Andrew Czarkowski is a Financial Advisor affiliated with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in assisting individuals and families with various aspects of financial planning, including education planning, family wealth management strategies, liquidity management, new wealth management, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, small business strategies, investment strategy for individuals and corporations, tax minimization, and retirement income. Andrew began his career in financial services in 2010 after earning a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Texas System, where he attended the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. He holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Based in Glenview, Illinois, Andrew focuses on building trust with his clients to understand their goals, objectives, and risk tolerance, providing education on behavioral finance to support sound decision-making. Outside of his professional work, Andrew's personal interests include basketball, boating, football, golfing, hiking, music, reading, running, skiing, and spending time with his family. He is committed to treating clients with care and respect while fostering lasting relationships.

Matthew Michel is a financial advisor at Vital Wealth Management, LLC with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Prior to joining Vital Wealth Management in 2024, he worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. for eight years. Vital Wealth Management provides investment management and integrated financial planning to individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm uses portfolio optimization and efficient-frontier analysis to create diversified allocations and offers fiduciary retirement plan services along with account aggregation and performance monitoring tools.

Brian Phillips is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as an advisor at Kuhn Capital Partners with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Kuhn Capital Partners in 2025, he worked at RMB Capital and Busey Wealth Management. He is a minority owner of Bison Natural Resources, LLC, which is involved with private funds managed by Kuhn Capital Partners. Kuhn Capital Partners provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement advice to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as pooled investment vehicles. The firm constructs portfolios based on client objectives and risk tolerance, offers access to alternative investments for qualified clients, and manages multiple private funds as adviser, sponsor, and general partner.

Milton Blersch is a financial advisor at Blue Bison Investments with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has a long career background including roles at Global Eye Investments Corporation, Wrp Investments, Inc., and Blersch, Wiesner & Co. Outside of his advisory work, he is a member and CPA at Blersch Wiesner & Company LLP, a certified public accounting firm. Blue Bison Investments provides fee-based investment management to individuals, companies, and charitable organizations. The firm manages discretionary portfolios using individualized investment policy statements, with a focus on individual-stock selection and risk management through position sizing and diversification.

Ian Dillow is a Series 65-licensed advisor at Dillow Wealth Management LLC with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining his current firm in 2025, he worked at Dexian and attended High Point University. Dillow Wealth Management provides wealth management, investment management, and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs a mix of fundamental and technical analysis to construct customized portfolios using low-cost mutual funds and ETFs along with individual securities and alternative investments.

Yoo Chung Chang is a financial advisor at Upstart Wealth Management, LLC in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Upstart Wealth Management, he worked at yooVIN and has a background that includes roles in the restaurant industry. He serves as a board member for the nonprofit CHAAD, where he assists with tax-related issues. Upstart Wealth Management provides investment management and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs discretionary, asset-allocation strategies using model portfolios and implements them through various vehicles, including separately managed accounts and ETFs, with a notable use of derivatives and margin.

Jennifer Johnson is a financial advisor at Pinelight Financial PLLC in Riverside, Illinois, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning her advisory career in 2025. She previously worked for 16 years at the Social Security Administration. Pinelight Financial serves individual clients, retirement and pension plans, and business clients with financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a diverse investment approach combining active management, core+satellite strategies, and modern portfolio theory, and operates an affiliated accounting practice offering tax and accounting services under separate agreements.

Thomas Laughlin is a Series 65 licensed advisor with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Signet Private Wealth, LLC since 2019 and is also involved with Andiamo Vento LLC and Twende Investment Group. He previously worked at Halliard Soap Company, LLC from 2016 to 2018. Signet Private Wealth LLC provides investment advice and wealth management primarily to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a value-oriented, long-term investment approach using fundamental and technical analysis, strategic asset allocation, and offers services including portfolio management, financial planning, and assistance with IRA rollovers and IPO participation.

Bahdan Yakavenka is a CFA® charterholder with seven years of experience at BMO Capital Markets and prior experience at CDW and Y???venka Capital Management, totaling four years in the financial industry. He is based in Chicago, IL, and is affiliated with Lestna Retirement, LLC. Lestna Retirement is a fee-only wealth management firm serving individuals, families, and various institutional clients. The firm focuses on a long-term, strategic asset allocation approach using diversified, low-cost vehicles, with services that include fiduciary consulting and discretionary investment management.

Brendan Moody is a financial advisor with Watershed Private Wealth LLC in Oak Brook, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Spotlight Asset Group and Fidelity Investments. Moody serves as treasurer for the Fisher Falcon Education Foundation in a volunteer capacity. Watershed Private Wealth provides investment advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, and pension plans, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various investment strategies including direct indexing and cryptocurrency-linked ETFs. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, quantitative, and modern portfolio theory analyses to create customized investment programs aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerance.

