Charles Menges is a financial advisor at Ameriprise in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Korpack, Merkle Korff Industries (a Nidec Company), Golfcritique.com, D&W Fine Pack, and Menges Roller Company. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service aimed at individuals approaching or in retirement who meet specific eligibility criteria, providing written Recommendation Reports that address income sources, Social Security options, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to generate tailored retirement income recommendations.

Jeremy Piwnicki is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 22 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank since 2015, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009, and Citigroup Global Markets from 2004 to 2009. He is based in Crystal Lake, IL. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individuals and institutional clients by offering a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes structured planning tools and scenario modeling as part of its advisory process.

Samuel Ruiz is a Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he collaborates with advisors to assist their clients in achieving financial clarity and confidence. He provides personalized guidance and planning services, helping individuals navigate key financial decisions, including retirement and investment strategies as well as long-term goal setting. His role focuses on simplifying complex financial topics and delivering actionable insights to empower clients throughout their financial journey. Samuel has held multiple positions at Fidelity Investments, beginning as a Financial Representative from 2023 to 2025, then serving as a Relationship Manager in 2025, before assuming his current role as Planning Consultant in 2025. Through these roles, he has developed experience in supporting clients and advisors with financial planning and relationship management. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Samuel enjoys skiing, tennis, and traveling.

Robert Gajewski Jr. is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with seven years of industry experience. He has held roles at Edward Jones since 2018 and previously worked at Service Printing Corporation and Trend Graphics Inc. He holds the Series 66 designation. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, investment strategies, and affiliated services supported by a nationwide network of more than 23,000 financial advisors.

Ashley Childress is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services, holding a Series 66 designation and with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining UBS, Ashley worked in various roles including coaching junior alpine ski racers at Wilmot Mountain, a seasonal position held since 2021. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory services, utilizing proprietary research and model-based asset allocations to tailor financial plans. The firm combines wealth management with institutional trading capabilities and provides a broad range of capital markets services.

Anna Lysenko is a financial advisor at Merrill with 4 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Merrill since 2003. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a co-trustee of the D P Living Trust in Deer Park, Illinois. 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. The firm offers a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Jennifer Curtiss is a Series 66-licensed advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with 17 years of industry experience. She has been with Robert W. Baird since 2008. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as President of the Picnic Grove Homeowners' Association and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Village of Fox River Grove. She is part of The DDK Group within Robert W. Baird’s Private Wealth Management practice, which advises individuals, families, pensions, corporations, and institutional clients. The group provides tailored financial planning and portfolio management services, utilizing a range of strategies and both in-house and third-party managers.

Mark Lessert is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 16 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Morgan Stanley since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with NAPCO Inc., a manufacturing company in Naperville, Illinois, where he advises on manufacturing processes and coffee purchasing. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients with a range 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 approved tools and modeling techniques.

Blake Hafferkamp is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC and Northwestern Mutual. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network serves individuals, trusts, and institutional clients by offering investment and fee-based financial planning services across a broad range of areas, including retirement, education, and specialized planning like business-owner transition and special-needs analysis. The firm uses proprietary research and planning tools to develop tailored recommendations, with clients deciding how to implement them through various brokerage or advisory programs.

Jonathan Mrowiec is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with LPL Financial, where he has worked since 2017. He has 13 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Fifth Third Securities and Morgan Stanley. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as an adjunct instructor teaching advanced tax and accounting classes at Oakton Community College and Carthage College. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, with advice typically implemented by investment adviser representatives using a variety of investment strategies.

Sharon Schwager is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. She has held prior roles at Creekview Wealth Management and previously worked at Edward Jones. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a wide range of investment strategies and advisory services. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Curtis Whitehouse is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 35 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016, following a 12-year tenure at Citigroup Global Markets. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients, including pension and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory services, financial planning, wrap-fee programs, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing research and analytics from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources.

Christine Messerschmidt is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. She has worked at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and its investment management division since 2010. Messerschmidt serves as a board member of the We Raise Foundation, which supports Christian nonprofit organizations addressing poverty, violence, and inequality. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors. The firm offers holistic, goal-based planning analyses that cover a wide range of financial topics, delivered as either one-time or ongoing engagements separate from portfolio management.

Paul Maurin is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. since 2015. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in general tax and accounting activities through his ownership of Accountants & Financial Planning Associates and serves as CFO of DLS Computer Services, Inc. OSAIC Wealth serves a broad range of retail and institutional clients through a multi-advisor platform, offering brokerage and advisory services including financial planning, managed portfolios, and retirement plan consulting. The firm emphasizes model-based asset allocation and portfolio optimization, supporting discretionary and advisor-managed strategies across various custodial and legacy program arrangements.

Krista Simons Gliva is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Lake Zurich, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 14 years of industry experience. She has worked at PFS Investments Inc. since 2012 and has also been affiliated with Primerica Financial Services and Ross Barney Architects since 2011. Beyond her advisory role, she is involved in the sale of loan products and home-related services through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, serving individual and high-net-worth clients with model-delivery strategies and separately managed account options. The firm curates third-party asset managers and uses a tiered wrap-fee structure for its services.

Heather Torseth is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Cary, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. Her prior experience includes roles at BMO Harris Financial Advisors and Citigroup. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm provides a broad range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and access to various portfolio management strategies.

Keith Pinsoneault is a CFA® charterholder with 12 years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Edward Jones in Barrington, IL, having joined the firm in 2026. His prior experience includes roles at Janus Henderson and REINHART PARTNERS, Inc. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Juan Gaytan is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Prior to his current role, he worked at Edward Jones and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Gaytan is also a co-owner of Gaytan Enterprise LLC, an entity created with his wife intended for operating a beauty salon, though it is currently inactive. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services primarily to plan sponsors, corporations, and endowments through a select group of Wealth Advisors. Their advisory process combines quantitative and qualitative research to deliver written asset allocation advice and customized reporting, with clients retaining final decision-making authority.

Subhash Katial is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 49 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Prior to joining OSAIC in 2023, he was affiliated with International Insurance Agency Group, Inc. and Financial Service Corporation for over two decades. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an officer of International Insurance Agency Group, Inc., which provides health insurance services. OSAIC Wealth serves a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, charities, and corporate clients through a multi-advisor platform. The firm offers both brokerage and advisory services with a focus on model-based asset allocation, portfolio optimization, and a range of managed account programs.

Fernando Rufino is a financial advisor with Fidelity, holding a Series 66 designation and beginning his advisory career in 2024. Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked in various roles including at Walgreen Health Solutions and Princess House Inc. Outside of finance, he assists with administrative duties for his father's home remodeling business. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a broad client base, utilizing a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage diversified portfolios across multiple asset classes.