James Brandt is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. His career includes long-term roles at Fortis Investors, Inc. and his own firm, Brandt Financial Concepts. Outside of his advisory work, Brandt volunteers as a FEMA-certified trainer for disaster preparedness and serves as president of a homeowners association and a trustee on the Palatine Fire Pension Board. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional plans. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management through multiple platforms, utilizing both firm- and third-party models that combine strategic asset allocation with ongoing manager due diligence.

Kevin Meehan is a financial advisor at Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC with over 41 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations and has been associated with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services and related entities since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, Meehan is involved in real estate through DHC Realty LLC. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting for individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets and emphasizes diversified, risk-class based investment strategies blending passive and active management overseen by an internal Investment Committee.

Chad Cook is a CFP® and ChFC® with 19 years of industry experience. He is currently with Allworth Financial, L.P. and its affiliated broker-dealer, AW Securities. His prior experience includes roles at TIAA, Principal Financial Services, COUNTRY Trust Bank, and Wealth Enhancement Group. Outside of advisory work, he serves as president of a small family rental business. Allworth Financial is a fee-based SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers customized portfolio strategies, including model allocations and specialized approaches, and employs technology to manage held-away employer retirement accounts.

Robert Weis is a CFP® with 32 years of industry experience. He is currently with &Partners, joining the firm in 2024 after previous roles at Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing. Weis is also president of Robert Weis Wealth Management Services, Ltd., an entity he uses to manage office expenses for his practice. &Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers investment management, financial and tax planning, and ERISA consulting, employing a range of analysis techniques and combining proprietary and third-party strategies.

Adam Larson is a CFA® charterholder with 18 years of industry experience. He is currently with Corient, where he has worked since 2022, following previous roles at Balasa Dinverno Foltz LLC and Savant Capital Management. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that combines in-house strategies with third-party managers and employs risk management tools alongside alternative investments where appropriate.

William Buhr is a CFA® charterholder with 13 years of industry experience. He is currently with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC and has prior experience at JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, and Wells Fargo Advisors. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving a broad client base including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized retirement consulting through a combination of passive and active investment strategies overseen by an internal Investment Committee.

Douglas Clermont is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc., holding a Series 63 designation and 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at The Leaders Group, Inc., GBS Insurance & Financial Services, Principal Life Insurance Co., and PrinCor Financial Services. He is also licensed as an outside insurance agent, selling fixed life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance. TLG Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $2.0 billion in discretionary client assets. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and institutional investors, offering investment supervisory and portfolio management, comprehensive financial and estate planning, and ERISA fiduciary services. Its approach combines fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, with a direct-to-consumer program called Starlight Portfolios that uses risk questionnaires to customize portfolios reviewed quarterly.

Frank Schoen is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Hoffman Estates, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 27 years of industry experience. He is the owner of The Force Agency, Inc. and S2C Tax & Accounting Services LLC, where he provides tax preparation and accounting services. Schoen has been with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers both advisory and broker-dealer services with a range of proprietary and third-party investment models in discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

Tyrone Ball is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network based in Barrington, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. His prior work includes eight years at Edward D. Jones & Co. L.P. and four years at Best Energy LLC. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm provides advisory programs, technology, and operational support while offering a variety of investment solutions, including discretionary model portfolios and customized program structures.

Mariusz Niedbalec is a financial advisor at William Blair with 26 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with William Blair & Company since 2005. William Blair’s Private Wealth Management division offers investment management, financial planning, and wealth services to individuals, foundations, pension, and corporate clients. The firm employs an active, research-driven approach across multiple asset classes, providing proprietary models and access to private funds and co-investment opportunities.

Kelly Tischart is a financial advisor with The Huntington Investment Company and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. She has 34 years of industry experience, having worked previously at LPL Financial and Ameriprise Financial Services. Outside of her advisory role, she is associated with a retail business specializing in collectible merchandise such as baseball cards and coins. The Huntington Investment Company serves individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities by offering advisory and brokerage services through multiple wrap-fee programs on the Envestnet MAS platform. The firm uses an open-architecture model that includes third-party sub-managers and proprietary Private Bank models, providing portfolio management and related services primarily through percentage-of-assets wrap fees.

Susan Winklebleck is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Palatine, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. She has been with TIAA-CREF and TIAA since 2014. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA-administered employer retirement plan relationships. The firm provides separate broker-dealer services, acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund, and employs a fiduciary standard within its RIA services.

James Juengling is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC in Dundee, IL, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 50 years of industry experience and has been with Independent Financial Group since 2010. Since 1972, he has also owned and operated Juengling & Associates, providing various types of insurance. Juengling has been a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors since 1973 and is involved with the Illinois Legislative Council. Independent Financial Group, LLC offers investment advisory and brokerage services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes firm- and third-party models for portfolio management, combining strategic asset allocation with ongoing due diligence across a mix of passive and active exposures.

Kevin Sanders is a financial advisor with AE Wealth Management, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and 11 years of industry experience. He is also the owner and sole proprietor of The Sanders Law Firm, where he provides legal services including real estate closing advice and estate planning. His work history includes roles at Guardian Wealth Advisory Group and Sanders Financial Services Inc. AE Wealth Management is a registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a platform-centered investment approach that combines model portfolios from multiple sources with discretionary management and financial planning services.

Richard Kasher is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has been with Independent Financial Group since 2009 and is also the sole owner of Diversified Tax Services, Inc., where he serves as an officer and director providing accounting and tax consulting services. Kasher is involved in consulting engagements related to business valuation and forensic analysis. Independent Financial Group, LLC offers investment advisory and brokerage services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, corporate and pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a model-driven investment approach combining passive and active strategies, with portfolio management and financial planning delivered through multiple platforms and third-party asset managers.

Robert Richardson is a financial advisor with Integrity Alliance, LLC, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. He has 32 years of industry experience and has worked with firms including IZALE Financial Group and Lion Street Advisors. Outside of advisory work, he owns an online retail business, Cultivated Community LLC. Integrity Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans through a network of independent advisers. The firm offers continuous asset management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party manager programs, employing a range of portfolio construction approaches across multiple custodial platforms.

Preeti Gupta is an advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and currently located in Wheeling, IL. She has been with Fifth Third Bank since 2022 and joined Fifth Third Securities in 2026. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional entities through both advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers multiple investment programs via the Passageway Managed Account platform, allowing clients to select strategies tailored to their risk profiles.

Daniel Bolan is a financial advisor with Allworth Financial, L.P. He holds the CFP® designation along with Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has 22 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Charles Schwab Wealth Management, FNBC Bank & Trust, and 83 Rd St. Wealth Management. Allworth Financial is a fee-based SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers customized portfolio strategies using model approaches, third-party sub-advisers, and technology to manage held-away accounts, and is notable for its ownership structure and specialized divisions such as its Airline division.

Katelyn Depew is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. She currently works at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. and previously spent 11 years at TIAA-CREF and Tiaa. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, providing a range of investment advisory, financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning services. The firm follows an investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory with globally diversified portfolios implemented through low-cost ETFs, index funds, separate account managers, and other strategies.

Nicole Mayer is a financial advisor at Allworth Financial, L.P. with 19 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Arbor Point Advisors and Securities America. Outside of her advisory role, Mayer is an author and consultant for Senior Services of Illinois, focusing on life and health insurance. Allworth Financial is a fee-based SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers customized portfolio management using various model strategies and employs third-party sub-advisers when appropriate.