John Stanton is the sole advisor at Stanton Group Wealth Partners, Inc. in Naperville, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 21 years of industry experience. He previously spent 11 years at Seacrest Wealth Management, LLC. Stanton is also a licensed insurance agent specializing in life, long-term care, and fixed annuities. Stanton Group Wealth Partners, Inc. is a newly formed investment adviser providing wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advice to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, and businesses. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to construct tailored strategy portfolios and offers a range of planning services including pension consulting and 401(k) reviews.

Jennifer Sanchez is a CFP® professional with 18 years of industry experience and over 26 years as a self-employed advisor. She is principal of Integral Financial Planning LLC in Naperville, IL. In addition to financial advising, she provides personal income tax preparation services during the first four months of each year. Integral Financial Planning LLC serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts and estates, offering personalized financial planning, comprehensive wealth management, and integrated income tax preparation. The firm focuses on mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, applies fundamental analysis and modern portfolio theory, and typically manages client accounts on a non-discretionary basis.

Nathaniel Tanney is a financial advisor at Convexity Investments LLC in Naperville, IL, holding a Series 65 designation with four years of industry experience. He has worked at Convexity Investments since 2021 and has been a commodities trader for a proprietary trading firm since 2009, a role from which he receives no commissions. Convexity Investments provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individual clients, including retail and high-net-worth households, managing approximately $2.7 million across a small client base. The firm employs both cyclical and quantitative analysis with a mix of long-term and short-term trading, primarily in equities and exchange-traded funds, and operates with discretionary trading authority on client accounts.

Angela Major Hart is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving as the principal advisor at Veridian Private Wealth Management. She has held previous roles at Byline Bank, Northern Trust Securities, Northern Trust Bank, and First Midwest Bank. Ms. Hart is also a licensed attorney and an active member of the Illinois Bar. Veridian Private Wealth Management offers discretionary investment management and qualified retirement plan consulting to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, estates, businesses, charities, and employee benefit plans. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation framework with a proprietary methodology emphasizing diversification and provides ERISA fiduciary services uncommon among independent advisors.

Kristopher Kalish is a financial advisor with The Kalish Group in Aurora, Illinois, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. He previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill before founding The Kalish Group. The Kalish Group is a state-registered advisory firm serving high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $29.1 million across about 27 client relationships, using a proprietary strategic asset-allocation methodology and a variety of investment vehicles, with ongoing monitoring and rebalancing tailored to each client.

David Bankston is a CFP® with 26 years of industry experience. He is currently with RWC for Life and has held roles at Simplicity Wealth, LLC, FSC Securities Corp, and has operated Bankston Wealth Management, Inc. since 1999. In addition to his advisory work, he manages an accounting firm, David A Bankston CPA, LLC. RWC for Life provides comprehensive financial planning, consulting, and discretionary investment management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporate entities. The firm offers customized and model portfolios with regular reviews, serving about 97 client relationships and managing approximately $30.2 million in assets.

Samantha Meyer is a financial advisor at Masus Financial Group, LTD. She holds a Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to her current role, Samantha worked at LPL Financial LLC and has experience in roles outside finance, including at The Treehouse Ski School and The Burger Local. Masus Financial Group provides wealth management and advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, and businesses. The firm employs a long-term investment approach using a mix of fundamental, technical, and behavioral analyses, and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management along with comprehensive financial planning.

Venkatakrishna Vedam is a financial advisor with V2 Financial Group, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with V2 Financial Group since 2006 and also works as a mortgage consultant and loan officer at ABS Home Mortgage, where he has been involved since 2004. Additionally, Vedam serves as president of Millennium Financial and Business Services, Inc., providing business consulting to small businesses. V2 Financial Group is a registered investment adviser serving individual and small-business clients, including high-net-worth individuals, with discretionary asset management and personalized portfolio construction. The firm combines modern portfolio theory with macroeconomic, technical, and behavioral analysis to manage multi-hundred-million dollar portfolios across various asset classes.

Greg Rutherford is a CFP® professional with six years of industry experience, currently serving at Sound Asset Management, Inc. He has been with the firm since 2009. Sound Asset Management serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and small businesses. The firm provides personalized financial planning and investment management on a fee-only basis, emphasizing strategic asset allocation and global diversification.

Venkatram Krishnamurthy is a financial advisor at V2 Financial Group, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with V2 Financial Group since 2006. In addition to his advisory role, he has been involved with the College of Lake County since 2004. V2 Financial Group serves individual and small-business clients, including high-net-worth individuals, offering discretionary asset management and personalized portfolio construction. The firm combines modern portfolio theory with macroeconomic, technical, and behavioral analysis to manage multi-hundred-million dollar client assets through strategic and tactical investment approaches.

