Michael Perna is a financial advisor at First Choice Financial Services LLC with 18 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been involved in the financial and insurance services industry since 1983, serving as president of Michael Perna and Associates, Inc. and First Choice Insurance Agency. First Choice Financial Services LLC provides financial advice to individual and high-net-worth clients primarily through referrals to third-party money managers and offers estate-planning support services. The firm focuses on client communication, oversight of third-party managers, and employs fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis in its recommendations.

Mark Murphy is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Sequoia Wealth Management, LLC in Chicago, IL. His career includes roles at JMC Wealth Management, Inc. and LPL Financial LLC, where he has been active since 2014. Murphy also provides financial planning and consulting services through JMC Wealth Management, Inc., an independent investment advisor firm. Sequoia Wealth Management advises individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm utilizes a combination of quantitative optimization, third-party research, and manager selection, serving clients through discretionary management and third-party strategist models.

Mary Mermel is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Sullivan Mermel, Inc., where she has worked since 1998. The firm provides fee-only, holistic financial planning and investment management for individuals and families, including both high-net-worth and non-HNW clients. Sullivan Mermel emphasizes a retainer-based fee model, non-discretionary trade implementation, and investment strategies tailored to clients’ tax situations, risk tolerance, and cash-flow needs.

Joshua Betancourt is a financial advisor with Quantum Capital Investments, Inc. in River Forest, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Quantum Capital since 2009 and Quantum Capital Investments since 2011. Betancourt also has a Master’s Degree in Accounting and provides accounting and tax planning services. Quantum Capital Investments, Inc. offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and employer-sponsored plans. The firm uses a range of investment strategies tailored to client goals and risk tolerance, including fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and incorporates affiliated tax planning and insurance services.

Mark Bubien is a financial advisor with Valley Financial Management, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 10 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Valley Financial Management, he worked at Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Securities LLC, JPMorgan Chase Bank, and Valley National Bank. He serves as a member of the Professional Advisory Committee for the DuPage Foundation in a volunteer capacity. Valley Financial Management operates as Valley Digital Investor, providing discretionary portfolio management and automated ETF portfolio implementation through an online platform to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm requires clients to open accounts with Valley National Bank and uses client information to generate and manage model portfolios ranging from conservative income to aggressive growth.

Paul Mardoian is a CFP® with 37 years of industry experience, currently serving at Bayworth Capital since 2025. His prior experience includes roles at Fairhaven Wealth Management and Triad Advisors. He also operates a sole proprietorship providing insurance and retirement plan services. Bayworth Capital offers financial planning, portfolio management, and pension consulting to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $62.7 million in discretionary assets and tailors portfolios using a range of investment strategies while providing ongoing account monitoring.

Dane Rutstein is a financial advisor at I2I Analytics LLC with 14 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with I2I Analytics since 2013. I2I Analytics LLC provides discretionary portfolio management and financial consultation primarily to affluent and high-net-worth individuals and their families. The firm combines a long-term belief in market efficiency with tactical asset allocation, employing both fundamental and technical analysis, and places a strong emphasis on equity option strategies as a core risk-management and income tool.

Timothy Perryman is a CFP® with 24 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is affiliated with Mirretti Perryman Wealth Strategies, LLC and has prior experience at Pinnacle Insurance and Financial Services, LLC. In addition to his advisory role, he works as an independent insurance agent. Mirretti Perryman Wealth Strategies, LLC provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan services to individuals, trusts, and retirement plans, utilizing risk-based and tax-aware model portfolios alongside third-party sub-advisers.

Edward Gjertsen II is a CFP® with 33 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Engage Wealth Group, LLC since 2020. Prior to this, he has worked at Mack Investment Securities since 1999. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and operates GJERTSEN IMAGES, selling prints of sports and wildlife photography online. Engage Wealth Group provides investment advisory and wealth management services to individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, foundations, and trusts. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis for portfolio construction and offers discretionary management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting.

David Johnson is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 65 license, with 17 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been the principal advisor at ZHP Capital LLC since 2008 and serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Phoenix, teaching economics and finance courses. ZHP Capital LLC serves individual investors, trustees, and small businesses with portfolio management, investment consulting, pension consulting, and a subscription-style financial coaching service. The firm combines investment advisory services with accounting, bookkeeping, and tax-preparation offerings, focusing on long-term, diversified asset allocation and serving both discretionary and non-discretionary accounts.

