Michael Barenie is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Crown Point, Indiana, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. He previously worked at Edward Jones, Wilson, TopBloc, and Brooksource. His other business activity includes work with Oak Partners, Inc., an entity related to his LPL business. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Brian Rincker is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 20 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2021, following prior roles at Rincker Investments LLC and Waddell & Reed Inc. Rincker also served as a notary public from 2019 to 2021. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm provides a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Ryan Penders is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 designations. His prior roles include positions at Midwest Equity Mortgage, Premise Capital, Quasar Distributors, LLC, and Epsilon. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutional clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs with tailored portfolios managed through a combination of in-house and third-party investment managers, featuring various options for rebalancing, tax management, and responsible investing.

Cory Lazart is a financial advisor at Stifel with 12 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. He has been with Stifel Nicolaus since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he is an owner of MFOC, LLC, a rental property business. Stifel serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach utilizes proprietary methodologies developed by its Investment Strategy Group to inform asset allocation and planning analyses.

Tyler Minetti is a Financial Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2023. Prior to this role, he served as an Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments from 2022 to 2023. His professional experience also includes positions as a Financial Solutions Advisor at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated from 2020 to 2022, and as a Licensed Personal Banker and Mortgage Loan Originator at Republic Bank of Chicago from 2017 to 2020. In his role as a Financial Consultant, Tyler focuses on simplifying financial plans and helping clients pursue their financial goals. He emphasizes building relationships based on trust and transparency and collaborates with clients to develop holistic financial plans.

Emma Bledsoe is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 credential and nine years of industry experience. She has worked at Cetera and Cetera Advisors LLC since 2019 and was previously employed by Edward Jones from 2017 to 2019. Outside of her advisor role, she serves as an investment executive at Megent Financial, assisting advisors with client needs. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that supports a nationwide network of independent advisors serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform that includes affiliated and third-party managers and various program structures.

Jacob Mudde is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 10 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and Series 66 designations and has been with Edward Jones since 2016. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Randall Minas is a CFP® with 50 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Stifel since 2017. Prior to joining Stifel, he worked at City Securities Corporation from 2009 to 2017. He serves as president of the Minas Foundation, a nonprofit organization, and holds multiple board roles at Indiana State University, including membership on the Board of Trustees and its finance and investment committees. Stifel 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.

Jeff Miller is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities since 2015 and at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2013. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients, focusing on written asset allocation advice, investment manager selection, and customized performance reporting. Their advisory process integrates centralized due diligence with both quantitative and qualitative research and incorporates ESG criteria in their investment recommendations.

Steven Galminas is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has worked with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors since 2009 and previously was with PRUCO Securities, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as president of SG Financial, focusing on fixed insurance and annuity sales, and acts as an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base that includes individual and institutional investors such as pension and charitable organizations. The firm provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, supporting both discretionary and non-discretionary management through multiple platforms and proprietary model strategies.

Kevin Ribordy is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, having joined the firm as a Financial Advisor in 2014. Based in Northwest Indiana, he works with clients in the Chicagoland area to help them achieve their financial goals. Kevin provides objective advice to high-net-worth individuals and families, focusing on risk management and risk mitigation through portfolio construction as part of their financial planning. Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) certificant awarded by the Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., and also holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. His expertise includes family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, socially responsible and ESG investing, tax minimization, and retirement income planning. In addition to his professional work, Kevin is actively involved in his community. He serves as President of Union Township Dollars for Scholars, Vice President of Family House of Valparaiso, and coaches for Union Township Robotics. His personal interests include camping, running, and woodworking.

Corey Hecht is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) designation and the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Corey works with clients including retirees, business owners, and non-profits, focusing on areas such as college education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, LGBT wealth planning, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, socially responsible and ESG investing, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income. Corey earned his bachelor's degree from Saint Joseph's College. His approach involves developing personalized financial strategies that reflect each client's unique goals, which he categorizes as essential, important, or aspirational. He operates with the resources of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management to assist clients in meeting retirement cash flow needs, purchasing or refinancing homes, college funding, estate planning, and managing concentrated stock positions. Outside of his professional role, Corey is a member of several organizations including the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Emerging Leaders, Duneland Chamber of Commerce, Northwest Indiana Forum, and supports groups such as the Duneland Family YMCA, Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. He resides in Chesterton, Indiana with his wife and four daughters.

Nicholas Corcoran is a financial advisor at Cetera with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and currently serves as a registered assistant at Megent Financial, assisting advisors with client accounts. Corcoran has been affiliated with Cetera and its related entities since 2019. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services across multiple program structures, managing over $256 billion in assets with more than 10,000 advisors.

Joseph Purpura Jr. is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Orland Park, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 43 years of industry experience. He has been with Primerica Financial Services since 1991 and with PFS Investments Inc. since 1983. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in sales of loan products and home-related services through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors offers discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, which includes model-delivery strategies and a limited number of discretionary separately managed accounts for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm curates third-party asset managers and uses a tiered wrap-fee structure, with portfolio implementation delegated to BNY Mellon Advisors.

Ryan Gibbons is a financial advisor with RBC Capital Markets, holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. He has worked at RBC Capital Markets since 2020 following his studies at Northern Illinois University. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutions, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering a range of advisory programs with tailored investment strategies and integrated financial services.

Pamela Hollinger is a financial advisor at Cetera with 41 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® designation as well as Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Her career includes roles at Marquette Bank since 2010, Invest Financial Corp. from 2010 to 2018, and Citizens Securities, Inc. from 2006 to 2010. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, and institutional accounts. The firm offers various portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform with access to affiliated and unaffiliated third-party managers.

Philip Farese Jr. is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and also maintains a law practice dating back to 1993. Outside of his advisory role, he provides legal document preparation and business advice for a family medical practice. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services. The firm combines in-house research and third-party analytics to support diversified investment strategies and offers a broad range of financial products and services.

Debra Baker is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 39 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Morgan Stanley in various roles since 2009, including at Morgan Stanley Private Bank since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning supported by structured processes and firm-approved tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and delivers services through both direct individual plans and Corporate Financial Planning agreements.

Alfredo Ruiz is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at SII Investments, Inc. for 20 years. Ruiz is also a regular guest financial columnist for The Times Media Group and serves as a notary within the scope of securities and insurance business. Additionally, he is a for-profit board member at Horizon Bank Corp. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and asset management solutions supported by advisor tools and research, serving over 22,800 advisors and overseeing more than $819 billion in discretionary assets.

Michael Barancyk is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 24 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2018, he worked at SII Investments, Inc. for 16 years. Outside of advising, he is co-owner of a local real estate rental business. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and access to model portfolios and third-party asset management, supported by advanced operational and research tools.