Paul Hoffmeister is a financial advisor at Camelot Portfolios, LLC with eight years of industry experience and holds a Series 65 credential. He has held portfolio management roles at Camelot Event-Driven Advisors and KHA Capital, and previously worked at Quaker Funds Inc. and Bretton Woods Research. Outside of investment management, he is president of PKH Group LLC, a company involved in sales of CMMS software. Camelot Portfolios provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management to individuals and other investment advisers, offering proprietary model strategies and custom accounts. The firm manages a range of strategies using ETFs, mutual funds, options, and alternative investments, often implementing models for clients referred by other advisers and supports pooled and charitable investment vehicles.

Ara Bayindiryan is a financial advisor at Bayworth Capital with 10 years of industry experience and holds a Series 65 designation. His career includes roles at Valyrian Financial, LLC, Xceed Planning, Inc., Bayworth Capital (dba XCEED CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC), and Denali Financial Services, LLC. He is also involved as a managing member and agent of a licensed insurance agency and acts as a general partner to an investment fund. Bayworth Capital provides financial planning, portfolio management, and pension consulting services to individuals, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers tailored investment strategies across various asset classes and facilitates client access to alternative investments through a specialized portal, emphasizing pension consulting and pooled investment vehicles.

David Thompson is a CFA® charterholder with 11 years of industry experience. He is a principal at Thompson Capital Management, LLC, where he has worked since 2019, and also serves as a portfolio manager and trader at Little Harbor Advisors, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Kaizen Advisory, LLC and Typhon Capital. Thompson Capital Management provides investment management and financial planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as sub-advisory services to other investment advisers. 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, to implement tactical risk-management and quantitative elements.

Keith Nyborg is a Series 65-licensed advisor with 26 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Kenora Financial, LLC in Des Plaines, IL. He has worked at Invesco, LLC since 1990. Kenora Financial serves individual clients, including high-net-worth households, providing financial planning, investment counseling, retirement and estate planning, tax-related advice, and customized portfolio management across taxable and tax-deferred accounts. The firm emphasizes customized separately managed accounts with diversified equity holdings and a tax-aware, value-oriented investment approach.

Pamela Lambert is a financial advisor at Ziv Investment Company in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 23 years of industry experience. She has been with Ziv Investment Company since 2000. Ziv Investment Company provides discretionary portfolio management and securities and retirement-planning advice to individuals, businesses, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $22.9 million, focusing on tailored investment strategies that incorporate both fundamental and technical analysis, generally favoring long-term equity holdings and cash-equivalent instruments.

Daniel Mauro is a financial advisor at Patrick Mauro Investment Advisor, Inc. with 23 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Patrick Mauro Investment Advisor, Inc. since 2002. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Chief Investment Officer for Army Capital, LLC, a proprietary equity trading and investment entity, in a non-compensated capacity. Patrick Mauro Investment Advisor, Inc. is an SEC-registered firm that manages discretionary portfolios for individuals, pension plans, trusts, and various entities. The firm employs tailored investment strategies including laddered bonds and growth-and-income equities, and integrates coordinated tax and estate planning through third-party providers.

John Davis is a CFP® with 28 years of industry experience and has been with Mentor Capital Management Inc. since 1992. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of his advisory work, he is part owner and treasurer of Elmhurst Tailgate Inc., a dog daycare and boarding business. Mentor Capital Management Inc. provides fee-only wealth management and financial planning services primarily for individual clients. The firm employs fundamental analysis within a broad asset-allocation framework, favoring passive, low-expense, index-based strategies for long-term holdings.

Daniel Alberth is a CFP® with 27 years of industry experience, currently with Athena Advisor Services, LLC, where he has worked for 15 years. Prior to that, he spent 10 years at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as treasurer for the Schaumburg High School Band Boosters and co-hosts the Fierce Fiduciary Podcast, which focuses on financial education. Athena Advisor Services, LLC serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities, managing approximately $82.2 million for about 187 clients. The firm offers discretionary asset management and financial planning, employing a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis across various investment strategies with regular portfolio supervision and rebalancing.

Robert Kuhn is a partner at Kuhn Capital Partners with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has previously worked at Epus Global Energy, LLC. In addition to his advisory role, Kuhn operates as an independent insurance agent and is involved in managing several investment-related businesses and private funds. Kuhn Capital Partners serves individual and high-net-worth clients as well as pooled investment vehicles, providing discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement rollover advice, and access to third-party managed solutions. The firm constructs portfolios based on client objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizon, employing fundamental and technical analysis and offering alternative investments and private funds for qualified clients.

Katherine Hennessy is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience currently working at Assetgrade, LLC in Chicago, IL. She has been with Assetgrade since 2016. Assetgrade, LLC provides financial planning, investment and wealth management, and retirement plan consulting for individuals, trusts, estates, and corporate entities. The firm manages approximately $337.7 million in discretionary assets across three advisors, using model strategies focused on strategic asset allocation with occasional tactical adjustments.