Todd Schrade is a financial advisor at Midway Capital Research & Management LLC in Chicago, IL, holding a Series 65 designation and with 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Midway Capital Research & Management since 2014. Midway Capital Research & Management provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, consulting, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a bottom-up fundamental research investment process with a value-oriented approach and offers customized portfolios to address both long-term growth and short-term liquidity needs.

Joseph Kruse is a CFA® charterholder with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Kruse Asset Management, LLC since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with YCharts.com, contributing to research and the development of ranking and rating systems based on fundamental characteristics. Kruse Asset Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, family offices, trusts, estates, and select institutional clients. The firm employs a blend of modern portfolio theory, proprietary quantitative equity models, and security-ranking systems, and offers a range of investment strategies including options and alternative exposures.

Matthew Shapiro is a financial advisor at MWS Capital Consultants LLC with 22 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and has been with MWS Capital Consultants since 2003. The firm provides personalized investment management, wealth-planning, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, personal trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporate clients. MWS Capital Consultants emphasizes a Classic Portfolio Management strategy focused on fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, managing mostly discretionary portfolios while allowing client-imposed restrictions and interactive financial planning through the eMoney Advisor platform.

Kirk Kreikemeier is a CFP® and CFA® with 18 years of experience in financial advising. He has worked at Pebble Valley Wealth Management since 2008, where he is one of two advisors. Pebble Valley Wealth Management serves individual, charitable, and corporate clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting. The firm’s investment approach focuses on asset allocation and mutual fund/ETF selection, with a notable use of derivative-based option strategies and selective digital-asset exposures within client portfolios.

Jessica Garner is a CFP® professional with six years of industry experience. She has worked at Stevard LLC since 2016 and previously spent one year at Lakeshore Financial Services. Stevard LLC provides family office and investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, family LLCs, partnerships, private foundations, and family businesses. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and expanded family office functions such as accounting, tax compliance, property management, insurance review, and estate planning, with an investment approach centered on multi-asset portfolios and manager selection.

John Ferguson is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Patrick M. Sweeney & Associates, Inc. He has worked at the firm since 2017 and was previously employed at Illinois Wesleyan from 2013 to 2017. Patrick M. Sweeney & Associates provides personalized investment management and financial planning to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm employs a combination of fundamental analysis and selective active strategies, tailoring client relationships through various advisory and planning engagements.

Nathaniel Kuhn is a financial advisor at Kuhn Wealth Management Inc. with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at Kuhn Wealth Management since 2013, with prior experience at Concorde Investment Services and DAI Securities. He also serves as president of Chicagoland 1031 Exchange, advising on 1031 exchanges. Kuhn Wealth Management provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a wrap-fee only model, using fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis alongside modern portfolio theory, offering ETF-based strategies and access to third-party managers and platforms.

John Russell is a financial advisor with Versatile Capital Management L.L.C. in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Versatile Capital Management since 2014 and has been associated with Relative Value Partners, LLC since 2007. Outside of his advisory roles, he serves as chairman of the board for Educational Choice Illinois and is a board member with Children Outreach and Community Empowerment. Versatile Capital Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional and private entities through discretionary asset management and financial planning. The firm employs quantitative, model-driven investment strategies including a tactical global allocation and a strategic core asset allocation approach.

Danielle Woods is a Series 65 credentialed advisor with 21 years of industry experience. She is currently with Propel Financial Advisors, LLC and has previously worked at Merriment Advisors, LLC, DW Lenski Law Group, DW Agosto Tax Planning LLC, and Mitchell, Vaught and Taylor Inc. Woods owns DW Agosto Tax Planning LLC, a tax planning and preparation business. Propel Financial Advisors, LLC serves individual and high-net-worth clients with investment management and financial planning services. The firm operates as a four-advisor team across three offices, managing approximately $38.84 million in assets for 111 clients, and integrates legal and tax considerations into client advice through formal affiliations and educational programs.

Charles Brown III is a financial advisor at CB3 Financial Group, Inc. in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with CB3 Financial Group in various capacities since 2006. The firm provides investment management and wealth-planning services to individuals, families, business entities, and nonprofit organizations. CB3 offers discretionary portfolio management through several programs that utilize fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis, including an aggressive strategy focused on global equities and emerging companies in generative artificial intelligence.