Kathryn Baness is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management, holding a Series 66 credential and six years of industry experience. Her prior firms include LPL Financial, Wells Fargo Advisors, Morgan Stanley, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Services. She is also a notary with the National Notary Association. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, focusing on holistic, goal-based financial analyses and planning without discretionary trading authority. The firm’s approach allows clients to integrate planning with managed-account services under a consolidated billing option called “WealthPlan.”

Sean Dwyer is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Edward Jones, based in Lake Zurich, IL, and has 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2010. Outside of his financial advisory role, he is involved in managing rental properties and serves as a manager of a real estate business entity. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a wide range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary managed solutions, access to separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm operates under a fiduciary standard and is notable for its large retail advisor and branch network, as well as affiliated capabilities beyond advisory services.

Eric Laughlin is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Morgan Stanley and its affiliated entities since 2001, including positions at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, as well as prior experience at Citigroup Global Markets. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients by providing a broad range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process supported by firm-approved tools and market simulations.

Nick Georgalas is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he has been working since 2022. In this role, he assists clients and their families in building and maintaining financial plans tailored to their specific goals and situations. Prior to his current position, Nick served as an Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments from 2021 to 2022, and as a Financial Representative from 2020 to 2021. Nick's professional experience at Fidelity Investments spans several years, during which he has developed expertise in financial planning and investment consulting. He partners with clients to analyze their financial situations and implement customized plans to meet their objectives.

Amber Luczak is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Fox River Grove, IL. She holds the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations and has 12 years of industry experience, all with Edward Jones since 2014. 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, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee options, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Jeremy Eckert is a Series 66-registered advisor with LPL Financial in Crystal Lake, Illinois. He has professional experience in accounting and tax services, having worked at Trail CPA Corporation and GPL Tax & Accounting prior to joining LPL Financial. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm provides a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and model portfolio programs, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Frank Petroczky is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones in West Dundee, IL, where he has worked since 2012, accumulating 13 years of industry experience. He serves as a director for the Shabbona Lake Sportsmans Club in Shabbona, IL, where he volunteers for club outings. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of investment strategies and affiliated services, operating under a fiduciary standard, with a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Patrick O Connor is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at The Freeze and Northern Michigan University. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Senior Care Volunteer Network and is involved in their Planning and Fundraising Committee. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals nearing or in retirement with substantial investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide tailored, written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team.

Crystal Thomas is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 18 years of industry experience. She has worked at Merrill since 2022 and previously spent 13 years at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Merrill, along 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 model-based and discretionary investment strategies supported by internal Chief Investment Office teams and third-party managers, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Benjamin Miller is a CFP® with 30 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Raymond James & Associates since 2024. Prior to joining Raymond James, he was with UBS Financial Services Inc for 15 years. He is an officer involved in neighborhood management for The Preserve at Long Grove. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, institutional and pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering non-discretionary financial planning and investment consulting supported by proprietary research and a range of portfolio management styles.

Patrick O'Connor is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Advisors since 2011. Outside of his work at Wells Fargo, he co-owns Armada Financial Partners Ltd with his spouse. Wells Fargo Advisors is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that serves individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of financial planning services that include retirement, education, risk, and wealth-transfer planning, with specialized services requiring specific advisor credentials.

Ernesto Aranda is a CFP® with nine years of experience in financial services, currently serving as an advisor at Ameriprise in Crystal Lake, IL. His prior experience includes roles at The Huntington Investment Company and Bank of America, as well as Merrill. He has also been affiliated with DePaul University for ten years. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides tailored retirement planning advice through a written Recommendation Report and ongoing guidance focused on income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Thomas Sublewski is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Woodstock, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 10 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at JPMorgan Chase Bank and JP Morgan Securities LLC, spanning six years, as well as four years at BMO Bank NA. Outside of finance, he was involved with The Foodie Dog from 2015 to 2020. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that offers advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm provides a range of financial planning and investment management solutions through a large network of advisors and integrates both proprietary research and third-party strategies in its advisory platform.

Lesley Torres is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Charles Schwab Bank and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. since 2022. Prior to this, she held positions at Magnit, Paylocity, and Edgars Landscaping Inc. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm combines non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to discretionary separately managed accounts and employs a multi-asset model portfolio approach supported by centralized custody and supervisory functions.

Richard Augustine Sr. is a financial advisor with OSAIC based in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at SagePoint Financial, Lincoln Financial Advisors, and Austin Bancorp. In addition to his advisory work, he serves as president of R.J. Augustine & Associates, Ltd., a corporation offering tax, accounting, and strategic business planning services, and he is the treasurer of the Founders Club Homeowners Association. OSAIC serves a diverse client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth investors, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides integrated brokerage and advisory services, utilizing asset-allocation tools and risk-assessment methods to manage portfolios across various asset classes on discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Sofiya Semanyshyn is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Vermillion Financial Advisors and Le Colonial. She attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from 2021 to 2025. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and employs more than 14,000 financial advisors, offering both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Gary Phelps is a financial advisor at Stifel with 28 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Merrill, Banc of America Investment Services, and LaSalle Financial Services. In addition to his advisory work, he is a notary public who notarizes documents for clients. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutions, charitable organizations, and municipal entities, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach uses a proprietary methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group to provide asset allocation and planning analyses, which support client decision-making.

Jason Brim is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab, holding a Series 66 credential and seven years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at National Life Group and Lakeshore Financial Group. Outside of advising, he owns farmland in Central Illinois that he rents out for agricultural use. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves mainly high- and ultra-high-net-worth clients through its Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering a blend of non-discretionary and discretionary investment management along with integrated custody and brokerage services.

Kent Atkinson is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Barrington, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and having 41 years of industry experience. He has worked with various Morgan Stanley entities since 2007, including Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Outside of his advisory work, he manages a rental property in Crystal Lake, IL. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer offering a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services to individuals and institutional clients. The firm employs a structured planning process and serves clients through both direct and corporate financial planning agreements.

Nathan Arroyave is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Huntley, Illinois. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has four years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial, he worked at BMO Bank NA and Rogers & Holland's. 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 financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management access, and institutional platforms, supporting a broad range of investment strategies through a large network of advisors.