David Heide is a CFP® professional with 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. He currently works at RBC Capital Markets and has held prior roles at City National Bank, Wells Fargo Clearing, and A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, Heide serves as board president and finance committee co-chair for The Bridge Teen Center, and he holds board positions with the Southern Illinois University Foundation. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, provides advisory services to individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers tailored investment strategies through various wrap fee programs and integrates in-house and third-party managers to implement client portfolios.

Rahman Hemica is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Merrill, based in Orland Park, IL, and has one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bank of America and leadership experience at One Pharma, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company based in Bangladesh, where he serves as a director. He is also involved with Hemica's Angels for Humanity, a nonprofit providing healthcare and meals to underserved communities in Bangladesh, and founded No Chinta Home Healthcare, a platform offering comprehensive home medical services. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutions.

Jessica Walton is a financial advisor at Merrill in Orland Park, IL, holding Series 65 and Series 66 registrations. She has been in the industry since 2025 and previously worked at Bank of America, N.A. Outside of her advisory role, she serves on the board of directors for Timeless Gifts, a nonprofit performing arts program for youth and young adults in Chicago. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional clients.

Anna Bertha Stepanovic is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 29 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked at Woodbury Financial Services and LPL Financial. She is also president of Plenitud, Inc., an S corporation from which she receives residual insurance payments. OSAIC Wealth serves a broad mix of retail and institutional clients, providing brokerage and advisory services through a multi-advisor platform. The firm employs a model-based investment approach that includes asset allocation, portfolio optimization, and access to discretionary and advisor-managed strategies.

Austin Smith is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with nine years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Guggenheim Funds Distributors, LLC, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offers a range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, providing tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery and firm-approved planning tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and integrates advanced modeling techniques in its planning process.

Richard Sofiak is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 38 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Morgan Stanley and Merrill. He is based in Orland Park, Illinois. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with services including investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research from the Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources.

Joseph Farrell is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he has been serving since 2026. He has built his career in the financial industry with the objective of helping clients by understanding their individual needs and motivations to develop personalized financial plans. Prior to his current role, Joseph held several positions at Fidelity Investments, including Investment Consultant, Planning Consultant, Relationship Manager, and Financial Representative, gaining comprehensive experience in financial advisory services. Before joining Fidelity, he worked at PNC Bank as a Branch Sales Representative and Branch Service Representative. Outside of his professional life, Joseph enjoys comedy, family activities, football, hiking, and movies.

Rose Gomez is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 24 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with J.P. Morgan in various roles since 2012. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients, offering non-discretionary written asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting supported by centralized due diligence and a manager solutions team.

Dylan Engel is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Orland Park, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, he worked at Chipotle for four years. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients with a wide range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process utilizing firm-approved tools and modeling techniques.

Michael Murray is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Elevate Private Wealth Management and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Outside of finance, he has been involved with Will County Brewing Company and Habitat For Humanity Will County. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. offers financial planning and investment consulting to individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and nonprofit clients. The firm provides tailored, non-discretionary advice using risk profiling and modeling tools and supports client implementation through its advisory programs and partners.

John Quinn is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Burr Ridge, IL, holding CFP® and Series 66 credentials and four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Ameriprise, he worked in various roles including positions at Van's Liquor Store and involvement with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dubuque. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering specialized retirement income planning focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Laurel Long Engel is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Orland Park, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. She has worked with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009 and with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm provides a wide range of advisory programs, including financial planning using structured discovery conversations and firm-approved tools, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Christopher Phalon is a CFP® and Series 66-registered financial advisor with Edward Jones in Naperville, IL. He has four years of industry experience, including five years at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation prior to joining Edward Jones. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients with an SEC-registered advisory program and approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of investment strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

James Budzinski is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with six years of industry experience. He has worked at Edward Jones since 2019 and previously spent 40 years at Xerox Corporation. He holds a Series 66 designation. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Scott Cullitan is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab in Naperville, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab Bank SSB and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. since 2010. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves a broad client base, primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and related managed-account and financial planning services. The firm combines non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to discretionary separately managed accounts and offers a range of investment guidance using multi-asset model portfolios and alternative investments.

Richard Jakush is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 37 years of industry experience. He has worked with Morgan Stanley and its affiliates since 2007. Jakush holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a variety of advisory programs including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process supported by firm-approved tools and methodologies.

Elena Ighodaro is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Naperville, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 19 years of industry experience. Her background includes roles at Primerica Advisors and Primerica Financial Services, as well as managing her own advisory business. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, and endowments through a non-discretionary program focused on asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting, supported by a centralized due diligence process that combines quantitative and qualitative research.

Kyle Tripi is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. He has worked at Cetera and related entities since 2021 and also engages in selling life and fixed annuities as an insurance agent. Currently, he operates under Nestlehut Financial Services, LLC, a financial services DBA. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a nationwide SEC-registered advisory firm serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing a multi-manager platform with access to various third-party money managers and program structures.

Nathan Middel is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments. In this role, he works with clients to identify their financial goals and build plans to achieve them, providing ongoing support through communication and customer service. Nathan has been with Fidelity Investments since 2014, progressing through roles including Financial Representative, Relationship Manager, Senior Relationship Manager, and Investment Consultant before becoming a Financial Consultant in 2021. This experience has given him insight into various aspects of financial planning and client relationship management. Outside of his professional work, Nathan enjoys biking, family activities, golf, reading, and traveling.

James Kapala is a CFP® with 36 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with LPL Financial. His prior roles include positions at Harris Investor Services, Inc., FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc., and Harrisdirect LLC. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services to individuals, institutions, and retirement plan participants. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives and advanced advisor tools.