Julie Belvedere is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. She has worked at Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation and TransAmerica Retirement Solutions since 2015 and has been associated with the Law Offices of Joseph P Glimco III since 2013. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in a business providing cleaning, administrative, and office services to businesses and works part-time at Kohl's. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners, offering managed advice programs and investment education focused on asset allocation, contribution rates, and retirement planning. The firm utilizes Morningstar Investment Management’s proprietary tools for portfolio construction and operates at scale with a large client base and a high client-to-advisor ratio.

Kelly Manchac is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 26 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and previously worked at Wayne Hummer Investments for 23 years before joining Hightower in 2022. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors, with a focus on manager selection and multi-manager solutions. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and access to various investment vehicles through its network of Advisor Practices.

Michael Krucek is a financial advisor at SPC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with SPC since 2011. Krucek also has a long tenure at Sigma Financial Corporation beginning in 2004. In addition to advisory work, he sells insurance products including life, health, disability, and long-term care insurance. SPC serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, managing approximately $5.66 billion in assets. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA-related retirement plan services, delivering both discretionary and nondiscretionary solutions tailored to client needs.

Patricia Reilly is a financial advisor at William Blair with 30 years of industry experience. She has been with William Blair & Company L.L.C. since 1989. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm uses active, research-driven management across equities, fixed income, and alternative strategies, providing proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Michael Wapner is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory Services, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Kestra Advisory and Kestra Investment Services since 2017 and previously was with Utopia Green Consulting from 2011 to 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a member of the Board of Trustees and Board Secretary for Park Ridge Friends of the Parks. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement plan consulting to a diverse client base including institutional and individual investors. The firm offers services ranging from fiduciary consulting and plan design to advisor-managed accounts and acts as an ERISA fiduciary where applicable.

Luis Markin is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at Fifth Third Securities and Fifth Third Bank since 2018. His prior experience includes roles at Merrill, Bank of America, and JP Morgan. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients through investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers multiple program types, including mutual fund and ETF models, separately managed accounts, and direct indexing, delivering its investment solutions via the Passageway Managed Account Platform.

Edward Dunphy is a financial advisor at William Blair with 33 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair & Company since 2013 and holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven investment approach across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Talonda Howard is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 17 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and has previously worked at GWFS Equities, Bankers Life Securities, and Valic Financial Advisors. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer‑sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders, using an integrated model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Robert Westberg is a CFP® and ChFC® with 34 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Eagle Strategies since 2000 and with NYLife Securities Inc. since 1993. Outside of his advisory work, Westberg is a CPA and owns a separate business. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individuals, defined contribution and benefit plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, emphasizing tailored recommendations and primarily managing assets on a non-discretionary basis.

James Zika is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 17 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Citigroup since 2014. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and leverages its institutional scale and unique market roles to provide customized solutions.

Ruben Zapata Jr. is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Melrose Park, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Fifth Third Securities and Fifth Third Bank since 2009. Fifth Third Securities provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm combines its municipal-advisor registration with its affiliation to Fifth Third Bank, offering multiple discretionary managed-account programs and features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services.

Kathleen Kelly is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 22 years of industry experience. She has worked at William Blair since 2019 and previously spent 15 years at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division provides investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes and offers proprietary models and private investment opportunities.

Angela Burdelik is a financial advisor at William Blair with 29 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with William Blair & Company L.L.C. since 1992. Based in New Lenox, IL, she has spent her entire career at the firm. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm utilizes active, research-driven management across multiple asset classes and provides clients access to proprietary models, third-party sub-managers, and private investment opportunities.

Sarah Krapec is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with 10 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Her prior work includes roles at Global Retirement Partners, LLC, Strategic Retirement Partners, and Kestra Financial, Inc. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a broad client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and business entities. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Trevor Johnson is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Fifth Third Securities since 2021. Outside of his advisory role, he is active as an online seller on eBay and TCGPlayer.com and creates trading and playing card content on YouTube. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, trusts, and retirement accounts, offering investment advisory and brokerage services through various program types and third-party portfolio managers on its Passageway platform.

Patrick Rule is a financial advisor with William Blair in Clarendon Hills, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He has been with William Blair since 2016. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division serves individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients through discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and wealth services. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across equities, fixed income, and alternative strategies, offering proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Stephen Berenson is a financial advisor with NewEdge Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. He has seven years of industry experience, including roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant. Outside of advisory work, he is a managing partner at RL Tax and Bookkeeping, LLC, which provides tax accounting services. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension plans, corporations, trusts, and charitable organizations through a network of independent representatives. The firm offers a broad range of portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services, utilizing multiple program structures and centralized due diligence to support advisor and client needs.

Xiao Chen is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience, currently advising at Integrity Alliance, LLC. Prior to joining Integrity Alliance, Chen held roles at Transamerica Financial Advisors, Lion Street Financial, and related entities. Outside of finance, Xiao Chen is involved in community organizations including serving as Vice President of the Hunan Association of the Midwest USA and as a board member of the Chinese American Association at Greater Chicago. Chen also owns a performing arts business focused on music and acting. Integrity Alliance is a large advisor network providing advisory and brokerage services to individuals, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers various investment management approaches, including advisor-managed discretionary accounts, model portfolios, and third-party sub-advisers, supported by a range of operational features such as dual SEC registration and affiliated insurance distribution.

Robert Magnesen is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2014, having worked at Fifth Third Bank since 2009. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. offers brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, and institutional investors. The firm provides multiple discretionary managed-account options and features such as direct indexing and a tax-overlay service, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank.

Mark Wheeler is a CFA® charterholder with 24 years of industry experience and has been with William Blair since 2009. He is based in Orland Park, IL, and holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across various asset classes and provides access to proprietary models, third-party sub-managers, and private fund opportunities.