Robert Likus is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Gurnee, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Bank of America, Merrill, and Abbott Laboratories Credit Union. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of financial planning, advisory programs, retirement consulting, and brokerage services with both discretionary and non-discretionary management options.

Jack Pierce is a CFP® and Series 66 credentialed financial advisor with four years of industry experience. He currently works at RBC Capital Markets and has prior experience at City National Bank and U.S. Bank. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves a wide range of clients including individual investors, institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers various advisory programs with tailored investment strategies implemented through both in-house and third-party managers, along with integrated financial planning and custody services.

Mark Geraci Jr. is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 19 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with LPL Financial since 2010. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, financial institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a nationwide network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad range of advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement consulting services, utilizing model portfolios and research from various sources.

Michael Kozlow is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Gurnee, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 28 years of industry experience. He previously worked at AIG Capital Services, Inc. and American General Life from 2013 to 2021 before joining Edward Jones in 2021. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, supported by a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors and $1.01 trillion in assets under management.

Barbara Charal is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 29 years of industry experience. She has worked at Cetera since 2004 and operates her own business, Barbara E. Charal & Associates, Inc., which provides public accounting and tax return services alongside investment advisory. Additionally, she owns Genova Wealth, a financial services firm she started in 2024, and is licensed to sell health insurance under a fixed insurance business. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable entities, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a variety of portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform, leveraging both affiliated and third-party managers, with over 10,000 advisors and $256 billion in assets under management.

Kristen Graham is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Crystal Lake, IL. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and has two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Thrivent, she worked at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company and Aon. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, focusing on goal-based financial planning across a wide range of topics. The firm offers these services as either one-time or ongoing engagements and allows clients to integrate planning with managed-account programs through a consolidated billing option.

Troy Ackman is a financial advisor at Fidelity with nine years of industry experience. He has worked with Fidelity Investments since 2021 and previously spent four years at Edward Jones. He holds a Series 66 designation. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a broad client base including retail and institutional investors. The firm employs a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios, with additional roles in advisory services for registered investment companies and fund-of-funds.

John Boyle is a CFP® professional with over 31 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012 and is also affiliated with Jpmorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2002. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with broker-dealer and investment adviser registrations, delivering non-discretionary investment recommendations supported by an in-house manager solutions team and a centralized due-diligence framework.

Nicole Simmons is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 16 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2012. Her prior work includes roles at Loft, Emils Restaurant, and Black Lung. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services mainly to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program. The firm combines quantitative asset‑allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applies an ESG eligibility framework when recommending strategies.

Karen Finerman is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with 20 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at various Wells Fargo entities since 2013. Her other business activities include serving as a trustee and executor managing investment-related responsibilities for her mother. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that provides investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of planning services using proprietary research and tools, and clients may choose whether or how to implement recommended strategies through brokerage or advisory programs.

Kelly Bays is a financial advisor with Ameriprise, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of her advisory role, Bays co-leads two Girl Scout troops and helps plan a volunteer-run Girl Scout day camp in the McHenry area. She is also co-author of the financial book *Intentional Legacy*. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to produce written recommendation reports. The firm provides a wide range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its large institutional platform.

Christopher Collins is a financial advisor with RBC Capital Markets in Lake Forest, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 32 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at City National Bank, Bank of America, and Merrill Lynch. Outside of his advisory work, Collins serves on charitable boards focused on educational scholarships and is involved in leadership and fundraising activities with Boy Scout Troop 48. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves a diverse client base including individual and institutional investors, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers tailored investment advisory programs combining in-house and third-party managers, emphasizing customized portfolio management aligned with clients’ risk profiles.

Patrick Hoch is a financial advisor at Stifel with 39 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Stifel since 2007. The firm serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, institutional investors, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services supported by a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group.

Dragos Stoicescu is a financial advisor affiliated with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He brings over twenty-five years of experience in the financial industry, with a background encompassing banking, insurance, lending, and advisory services. This extensive experience equips him to adopt a holistic approach to clients' finances, assisting them in connecting to relevant resources and services across the Bank of America enterprise. Born in Eastern Europe, Dragos completed his bachelor's degree at the University of Illinois System. He holds several professional designations, including Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (SE-AWMA). His expertise includes retirement income planning, college planning, wealth transfer, tax efficiency, executive compensation, insurance, disability, and long-term care. Outside of his professional duties, Dragos dedicates time to raising his daughter and caring for his aussie doodle. He enjoys boating, cooking, hiking, music, reading, swimming, and traveling, often exploring local foodie experiences. Dragos is active in community volunteering, supporting organizations such as the Anti Cruelty Society, Chicago Botanic Garden, Feed My Starving Children, Greater Food Depository, Journeys the Road Home, Paws, and REACH Food Pantry.

Ranjeet Rai is a financial advisor at Stifel with 15 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. He has worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc since 2019 and has prior experience at Bank of America, Merrill, and involvement with local school districts and the YMCA. Stifel serves a broad range of clients including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach is based on a proprietary methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group, providing capital market assumptions and probabilistic modeling for asset allocation and financial planning.

Michael Kline is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in McHenry, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations with five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at TD Ameritrade and Edward Jones Investments, as well as involvement in collegiate athletics at the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Nebraska. In addition to his advisory work, he serves as Membership Chair for the PROPS Referral Group, focusing on recruiting and onboarding new members. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory strategies and affiliated investment products. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and operates a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Cameron Hubbard is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Crystal Lake, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 15 years of industry experience. He previously worked at CETERA Advisor Networks LLC and has been associated with Exemplar FN since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a city council member and holds a nonprofit board position in Crystal Lake. LPL Financial is a national investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of financial planning, advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing discretionary and non-discretionary management alongside research from internal and third-party sources.

Canary Chia is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with over 12 years of experience in the financial services industry. She specializes in comprehensive wealth management, providing guidance to successful professionals to help grow, preserve, and manage wealth through a disciplined process. Her expertise includes areas such as divorce transition planning, education planning, employee benefits planning, family wealth management strategies, and personal retirement planning. Canary is proficient in utilizing alternative investments and sophisticated third pillar products to hedge risk in challenging market conditions. Canary earned both her Bachelor's degree and MBA in finance and economics from the University of Chicago. She holds several professional designations, including Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). She is fluent in English and Korean and is a member of the Soul of Money Institute. A long-time resident of Barrington, Illinois, Canary and her husband Tim have three children. She is involved in the community as a co-coach for First Lego Robotics. In her personal time, Canary enjoys skiing, practicing yoga, and playing pickleball.

Christal Vargas is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in the financial services industry. She is currently with Wells Fargo Advisors and has previously worked at UBS Financial Services, Dew Wealth Management, and Private Advisor Group, among other firms. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network serves individual, trust, and institutional clients, offering a broad range of investment and financial planning services including retirement, education, and risk planning. Advisors utilize Wells Fargo research and planning tools to develop tailored recommendations, with implementation options available through brokerage or advisory programs.

Chase Gauthier is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with seven years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Cetera. He has held roles at multiple Cetera entities and previously worked at Oppenheimer Funds and Morningstar Inc. Since 2023, he has operated a financial services DBA, Gauthier Wealth Partners. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC operates as a multi-manager platform serving a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a variety of portfolio management and consulting services through a nationwide network of independent advisors.