Brian Kotowski is a financial advisor with &PARTNERS in Arlington Heights, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at UPS for six years and Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC for 20 years. &PARTNERS serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charities, foundations, universities, trusts, private businesses, and corporations. The firm offers investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement plan services using a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis alongside both proprietary and third-party strategies.

Alfonso Cobb is a financial advisor with Money Concepts Capital Corp, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 37 years of industry experience. He has previously worked with firms including J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Fidelity Investments. Cobb also serves as an adjunct professor at The American College of Financial Services and California Lutheran University, teaching courses in leadership and behavioral finance. He is managing director of Cobb Consulting Group, LLC, which provides professional training and coaching for students pursuing advanced degrees in organizational leadership. Money Concepts Advisory Service provides investment advisory, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, and corporations. The firm employs model-driven, asset-allocation strategies and utilizes third-party managers and platforms such as Envestnet, operating as an enterprise-scale adviser with several hundred advisors managing approximately $4.07 billion in client assets.

Mary Bronton is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS with 32 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing for 10 years. &PARTNERS serves a wide range of individual and institutional clients, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, retirement-plan consulting, and brokerage services through a dual registration as both a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer. The firm employs a mix of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis, managing accounts directly or via third-party managers, and provides additional municipal advisory and research services.

Albert Smith is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 11 years of industry experience. His work history includes multiple roles within Transamerica Financial Advisors and affiliations with Ma3 Insurance Inc., Premier Senior Marketing, Inc., and WFGIA. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations, offering a combination of advisory and broker-dealer services. The firm provides proprietary and third-party model portfolios with discretionary and non-discretionary program options.

Nasser Afzali is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. His background includes various roles related to tax, accounting, insurance, and pro bono financial training, with involvement in nonprofit organizations such as The Promise Land Charities Inc and volunteer work with Caris Pregnancy Counseling and Resources. He also provides estate planning document preparation through Net Law Inc and supports The Farsi Church in Chicago Land with tax and accounting services. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers a range of advisory and broker-dealer services, combining proprietary and third-party model portfolios with discretionary and non-discretionary management options.

Nathanial Chapel is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with nine years of industry experience. He is currently with Farther and has operated Chapel Financial Group Inc. since 2017, where he is involved as a president and insurance agent focusing on fixed annuities, Medicare Supplement, life insurance, and long-term care. Chapel has also maintained advisory roles at Tru Financial Strategies under his ownership since 2017. Farther provides discretionary investment management and advisory services mainly to individual investors, trusts, and estates, utilizing a web and mobile platform alongside in-person meetings. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, employing proprietary model portfolios or customized allocations with algorithmic rebalancing, and it integrates AI tools to supplement advisor judgment.

Annirose Womack is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving at Lincoln Investment. She has previously worked with Capital Analysts, Astraios Financial-East, LLC, and Horace Mann Investors, Inc. Womack is also the owner of Womack Enterprises LLC, an entity used for tax and accounting purposes. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a large enterprise firm serving individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and advisor-led consulting, supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team that constructs strategic models and employs third-party managers.

Ronald Newman is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at Merrill and Bank of America, N.A. He is also a minority owner and consultant for Silver Millennium Publishing, LLC. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital portfolio solution that uses algorithm-driven risk assessments and third-party portfolio implementation.

Timothy Urban is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, holding a Series 66 designation and having 12 years of industry experience. He serves on the boards of Independence Health & Therapy and the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, blending advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and proprietary technology platforms.

Eric Anderson is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. since 2018. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at Pandora Media for five years. He is also a board member of the Fox River Grove Police Pension Board, overseeing the village police pension fund and disability issues. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser with over 500 advisors, offering a range of services including financial planning, investment management, and retirement consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Wendy Farrissey is a CFP® professional with 24 years of experience in the financial services industry. She currently works at Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. and has held roles at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and Northern Trust, among other firms. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations primarily for clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients. The firm uses Charles Schwab’s asset-allocation models and internal research tools to guide investment selection, executing trades only with client authorization.

Robert Hanson Jr. is a CFP® certificant with 29 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. He has been with Private Advisor Group, LLC since 2025 after a 36-year tenure at Vermillion Financial Advisors. Mr. Hanson provides investment advice under the business name The Monydr. Private Advisor Group, LLC serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a fiduciary-based advisory model, utilizing both proprietary and third-party investment solutions.

Michael Courtney is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Citigroup Global Markets since 2007. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering investment advisory programs, broker-dealer execution, and custody services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies with both discretionary and non-discretionary programs and maintains significant in-house research and market functions alongside large institutional-scale capabilities.

Kathryn Buchta is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing Services. &PARTNERS serves a broad mix of individual and institutional clients, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, and ERISA 3(21) consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis, managing accounts through both in-house advisors and third-party managers.

Aldis Elezovic is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at J.P. Morgan Securities and The Huntington Investment Company. Fifth Third Securities serves a wide range of individual and institutional clients through investment advisory and brokerage services, offering multiple program types on the Passageway Managed Account platform. The firm operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank and provides services including mutual fund and ETF models, SMA strategies, tax-overlay services, and direct indexing.

Melissa Streich is a financial advisor with Goldman Sachs Wealth Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. She has worked at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC since 2021 and previously spent 15 years at The AYCO Company, L.P./Mercer Allied. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services offers financial planning, investment management, and advisory support to a diverse client base, including individual, high-net-worth, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes centralized investment resources and integrated strategies across affiliated teams, providing access to a wide range of tailored wealth management solutions.

Corina Bande Arias is a CFP® and ChFC® with 14 years of industry experience. She currently works at Carson Wealth and CWM, LLC, having previously held positions at Fifth Third Bank, Charles Schwab Bank, U.S. Bancorp Investments, and BMO Harris Financial Advisors. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $50.6 billion through a network of over 650 advisors. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, using an Investment Committee to construct model portfolios and providing tailored solutions including custom indexing and access to alternative investments.

Alfonso Ruiz is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Fifth Third Bank since 2010. Ruiz joined Fifth Third Securities in 2025 and is based in McHenry, Illinois. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to a diverse client base, including individuals, charitable organizations, and institutional investors. The firm combines municipal-advisor registration with its affiliation to Fifth Third Bank and offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs featuring direct indexing and tax-overlay services.

Neil Cohen is a financial advisor at Carson Wealth with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at GCD Advisors, LLC for 29 years. Outside of his advisory role, Cohen is a managing member and partner at Grossman Cohen & Diamond Inc, a CPA accounting firm where he spends a significant portion of his time on accounting, tax, and administrative duties. CWM, LLC operates an enterprise platform overseeing approximately $50.6 billion through a network of over 650 advisors. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, sub-advisory services, and retirement plan solutions, using model portfolios constructed by an Investment Committee and providing tailored options such as custom indexing and alternative investments.

Gregory Hilgenberg is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management with 18 years of industry experience. He has been with PNC since 2010 and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary model account for employees that uses algorithm-driven risk assessment and primarily invests in mutual funds and ETFs with annual rebalancing.