Michael Kimmey is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Orland Park, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors since 2003 and previously affiliated with Axa Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and operates Michael Kimmey and Associates, Inc., providing bookkeeping, accounting, and tax preparation services. Equitable Advisors serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives. The firm utilizes a variety of third-party advisory programs and asset managers, focusing on matching clients with appropriate investment strategies and fiduciary services.

Kyle Spayth is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He works closely with clients to develop personalized financial strategies tailored to their individual goals, emphasizing transparency and straightforward communication in managing complex financial topics. Kyle focuses on building thoughtful, personal plans rather than using templates, aiming to support clients' current needs and long-term visions. His areas of expertise include college education planning, divorce transition planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, and retirement income. Kyle holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) designation and is a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Kyle earned a Bachelor's Degree from Purdue University System. In his personal time, he enjoys adventure sports, boating, camping, cooking, gardening, music, reading, spending time with his family, traveling, and yoga.

Vijay Thakkar is a CFP® with 34 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is affiliated with Cetera and has held roles there since 1991, currently serving under its institutional platform. In addition to his advisory work, Thakkar owns Vijay Thakkar & Associates Ltd, a business focused on accounting, tax preparation, and payroll processing. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser that supports a large nationwide network of independent advisors, offering a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement services to individuals, employer-sponsored plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm operates a multi-manager platform that provides advisors with various program options and access to third-party managers.

Douglas Grove is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with 31 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at firms including Principal Life, MassMutual, Fidelity Investments, and Thrivent Financial. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, providing goal-based, holistic financial planning without discretionary portfolio management. The firm’s approach includes periodic reviews and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account services through an integrated billing option.

Nicole Portolos is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Burr Ridge, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and nine years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2015. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement who meet specific asset criteria. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide written Recommendation Reports, with an emphasis on assets held in Ameriprise Managed Accounts and algorithmic automation in generating recommendations.

Amy Farber is a Financial Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2019. In her role, she focuses on building professional relationships with clients to provide exceptional experiences during every interaction. Prior to joining Fidelity Investments, Amy held the position of Assistant Vice President and Premium Elite Relationship Manager at Bank of America Merrill from 2016 to 2019. She began her career at Charles Schwab, serving as an Associate Financial Consultant from 2015 to 2016 and as a Derivatives Trade Specialist from 2012 to 2015. Outside of her professional work, Amy engages in various personal interests including fitness, hiking, playing musical instruments, skiing, theater, and traveling.

Susan Lewis is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 26 years of industry experience. Her career includes extensive tenure at Avantax Advisory Services and Avantax Investment Services, spanning over two decades, alongside owning Susan S. Lewis Ltd, a tax preparation and bookkeeping business. She also owns two businesses in manufacturing and repair, Ideal Truck Body, Inc. and Repair Me, Inc. 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 portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives and advanced research and operational tools.

Tina Wilson is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with 18 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with RBC Capital Markets, LLC since 2016. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutional clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers multiple wrap fee advisory programs that provide portfolio management, financial planning, custody, and brokerage services tailored to each client's advisory risk profile.

Carl Zegan is a financial advisor with Cetera in Orland Park, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 23 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Strategize Wealth Management Group, Inc. and Avantax Investment Services, Inc. Outside of advisory work, he serves as a volunteer board member for his local homeowners association and provides tax preparation services through Strategize Tax Services, LLC. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser offering a multi-manager platform that serves individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm provides a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, with access to both affiliated and unaffiliated third-party managers across various program structures.

Ronald Ramos is a financial advisor at Cetera with nine years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. His career includes roles at Avantax Investment Services and Avantax Insurance Agency, along with significant experience managing accounting and payroll functions at American Security Services Inc, a business he has been involved with since 1998. Ramos also owns Personalized Tax, which provides personal and corporate tax preparation and small business accounting services. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm servicing individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, supporting advisors with model portfolios and access to third-party managers across multiple program structures and custodial relationships.

John Demarco is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 33 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC, accumulating 13 years with those firms before joining Ameriprise in 2022. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service providing written recommendation reports and ongoing retirement-income planning focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Joanne Rincker is a financial advisor with LPL Financial who holds Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and has 33 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Waddell & Reed, Inc. and various insurance carriers for 28 years before joining LPL Financial in 2021. Her prior business activities include work related to non-variable insurance. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by extensive operational tools and a large network of over 22,800 advisors.

Brian Kiefer is a financial advisor at Osaic Wealth, Inc. with 27 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 credential and previously worked at Woodbury Financial Services Inc for nine years. Kiefer is president of Kiefer Financial Group, where he writes life insurance and disability insurance for businesses and individuals. Osaic Wealth, Inc. serves a broad mix of retail and institutional clients through a large network of affiliated advisers and offers integrated brokerage, investment advisory services, and financial planning. The firm uses firm-provided asset-allocation tools and multiple advisory platforms to construct diversified portfolios tailored to client risk tolerances.

David Moore is a CFP® professional at RBC Capital Markets with three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Mesirow and William Blair. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers various advisory programs with tailored investment strategies implemented through a combination of in-house and third-party managers, supported by a broad capital-markets platform.

Anastacio Gamino Jr. is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience. He is currently with LPL Financial and has previously worked at Wayne Hummer Investments L.L.C., U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., and several other firms. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services including model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Eric O'Neill is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in New Lenox, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2018, he worked at Cetera Advisor Networks from 2013 to 2018 and has been self-employed since 1996. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in tax preparation and accounting services through his Financial ServiCenter business. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions, offering a range of financial planning, portfolio management, and institutional platform solutions.

Kristen Rose is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 21 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with Morgan Stanley since 2016. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning and estate planning strategies, and manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Katie Groves is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Channahon, Illinois. She holds a Series 66 designation and has eight years of industry experience, including five years at Rayjus prior to joining Edward Jones in 2018. 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, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Mark De Nicolo is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including E*Trade Securities and TD Ameritrade. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applying an ESG eligibility framework in its recommendations.

Lara Stehlik is a Benefits & Planning Consultant in Executive Services at Fidelity Investments. She has been with Fidelity since 2021, progressing from Financial Consultant to Planning Consultant before her current role, which she began in 2024. Prior to joining Fidelity, Lara worked as a Financial Advisor and Branch Office Administrator at Edward Jones from 2016 to 2021, and as a Relationship Manager at JPMorgan Chase from 2014 to 2016. Throughout her career, Lara has focused on helping clients build financial plans tailored to their goals, leveraging the tools and resources available through her roles. Her experience spans various aspects of financial advising and planning, emphasizing client support and benefits consultation. Outside of her professional work, Lara enjoys board games, fitness activities, hiking, social events with friends, and volunteering.