Ibrahim Galaria is the principal of Galaria Capital Management, LLC in Naperville, IL, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 66 license with 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Galaria Capital Management since 1994. Outside of advisory work, he manages a family-owned medical office property in Virginia. Galaria Capital Management provides asset management and investment planning services to individuals, families, trusts, small businesses, and employer retirement plans. The firm emphasizes customized strategies based on client age, time horizon, and risk tolerance, focusing on asset allocation, diversification, and accommodating faith-based or socially conscious preferences when practicable.

Alzena Saleem is a CFP® professional with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Galaria Capital Management, LLC since 2012. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in Naperville, IL. Galaria Capital Management provides asset management and investment planning services to individuals, families, trusts, small businesses, and employer retirement plans. The firm emphasizes customized strategies based on client age, time horizon, and risk tolerance, focusing on asset allocation and diversification across various investment styles and sectors.

Daniel De Boer is a Series 65 credentialed financial advisor at Cruz Investments & Wealth Management with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at Aurora University and Kaneland School District 302. Cruz Investments & Wealth Management serves pooled investment vehicles and institutional clients, offering financial planning, qualified plan management, and third-party investment adviser selection and monitoring. The firm’s approach focuses on asset allocation informed by external research, with portfolio management handled by third-party advisers on a non-discretionary basis.

Curtis Stowers is a financial advisor at F5 Financial Planning, L.L.C. in Naperville, IL, with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with F5 Financial Planning since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a Subway restaurant franchise in Lakin, KS. F5 Financial Planning is a NAPFA-approved, fee-only firm serving corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and families with comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management. The firm emphasizes long-term, fundamental analysis and risk-managed portfolios, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment supervision as part of ongoing planning relationships.

Bernard Czerwinski Jr. is a financial advisor at Ascension Financial with a ChFC® designation and a Series 65 license, bringing three years of industry experience. His career includes roles at RLK-PLG Investment Management, LLC, Forever Companies, and GM Casting House, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he is the managing member of Czerwinski Consulting, which provides consulting services on operational strategy and technology for B2B manufacturers and direct consumer retail. Ascension Financial is a fee-only investment adviser that manages customized portfolios for individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm uses a combination of quantitative optimization, fundamental and technical analysis, and institutional investments, actively monitoring and adjusting portfolios to meet clients’ objectives, incorporating derivative strategies and leverage where appropriate.

Michael Fry is a financial advisor at RWC For Life with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Steward Financial Services, Inc. since 1993. Fry also creates financial education content through his business, Dashing Upward. RWC For Life provides comprehensive financial planning, targeted consulting, and investment management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporate entities. The firm manages approximately $30 million in discretionary assets and offers customized and model portfolios with regular reviews.

Reynaldo Cruz is a CFP® professional with 36 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cruz Investments & Wealth Management in Aurora, IL. He has held roles at Madison Avenue Securities, LLC and Gf Investment Services, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he is the creator of retail content through Sparton Eye Candy, LLC, which sells financial-themed products. Cruz Investments & Wealth Management provides investment management primarily by recommending and monitoring third-party advisers and offering qualified plan management. The firm’s approach emphasizes asset allocation and ongoing evaluation of external managers, while delivering modular financial planning and ancillary insurance and tax-planning services.

Charles Meeder is a CFP® professional with 25 years of experience at Sound Asset Management, Inc. He has been working in the financial industry for over 35 years through his own CPA firm, Charles Meeder, CPA, Inc. Sound Asset Management serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and small businesses. The firm provides personalized financial planning and investment management on a fee-only basis, focusing on strategic asset allocation and global diversification.

Mary Kilberg is a financial advisor with Masus Financial Group, LTD. in Batavia, Illinois, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials with 16 years of industry experience. She has been affiliated with Masus Financial Group and LPL Financial since 2005. Kilberg also serves as a Notary Public. Masus Financial Group provides wealth management and advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, and businesses, utilizing a primarily long-term investment approach that incorporates fundamental and technical analysis. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services.

Colin Staub is a financial advisor at Cruz Investments & Wealth Management in Aurora, IL. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been in the industry since 2025. His prior experience includes roles at Arbor Financial Advisors, Barcocina Lakeview, and Coda di Volpe, as well as non-financial positions at Open Range Southwest Grill and Kaneland High School. Cruz Investments & Wealth Management primarily serves pooled investment vehicles and institutional clients, focusing on financial planning, qualified plan management, and the selection and monitoring of third-party investment advisers. The firm’s investment approach centers on asset allocation informed by external research and analytical tools, with ongoing evaluation of recommended managers based on reputation, performance, and financial strength.