advisor at River Street Advisors, LLC with 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at River Street Advisors and Old Second National Bank since 2010 and serves as Vice President and Senior Trust Investment Officer for the bank's Wealth Management Department. River Street Advisors, a subsidiary of Old Second National Bank, manages approximately $539 million in client assets, providing discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations through a team of ten advisors. The firm employs a mix of quantitative, fundamental, and technical analysis and utilizes derivative strategies within separately managed accounts when appropriate.

Chad Nolte is a financial advisor at Model Wealth with a Series 65 credential and no prior industry experience. His background includes roles at RSM US LLP and Walgreens, among other positions. Model Wealth, Inc. is a virtual, fee-only financial planning and wealth management firm serving individuals, families, estates, trusts, and small businesses. The firm follows a broadly passive investment approach emphasizing cost-effective, tax-aware implementation and integrates robo-managed strategies and direct indexing within a flat annual fee structure.

Michele Strauts is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. in Park Ridge, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. She has been with Ausdal Financial Partners since 2010. Outside of her advisory work, Michele is an online influencer focusing on interior design, seasonal decor, and table setting. 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 offers investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies across a wide range of investment products.

Michael Kassab is a CFA® charterholder with 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Calamos Wealth Management LLC since 2014 and also holds roles at affiliated entities including Calamos Advisors LLC and Calamos Financial Services LLC. Calamos Wealth Management offers discretionary wealth management, financial planning, and institutional advisory services for high-net-worth clients, family offices, endowments, private foundations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment approach integrates asset allocation, quantitative and qualitative evaluation, and ongoing monitoring, utilizing a range of individual securities, mutual funds, ETFs, and private investment funds.

Arash Kadivar is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 15 years of industry experience. He is affiliated with Highpoint Planning Partners and has worked at firms including LPL Financial and TD Ameritrade. Kadivar also provides administrative support to Highpoint Advisor Group. Highpoint Advisor Group serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers discretionary asset management and financial planning services, constructing client investment policies through personal consultations and employing a varied approach that includes mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, and third-party platforms.

Craig Ibrahim is a financial advisor with Highpoint Planning Partners, holding a Series 66 credential and 22 years of industry experience. He has worked at Highpoint Advisor Group, LLC since 2016 and has been affiliated with LPL Financial since 2009. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and operates a wrap-fee program, utilizing fundamental analysis and a range of investment vehicles to implement client portfolios.

Richard Kitick is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Highpoint Planning Partners, doing business as OnPath Financial, since 2013 and has also been associated with LPL Financial since 2007. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in amateur hockey as an assistant coach and a referee in the Chicagoland area. HighPoint Advisor Group serves a broad client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and manages wrap-fee programs, implementing portfolios through fundamental analysis and a variety of investment vehicles across multiple platforms.

Trent Ten Bruin is a financial advisor at Highpoint Planning Partners with a Series 65 credential and no prior industry experience. His work history includes roles at Now Foods and several academic institutions, including the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he has been affiliated since 2022. Highpoint Planning Partners serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and sponsors a wrap-fee program, implementing client portfolios using fundamental analysis across various investment vehicles.

Daniel Keller is a financial advisor at Highpoint Planning Partners with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at RSM US LLP for eight years. Keller also operates a private tax services firm, Keller CPA Private Tax Services, and is a notary. HighPoint Advisor Group serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and acts as sponsor and manager of a wrap-fee program, utilizing fundamental analysis and a range of investment vehicles across multiple platforms.

William Boscow is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. He holds the ChFC® designation and has 25 years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Arete Wealth Management LLC, and Cabot Lodge Securities LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a board member and leads the community service committee for the University of Notre Dame Alumni Club. Ausdal Financial Partners serves individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $3.73 billion for over 16,000 clients. The firm offers a broad range of services including advisor-managed and separately managed accounts, retirement-plan advisory, and financial planning, with investment strategies tailored to each client’s objectives and risk tolerance.

Jon Flaherty is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience. He currently works at Highpoint Planning Partners and has previously been employed by Vantage Financial Partners and Lincoln Financial. HighPoint Advisor Group serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm constructs customized investment policies and implements portfolios using fundamental analysis across various asset classes, offering discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services.

Gerhard Axen is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc., holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license, and has 40 years of industry experience. He has been with Ausdal Financial Partners since 2008 and has also operated as a self-employed advisor since 1996. Outside of advisory services, he is a managing partner at Timberland Financial, an insurance sales business specializing in life, health, disability, and group insurance. 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 provides investment advisory programs, retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment solutions.

Johnathan Irions is a CFP®-certified financial advisor at Facet with six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at firms such as Lincoln Investment, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, and New York Life Insurance. Facet Wealth provides subscription-based financial planning and discretionary investment management to individual clients, serving a range of households primarily through phone, video, and a proprietary web platform. The firm employs model-based asset allocations with a technology-driven approach and offers a flat subscription pricing model that includes investment management services.

Robert Eberlin is a financial advisor with HighPoint Planning Partners in Downers Grove, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has worked with HighPoint Advisor Group since 2018, previously with Level Four Advisory Services and LPL Financial. HighPoint Advisor Group serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs, implementing portfolios through fundamental analysis and utilizing a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms.

Craig Perkins is a financial advisor at Latitude Advisors, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Latitude Advisors since 2012. In addition to his advisory role, he works as an independent contractor in fixed and health insurance sales and provides consulting services focused on identifying cash flow savings for businesses. Latitude Advisors serves individual and business clients, offering financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, third-party manager selection, and pension consulting. The firm uses a combination of model-based strategies and fundamental/quantitative analysis, managing most client relationships on a discretionary basis.

Susan Ahlfeld is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 23 years of industry experience. She has been with Advisors Capital Management, LLC since 2023, following a 21-year tenure at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Outside of her advisory work, she is the managing member of Taking A Siesta LLC, a real estate rental business. Advisors Capital Management, LLC provides discretionary portfolio management and proprietary model strategies to individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, and governmental entities. The firm employs a combination of top-down macro analysis and bottom-up fundamental, quantitative, and qualitative research to manage custom private accounts and model strategies.

Valerie Love Parker is a Series 66–licensed financial advisor with Capital Analysts, based in Lombard, IL, and has 22 years of industry experience. She has been associated with Lincoln Investment since 2017 and previously worked at Legend Equities Corporation and Waddell & Reed. Outside of her advisory work, she is involved with Broadway in Chicago as an usher and volunteers with community advocacy through ACT, while also promoting health and wellness as an associate with Youngevity. Capital Analysts serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, foundations, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm offers portfolio management, model portfolios, third-party manager access, and retirement-plan advice, delivering investment management both through an in-house team and independent advisors nationwide.